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The Man I Didn’t Marry
What happens when the man she married can’t remember her?
Ellie has the perfect life: a happy marriage, a gorgeous daughter and a baby on the way. But when her husband Max develops amnesia, he forgets everything about the last five years . . . including their relationship.
Now the man she said ‘I do’ to has become a stranger, and she has no idea why. Yet Ellie is determined to reconnect and find herMax again – he has to be in there somewhere, right?
As they get to know one another afresh, Ellie finds herself seeing Max clearly for the first time. But then she discovers that before his memory loss, Max was keeping a huge secret from her. Will their new beginning prove to be a false start, just as it seemed they might fall in love all over again?
Ellie has the perfect life: a happy marriage, a gorgeous daughter and a baby on the way. But when her husband Max develops amnesia, he forgets everything about the last five years . . . including their relationship.
Now the man she said ‘I do’ to has become a stranger, and she has no idea why. Yet Ellie is determined to reconnect and find herMax again – he has to be in there somewhere, right?
As they get to know one another afresh, Ellie finds herself seeing Max clearly for the first time. But then she discovers that before his memory loss, Max was keeping a huge secret from her. Will their new beginning prove to be a false start, just as it seemed they might fall in love all over again?
400 pages, Paperback
First published February 4, 2021
135 people are currently reading
1902 people want to read
About the author
Anna Bell
49 books455 followersAnna is represented by the Marsh Agency and published by Quercus. 'Don't Tell the Groom' is released in paperback 5th December 2013.
Anna also writes new adult fiction under the pen name Annabel Scott.
Anna also writes new adult fiction under the pen name Annabel Scott.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 197 reviews
February 5, 2021
Ellie and Max are happily married, one little girl, another baby on the way, they have moved back to their home town and a dilapidated old house from London. Then Max loses his memories of the last five years. Suddenly his only memories of Ellie are as his little sister's geeky BFF, who he not so affectionately calls Spider. He doesn't remember that he's no longer talking to his father, or that his sister is gay.
The doctors say that Max could regain his memory any day now, but what if he doesn't? His parents don't want to rock the boat by telling him about their divorce, but Ellie has bigger problems, her reliable husband has now regressed to a guy more interested in chatting up other women and excess drinking, just what a woman wants when she is heavily pregnant!
Ellie tries to recreate their special moments, but as she and Max get to know one another again she finds this Max may be even better than the old one. But as she starts to uncover the reasons for Max's memory loss the secrets start to unravel. Is this the beginning of a new, better, marriage or the end?
I can totally see this as a zany British comedy, the sort of thing Hugh Grant would have been in back in the day. Ellie has always had Max on a pedestal, he was the school Adonis while she was the skinny nerd that the cool girls picked on and she had an almighty crush on him, so to be demoted from beloved wife to his sister's goofy friend is a horrible shock.
Overall, a cute romantic comedy that will make you laugh out loud, loved the yummy-mummies WhatsApp group and the breakfast swinging scene!
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
The doctors say that Max could regain his memory any day now, but what if he doesn't? His parents don't want to rock the boat by telling him about their divorce, but Ellie has bigger problems, her reliable husband has now regressed to a guy more interested in chatting up other women and excess drinking, just what a woman wants when she is heavily pregnant!
Ellie tries to recreate their special moments, but as she and Max get to know one another again she finds this Max may be even better than the old one. But as she starts to uncover the reasons for Max's memory loss the secrets start to unravel. Is this the beginning of a new, better, marriage or the end?
I can totally see this as a zany British comedy, the sort of thing Hugh Grant would have been in back in the day. Ellie has always had Max on a pedestal, he was the school Adonis while she was the skinny nerd that the cool girls picked on and she had an almighty crush on him, so to be demoted from beloved wife to his sister's goofy friend is a horrible shock.
Overall, a cute romantic comedy that will make you laugh out loud, loved the yummy-mummies WhatsApp group and the breakfast swinging scene!
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
November 8, 2021
This was such a lovely read and I enjoyed it thoroughly from start to finish.
The subject matter is potentially a difficult one, especially if readers have experienced loved ones with memory loss and the pain that comes with it. However, I think the writer has approached this in a light-hearted, warm way that does not try to explore the suffering that is associated with such a disease. For Max, he seems to have suffered an emotional trauma causing him to lose his memories of the past five years. It’s called dissociative amnesia and the doctors are confident that Max’s memories would return ‘any day now’. Of course, this is not the case and Max’s family try and evaluate what news he really needs to know and what they can spare him from. This entails many funny scenes as his wife and parents determine whether Max needs to learn about Brexit, the state of American politics and presidency and, more closer to home, the breakdown of his parents’ marriage! Poor Ellie is frantic because she is heavily pregnant with daughter number two and Max has no memory of their first born. Not only does Ellie have the task of encouraging Max they do have a successful marriage, she needs him to re-bond with their daughter.
Yet, this does not become a straight-forward task, as you would expect. This is what keeps the story light-hearted and so warming. From Ellie tweaking Max’s memories so she gets a better ‘version two’, to the charade that Max’s parents try to maintain to convince their son they are still happily married, the story follows the couple as Max re-learns who he is. At the same time, Ellie is making new friends from her ante-natal classes and I loved how this added a further dimension to the story. They are a great bunch of supporting characters and I liked watching how both circles came together in the final scenes.
What I liked so much about this story was that whilst the memory loss seems quite an unusual occurrence, the characters are all very realistic and likeable; there was not a single character I disliked. Bell portrays the lead-up to Ellie’s birth as something that provoked many personal memories and I think the writer truly explores what it is like to be heavily pregnant, trying to juggle parenthood, whilst having a very absent husband at the same time.
Although this is a fun, sweet story, with many laugh-out-loud moments, I liked the more serious note to Ellie and Max’s reunion. Despite Ellie trying to recover the Max she once knew, I think she comes to realise that learning to love each other again does have its advantages. There is a wobble in this path as Ellie starts to doubt the moments leading up to his amnesia, but I think the couple come out stronger than ever. Max has a lot to learn again but I also believe that Ellie recognises a different aspect to their relationship that needs to be treasured going forwards.
A lovely read that had me engrossed from start to finish. There were plenty of laughs and smiles as man and wife start from scratch in their relationship, despite the second baby arriving imminently!
With thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The subject matter is potentially a difficult one, especially if readers have experienced loved ones with memory loss and the pain that comes with it. However, I think the writer has approached this in a light-hearted, warm way that does not try to explore the suffering that is associated with such a disease. For Max, he seems to have suffered an emotional trauma causing him to lose his memories of the past five years. It’s called dissociative amnesia and the doctors are confident that Max’s memories would return ‘any day now’. Of course, this is not the case and Max’s family try and evaluate what news he really needs to know and what they can spare him from. This entails many funny scenes as his wife and parents determine whether Max needs to learn about Brexit, the state of American politics and presidency and, more closer to home, the breakdown of his parents’ marriage! Poor Ellie is frantic because she is heavily pregnant with daughter number two and Max has no memory of their first born. Not only does Ellie have the task of encouraging Max they do have a successful marriage, she needs him to re-bond with their daughter.
Yet, this does not become a straight-forward task, as you would expect. This is what keeps the story light-hearted and so warming. From Ellie tweaking Max’s memories so she gets a better ‘version two’, to the charade that Max’s parents try to maintain to convince their son they are still happily married, the story follows the couple as Max re-learns who he is. At the same time, Ellie is making new friends from her ante-natal classes and I loved how this added a further dimension to the story. They are a great bunch of supporting characters and I liked watching how both circles came together in the final scenes.
What I liked so much about this story was that whilst the memory loss seems quite an unusual occurrence, the characters are all very realistic and likeable; there was not a single character I disliked. Bell portrays the lead-up to Ellie’s birth as something that provoked many personal memories and I think the writer truly explores what it is like to be heavily pregnant, trying to juggle parenthood, whilst having a very absent husband at the same time.
Although this is a fun, sweet story, with many laugh-out-loud moments, I liked the more serious note to Ellie and Max’s reunion. Despite Ellie trying to recover the Max she once knew, I think she comes to realise that learning to love each other again does have its advantages. There is a wobble in this path as Ellie starts to doubt the moments leading up to his amnesia, but I think the couple come out stronger than ever. Max has a lot to learn again but I also believe that Ellie recognises a different aspect to their relationship that needs to be treasured going forwards.
A lovely read that had me engrossed from start to finish. There were plenty of laughs and smiles as man and wife start from scratch in their relationship, despite the second baby arriving imminently!
With thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 5, 2021
Imagine being married to the man of your dreams, a little girl and another baby on the way, and then one day he just completely forgets your whole relationship and just remembers you as his little sister’s best friend. How heartbreaking! 💔
The Man I Didn’t Marry is a one of a kind story like I’ve not read before. I felt so much for Ellie, I remembered those final few weeks of pregnancy and they’re hard, so I couldn’t even begin to imagine how you’d factor in a husband who doesn’t remember the last five years. And Max! Imagine not knowing the fact that you got married and had a child! Or that Brexit happened!
I loved seeing the two of them try to retrace some pivotal moments of their lives together, those moments didn’t always go to plan, I mean that hotel in Paris! 😂 I also loved Ellie’s group of friends. For women she’d only met the week before at a pregnancy group, they were so close and supportive it was amazing! They were such a fab group of women.
I adored this book, and devoured it within two days, which with a sleepless 10 month old isn’t easy 😂 but I just couldn’t put it down!
Thank you HQ for my gifted ARC.
The Man I Didn’t Marry is a one of a kind story like I’ve not read before. I felt so much for Ellie, I remembered those final few weeks of pregnancy and they’re hard, so I couldn’t even begin to imagine how you’d factor in a husband who doesn’t remember the last five years. And Max! Imagine not knowing the fact that you got married and had a child! Or that Brexit happened!
I loved seeing the two of them try to retrace some pivotal moments of their lives together, those moments didn’t always go to plan, I mean that hotel in Paris! 😂 I also loved Ellie’s group of friends. For women she’d only met the week before at a pregnancy group, they were so close and supportive it was amazing! They were such a fab group of women.
I adored this book, and devoured it within two days, which with a sleepless 10 month old isn’t easy 😂 but I just couldn’t put it down!
Thank you HQ for my gifted ARC.
December 8, 2024
1🌟 because the blurb was interesting.🤷
I saw another review about the book, saying that it wasn't good but it was an "easy read", and I couldn't disagree more, it was so cringey! And I don't even think it was only the story, the way it was written also played a huge part.
"I reach out to hold onto the table beside me to stop my legs from buckling."
He literally just touched her back, because he thought she was a stripper.
"Max Voss has just asked me if he can buy me food? Didn’t I always fantasise about this moment? Play it cool, Ellie. ‘Why not,’ I say with a simple shrug."
You were just crying because he thought you were a stripper.
"His eyes keep flitting between my outfit and my face and I can see he’s still quite drunk by the way he’s swaying."
He's sitting in a chair, swaying.
"Yeah, you were just too cool to talk to me.’ I pick up a chicken wing, planning to eat a small delicate bite, but I’ve well and truly got the booze munchies and I ravage it like a caveman."
Okay.
"I’m slightly flattered that he knows where I used to live."
NO.
"He’s looking at me in the same way he was looking at his chicken before he devoured it."
Please no.
"We fall on to the bed and there are drunken hands everywhere running all over each other’s body. It’s not the most co-ordinated of efforts but there’s a kind of hot and heavy panting that comes from a lot of lust."
Yeah... No.
"Do people snore if they’ve got a concussion?"
...
"Yes, yes, there was. A lot of it,’ I say with almost a giggle."
Almost a giggle.
"That photo that you sent of you two snuggled up at that café,’ she says with almost a tear in her eye."
With almost a tear in her eye.
It was bad, in my years of reading I probably have only written 3 bad reviews(including this one) because I don't want to be mean, so I stick to the rating and that's it, but this time I had to say something 😭
I saw another review about the book, saying that it wasn't good but it was an "easy read", and I couldn't disagree more, it was so cringey! And I don't even think it was only the story, the way it was written also played a huge part.
"I reach out to hold onto the table beside me to stop my legs from buckling."
He literally just touched her back, because he thought she was a stripper.
"Max Voss has just asked me if he can buy me food? Didn’t I always fantasise about this moment? Play it cool, Ellie. ‘Why not,’ I say with a simple shrug."
You were just crying because he thought you were a stripper.
"His eyes keep flitting between my outfit and my face and I can see he’s still quite drunk by the way he’s swaying."
He's sitting in a chair, swaying.
"Yeah, you were just too cool to talk to me.’ I pick up a chicken wing, planning to eat a small delicate bite, but I’ve well and truly got the booze munchies and I ravage it like a caveman."
Okay.
"I’m slightly flattered that he knows where I used to live."
NO.
"He’s looking at me in the same way he was looking at his chicken before he devoured it."
Please no.
"We fall on to the bed and there are drunken hands everywhere running all over each other’s body. It’s not the most co-ordinated of efforts but there’s a kind of hot and heavy panting that comes from a lot of lust."
Yeah... No.
"Do people snore if they’ve got a concussion?"
...
"Yes, yes, there was. A lot of it,’ I say with almost a giggle."
Almost a giggle.
"That photo that you sent of you two snuggled up at that café,’ she says with almost a tear in her eye."
With almost a tear in her eye.
It was bad, in my years of reading I probably have only written 3 bad reviews(including this one) because I don't want to be mean, so I stick to the rating and that's it, but this time I had to say something 😭
April 4, 2021
Well I was always going to be hooked on a book that starts with a mention of Comic Con, as it just appeals to my inner geek, and well Ellie is a bit of a geeky girl at heart! And the first time she re-meets her long time crush while dressed as Wonder Woman is just fabulous.
And that is just a bit of the prologue, fast forward a few years and Ellie and Max now have a daughter, and a couple of months away from being parents again, when Max suddenly develops amnesia and forgets everything about the previous 5 years about his life.
He doesn't remember being married, having a child, that his parent's have divorced, but on the other hand he did forget about Donal Trump's presidency and Brexit! And although apparently the memory could return at any time, Ellie decides she needs to get Max to fall in love with her all over again.
We also get to know her new group of friends from the antenatal class, and the situation with Max's parents and the farce of what is going on with them culminates in an absolutely hilarious scene that I was laughing out loud at.
In fact there are a lot of laughs to be had, as well as the mystery as to what on earth Max was really doing the day he lost his memory. I loved how the couple try to reconnect and there are some humorously disastrous dates, and all manner of brand new memorable moments being created!
There are many side storylines too, which were also engaging and I loved pretty much all the characters, and they all felt quite real. I was really caught up in their lives during the afternoon I spent devouring this book.
It was Anna Bell at her very best, a humorous but memorable story about making your husband fall in love with you all over again, and more..
Thank you to HQ and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
And that is just a bit of the prologue, fast forward a few years and Ellie and Max now have a daughter, and a couple of months away from being parents again, when Max suddenly develops amnesia and forgets everything about the previous 5 years about his life.
He doesn't remember being married, having a child, that his parent's have divorced, but on the other hand he did forget about Donal Trump's presidency and Brexit! And although apparently the memory could return at any time, Ellie decides she needs to get Max to fall in love with her all over again.
We also get to know her new group of friends from the antenatal class, and the situation with Max's parents and the farce of what is going on with them culminates in an absolutely hilarious scene that I was laughing out loud at.
In fact there are a lot of laughs to be had, as well as the mystery as to what on earth Max was really doing the day he lost his memory. I loved how the couple try to reconnect and there are some humorously disastrous dates, and all manner of brand new memorable moments being created!
There are many side storylines too, which were also engaging and I loved pretty much all the characters, and they all felt quite real. I was really caught up in their lives during the afternoon I spent devouring this book.
It was Anna Bell at her very best, a humorous but memorable story about making your husband fall in love with you all over again, and more..
Thank you to HQ and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
February 4, 2021
4,5 Stars
Ellie had a crush on the brother of her best friend for most of her teenage years. When she sees him again years later, he still calls her by her nerdy nickname - but also likes what's underneath this 'Wonder Woman' costume she is wearing.
In a normal book you would now watch the two protagonist doing the dating-game, probably with some hurdles along the way (and most probably one of them would be a blast from the past).
To some degree this is also what you get in Anna Bell's newest novel, but in a totally unexpected way. Max loses his memory and can't remember anything from his life with Ellie. And so she needs to get him fall in love with her for a second time.
I loved the originality of the story, and that Max did not behave like his previous self but quickly adapted to his role as dutiful husband and father. Now we only needed the sparks flying again between Ellie and Max. Although nothing really spectacular is happening, it does not get boring either. I actually prefer it when there are no overly dramatic impediments or constructed interferences. Therefore this story was exactly my cup of tea!
Ellie had a crush on the brother of her best friend for most of her teenage years. When she sees him again years later, he still calls her by her nerdy nickname - but also likes what's underneath this 'Wonder Woman' costume she is wearing.
In a normal book you would now watch the two protagonist doing the dating-game, probably with some hurdles along the way (and most probably one of them would be a blast from the past).
To some degree this is also what you get in Anna Bell's newest novel, but in a totally unexpected way. Max loses his memory and can't remember anything from his life with Ellie. And so she needs to get him fall in love with her for a second time.
I loved the originality of the story, and that Max did not behave like his previous self but quickly adapted to his role as dutiful husband and father. Now we only needed the sparks flying again between Ellie and Max. Although nothing really spectacular is happening, it does not get boring either. I actually prefer it when there are no overly dramatic impediments or constructed interferences. Therefore this story was exactly my cup of tea!
June 8, 2022
this book gave me all the feels. Ellie will always be known as one of my most respected protagonists given all the shit that she had to go through. I feel so bad for this woman😭
3.7
3.7
March 16, 2023
cheating husband
boring story
no logic at all
time wasted
boring story
no logic at all
time wasted
April 2, 2023
I really enjoyed this book, it’s the first book in a while that I would say I’ve got a little lost in, I found myself just wanting to keep reading and before I knew it I’d practically finished the book and stayed up way past my usual bed time.
A really lovely sentiment but with some little comedy moments put in as well, there were a few moments when I could feel myself fighting back a few tears as it did get a little emotional. I really liked experiencing Max and Ellie falling in love all over again and seeing him interact with Sasha was magical and this gave the book such a lift.
it was a really touching, emotional and heartfelt book that will leave you with a smile on your face and you’ll find yourself wanting to know what all of the characters get up to next!
A really lovely sentiment but with some little comedy moments put in as well, there were a few moments when I could feel myself fighting back a few tears as it did get a little emotional. I really liked experiencing Max and Ellie falling in love all over again and seeing him interact with Sasha was magical and this gave the book such a lift.
it was a really touching, emotional and heartfelt book that will leave you with a smile on your face and you’ll find yourself wanting to know what all of the characters get up to next!
September 27, 2021
An easy-to-read book, kinda chick-lit in nature.
Follows a typical plot whereby girl have crush on bff's handsome brother. Years later, she married him, have a small kid and a bun in the oven. Lo and behold, suddenly her handsome husband suffered amnesia.
I read at my usual pace til about 1/3 of the book after which I started speed reading, hoping that there might be some unusual twist that caused him amnesia (i.e. affiar? real medicial amnesia? fake one? etc) but no I didn't find anything noteworthy.
3 stars only because it is really very read-able.
Follows a typical plot whereby girl have crush on bff's handsome brother. Years later, she married him, have a small kid and a bun in the oven. Lo and behold, suddenly her handsome husband suffered amnesia.
I read at my usual pace til about 1/3 of the book after which I started speed reading, hoping that there might be some unusual twist that caused him amnesia (i.e. affiar? real medicial amnesia? fake one? etc) but no I didn't find anything noteworthy.
3 stars only because it is really very read-able.
October 20, 2020
I was hooked from the first page...... any book that starts with this first sentence - ‘ When deciding to go to Comic Con this year dressed as Wonder Woman, with a very short skirt and tiny corseted top, I had not factored in the possibility that we would end up in a meat market of a club afterwards’ - is a winner as far as I’m concerned! The story picks you up and carries you through until it spits you out at the end, feeling like you’ve lived through an emotional rollercoaster......
The book centres around Ellie and Max who meet again in a club. Ellie used to be Max’s younger sisters best friend at school, and Ellie had a massive crush on Max. After all these years they finally get together, get married and have a daughter and a baby on the way. All seems perfect until one day, out of the blue, Max loses his memory of the last five years. He has no idea that he and Ellie are married and have a child, so Ellie decides that they need to fall in love with each other all over again......but it turns out that life isn’t that simple.
A fabulous, emotional and funny page turner. Well written with believable characters - I loved both Ellie and Max, as well as the supporting cast of family and Ellie’s new ‘mothers to be’ friends. I read it in one day - I wanted to know how their story ended and felt emotionally invested in their rather bumpy journey.
The book centres around Ellie and Max who meet again in a club. Ellie used to be Max’s younger sisters best friend at school, and Ellie had a massive crush on Max. After all these years they finally get together, get married and have a daughter and a baby on the way. All seems perfect until one day, out of the blue, Max loses his memory of the last five years. He has no idea that he and Ellie are married and have a child, so Ellie decides that they need to fall in love with each other all over again......but it turns out that life isn’t that simple.
A fabulous, emotional and funny page turner. Well written with believable characters - I loved both Ellie and Max, as well as the supporting cast of family and Ellie’s new ‘mothers to be’ friends. I read it in one day - I wanted to know how their story ended and felt emotionally invested in their rather bumpy journey.
July 9, 2022
Full review to come.
Max is H.
Ellie is h. She is the H's younger sister's best friend so they grew up together.
Story takes place in UK and is about H getting sudden amnesia - can't recall last 5 years - and wife trying to recreate how they fall in love and uncovering what led to the amnesia. Side stories of H's parents relationship and H's lesbian sister's relationship.
So essentially the reason he got amnesia was a series of events. First, his ex gf, Anne, comes back to the UK from the US newly divorced. He sees her at a work party, gets drunk, she kisses him, he kiss back, but then pushes her away. He tells her he is married. He doesn't tell his wife. Lying to his wife, H and ex gf then meet up to talk where she begs him to take her back and then he sees her get hit by a bus and it is at that moment he has amnesia.
I just finished reading it. The book itself wasn't bad, but I feel iffy about the H so I don't know how to rate this.
Honestly, Max has so many red flags I would've never married him. Part of me sees that he loves his wife. But another part of me wished that she would have divorced him and be with someone better than him at the end of the book.
h thinks they had a perfect marriage before amnesia, but she was so self conscious because H was her dream man and she kept referring to his playboy days as dating beautiful model-esque women. She also compares herself to women a lot. I felt she needed to work on loving herself more. Also, before amnesia, it looks like they don't really communicate because there was a lot of things they didn't talk about or avoid and their relationship didn't seem equitable, meaning, she did more work in the relationship than he did. He had more alone times doing what he liked than the h. She took care of their daughter more than he did and he never realized it. This is mentioned because during his amnesia, the h doesn’t correct him when the H assumes that they must've shared their feelings often and communicated and that he is hands on with their daughter.
I couldn't get over how, in a previous relationship with his ex gf, he was the other man. He knowingly dated the ex gf, a coworker, who was married. It was said that he was really into her, but eventually couldn't handle being the other man. I also can't get over when he sees the ex gf years later at a work party and decide to be sloppy drunk to the point where they kiss. If you know there may be a situation, remove yourself from the situation or don't over imbibe. Don't blame the alcohol.
He was hypocritical too. He was adamant that when he got together with Ellie they were monogamous because he felt guilty for being the other man in a previous relationship. All the sneaking around ate at him, but he did the same to Ellie. It wasn't clear how many times he met up with the ex gf, he said he only met up with her to tell her he was happy in his marriage, but why keep it a secret. That didn't need a meeting. All he needed to do was send her a text.
Also, he was a total asshole early on during his amnesia. He kept sulking at the fact that he was no longer a total playboy living in the city. That was who he was before he got married. That is all he remembers, but now he is living in the suburbs with a pregnant wife and kid and he is not happy about that. He keeps looking at the h, who is his wife as his younger sister's best friend calling her nerd and a nickname, spider, that the h hates. He flirted with a doctor, his sister's girlfriend (before finding out she was the girlfriend), and gets drunk playing beer pong and flirted with a woman while he and h was out on a date that the h was trying to recreate their first date.
I did not like how Ellie eventually excused the ex gf's behavior because at the end, the ex gf messaged Ellie on FaceBook to tell her that Max contacted her to tell her he never wants to see her again. Ellie thinks that was nice of her to tell Ellie that. I would've told her to fuck off.
The ex gf is a two faced liar at every turn. While the H was in a therapy session, someone calls his phone and the h picks it up. When she picks up no one answers, but stays quiet then hangs up. H calls the number and it is from a hospital nearby where the H was found with amnesia. This caller will later turn out to be the ex gf. She was in the hospital because she got hit by a bus. When Ellie went to see ex gf to figure out if Max went to see her and why, the ex gf conveniently left out the part where she begged Max to take her back even though she knows that he is married with a child and a pregnant wife. The ex gf only mentioned that they talked about work. Later, Max clarified the ex was divorced and wanted Max back. The ex gf is a shithole person for wanting to break up a marriage with a pregnant woman and child involved.
Another person I didn't like was Max's father. Max's parents has a toxic relationship where they always argued. They eventually divorced because he went on a golfing trip to Portugal, met a pilates instructor and never came back. The pilates instructor is supposedly young, but age is not mentioned. She is a total bitch to everyone even Max's father who is her boyfriend. Max hasn't spoken to him since this happened and during the amnesia, his parents pretend they are still together.
Lastly, I did not like Max's best friend, Owen. He was trying to be a good friend by keeping his friend's secret, but he impeded his friend's recovery. Ellie, the h, is trying to figure out why he has amnesia. Doctor said it is due to a traumatic event. Owen knows about the ex gf and everything that happened because Max told him. When the h asks him for info about the ex gf, he tells her to forget about it. Max gets his memory back the moment Ellie tells him she met with a woman named Anne Summers who got hit by a bus. At the very least, Owen could have had a private conversation with the H about what happened shortly before the amnesia with the ex gf.
Max is H.
Ellie is h. She is the H's younger sister's best friend so they grew up together.
Story takes place in UK and is about H getting sudden amnesia - can't recall last 5 years - and wife trying to recreate how they fall in love and uncovering what led to the amnesia. Side stories of H's parents relationship and H's lesbian sister's relationship.
So essentially the reason he got amnesia was a series of events. First, his ex gf, Anne, comes back to the UK from the US newly divorced. He sees her at a work party, gets drunk, she kisses him, he kiss back, but then pushes her away. He tells her he is married. He doesn't tell his wife. Lying to his wife, H and ex gf then meet up to talk where she begs him to take her back and then he sees her get hit by a bus and it is at that moment he has amnesia.
I just finished reading it. The book itself wasn't bad, but I feel iffy about the H so I don't know how to rate this.
Honestly, Max has so many red flags I would've never married him. Part of me sees that he loves his wife. But another part of me wished that she would have divorced him and be with someone better than him at the end of the book.
h thinks they had a perfect marriage before amnesia, but she was so self conscious because H was her dream man and she kept referring to his playboy days as dating beautiful model-esque women. She also compares herself to women a lot. I felt she needed to work on loving herself more. Also, before amnesia, it looks like they don't really communicate because there was a lot of things they didn't talk about or avoid and their relationship didn't seem equitable, meaning, she did more work in the relationship than he did. He had more alone times doing what he liked than the h. She took care of their daughter more than he did and he never realized it. This is mentioned because during his amnesia, the h doesn’t correct him when the H assumes that they must've shared their feelings often and communicated and that he is hands on with their daughter.
I couldn't get over how, in a previous relationship with his ex gf, he was the other man. He knowingly dated the ex gf, a coworker, who was married. It was said that he was really into her, but eventually couldn't handle being the other man. I also can't get over when he sees the ex gf years later at a work party and decide to be sloppy drunk to the point where they kiss. If you know there may be a situation, remove yourself from the situation or don't over imbibe. Don't blame the alcohol.
He was hypocritical too. He was adamant that when he got together with Ellie they were monogamous because he felt guilty for being the other man in a previous relationship. All the sneaking around ate at him, but he did the same to Ellie. It wasn't clear how many times he met up with the ex gf, he said he only met up with her to tell her he was happy in his marriage, but why keep it a secret. That didn't need a meeting. All he needed to do was send her a text.
Also, he was a total asshole early on during his amnesia. He kept sulking at the fact that he was no longer a total playboy living in the city. That was who he was before he got married. That is all he remembers, but now he is living in the suburbs with a pregnant wife and kid and he is not happy about that. He keeps looking at the h, who is his wife as his younger sister's best friend calling her nerd and a nickname, spider, that the h hates. He flirted with a doctor, his sister's girlfriend (before finding out she was the girlfriend), and gets drunk playing beer pong and flirted with a woman while he and h was out on a date that the h was trying to recreate their first date.
I did not like how Ellie eventually excused the ex gf's behavior because at the end, the ex gf messaged Ellie on FaceBook to tell her that Max contacted her to tell her he never wants to see her again. Ellie thinks that was nice of her to tell Ellie that. I would've told her to fuck off.
The ex gf is a two faced liar at every turn. While the H was in a therapy session, someone calls his phone and the h picks it up. When she picks up no one answers, but stays quiet then hangs up. H calls the number and it is from a hospital nearby where the H was found with amnesia. This caller will later turn out to be the ex gf. She was in the hospital because she got hit by a bus. When Ellie went to see ex gf to figure out if Max went to see her and why, the ex gf conveniently left out the part where she begged Max to take her back even though she knows that he is married with a child and a pregnant wife. The ex gf only mentioned that they talked about work. Later, Max clarified the ex was divorced and wanted Max back. The ex gf is a shithole person for wanting to break up a marriage with a pregnant woman and child involved.
Another person I didn't like was Max's father. Max's parents has a toxic relationship where they always argued. They eventually divorced because he went on a golfing trip to Portugal, met a pilates instructor and never came back. The pilates instructor is supposedly young, but age is not mentioned. She is a total bitch to everyone even Max's father who is her boyfriend. Max hasn't spoken to him since this happened and during the amnesia, his parents pretend they are still together.
Lastly, I did not like Max's best friend, Owen. He was trying to be a good friend by keeping his friend's secret, but he impeded his friend's recovery. Ellie, the h, is trying to figure out why he has amnesia. Doctor said it is due to a traumatic event. Owen knows about the ex gf and everything that happened because Max told him. When the h asks him for info about the ex gf, he tells her to forget about it. Max gets his memory back the moment Ellie tells him she met with a woman named Anne Summers who got hit by a bus. At the very least, Owen could have had a private conversation with the H about what happened shortly before the amnesia with the ex gf.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2022
Wanted to like this book more than I actually did... The start, at least until Max loses his memory, dragged a bit and I had to force myself to push through. What really interested me was how these two would get their relationship on track again after such a big spanner thrown into the works. Enjoyed that part, though it did leave me with an enduring level of sadness.
This is not a breezy, feel-good read, so be warned this one is very sad and emotional.
The ending also didn't really live up, but the core of the book was finding love again amidst amnesia, and that was okay. Just, sad in a bitter-sweet way
This is not a breezy, feel-good read, so be warned this one is very sad and emotional.
The ending also didn't really live up, but the core of the book was finding love again amidst amnesia, and that was okay. Just, sad in a bitter-sweet way
February 7, 2021
The Man I Didn’t Marry, Anna Bell
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: romance, women's fiction
And yep, that outdated category once more. Its 2020, not 1820! men write romance, men read romance.....
So, everything is wonderful in Ellie's world, she had a perfect husband, man of her dreams, her best friends brother who she had a crush on for so many years. She never expected that he'd fall in love with her. She felt, still feels, that he's far above her, that she's nothing like the leggy beauties he used to date.
They have a beautiful daughter and she's now pregnant with their second child. And then one Saturday morning when he's gone in to work, she gets a call from her mother in law. Max has returned there and is acting very strangely.
He's somehow lost the last five years of his life, has no memory of Ellie other than his sisters friend, and doesn't realise he's a father. Has forgotten his sister is gay, that his parents are separated. What a nightmare.
Of course the questions are numerous but the main ones, why did it happen, and when will he recover, have no answer. Its could be hours, days, years in rare cases. Poor Ellie is devastated.
Ellie has joined a group of other pregnant mums. Over the next few weeks they are a great support to her, though at first I really wasn't sure about some of them, especially the well meaning but steamroller approach to everything lady, Annabel (I think that was her name..) Her best friend too, Max sister, the one he has forgotten is gay, reconnects properly with Ellie and really helps her. As is often the way, although they were still friends, they'd lost that closeness and through these events they found it again.
Max is a real jerk at first, back to his wandering eye, man whore ways, even when Ellie is trying to recreate their dates to jog his memory, and I so felt for her. Who wants your Adonis husband flirting constantly when out, especially when being heavily pregnant makes you feel not the most attractive. My heart broke for her at that point, so hard to take, it really brought home just what she was going through.
Fortunately that stage doesn't last long, he's still in a bit of denial there and confused, which is understandable, but as he comes to accept what everyone is telling him he changes his behaviour, tries really hard to be the man he should be, husband and father, even though its difficult when he has no memory of that man. He slowly gets closer to Ellie, comes to see her in a different light to his sisters friend, appreciates her for the woman she is now, and the attraction between them pulls at him and makes him work harder at being her husband. He realises what he's in danger of losing if he doesn't and though at first husband and father isn't what he wanted to be, it scared him, slowly he realises that its exactly what he wants, where he should be at this part of his life. Ellie discovers to her surprise that he's now not her Max, but actually a more considerate Max, active in helping her as a father, in appreciating her as his wife, showing his feelings.
Then just when things are going really well, when they've finally reconnected in a big way there are some major issues. His parents have hidden their separation from him, and when he finds out that – well, a very funny section there but he's angry, angry that those he trusts now his memory is gone have been lying to him. Poor Ellie, she gets caught up even though she was against keeping it secret, but she didn't feel it was her place to reveal it. And then on top of that another massive secret comes out. Ellie is devastated, and I can understand that. Can they find a way past it?
The things that have happened make Ellie look at her perfect marriage, and as with the new, improved Max she finds that actually there were things that weren't right, that she wasn't giving her all to marriage either. Pulled into motherhood it's easy to let other things slide, no-one ever expects how all-consuming new babies can be.
Although what happened was an awful thing, getting through it gave Ellie an inner strength and allowed her to see herself as others did, that actually she was a beautiful, confident, intelligent lady, and well up to being wife of Max the Adonis. Not the lower standard, lucky lady that he chose her image she had of herself. I was really pleased about that.
Max too has learned from the experience, learned whats really important to him, learned that he shouldn't take things for granted, that marriage and family need input, effort to get the best out of them.
I really wondered if Ellie could get past this last big secret, its a huge problem, and I understood exactly how it played on her fears, how she's always felt. Yet I could see how much Max loved her, how she was his life, and I was desperate for them to find a way through.
Stars: Five. Its a great read, a mix of humour and poignancy, romance and practicality. I loved it.
ARC supplied by Netgalley and publishers
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: romance, women's fiction
And yep, that outdated category once more. Its 2020, not 1820! men write romance, men read romance.....
So, everything is wonderful in Ellie's world, she had a perfect husband, man of her dreams, her best friends brother who she had a crush on for so many years. She never expected that he'd fall in love with her. She felt, still feels, that he's far above her, that she's nothing like the leggy beauties he used to date.
They have a beautiful daughter and she's now pregnant with their second child. And then one Saturday morning when he's gone in to work, she gets a call from her mother in law. Max has returned there and is acting very strangely.
He's somehow lost the last five years of his life, has no memory of Ellie other than his sisters friend, and doesn't realise he's a father. Has forgotten his sister is gay, that his parents are separated. What a nightmare.
Of course the questions are numerous but the main ones, why did it happen, and when will he recover, have no answer. Its could be hours, days, years in rare cases. Poor Ellie is devastated.
Ellie has joined a group of other pregnant mums. Over the next few weeks they are a great support to her, though at first I really wasn't sure about some of them, especially the well meaning but steamroller approach to everything lady, Annabel (I think that was her name..) Her best friend too, Max sister, the one he has forgotten is gay, reconnects properly with Ellie and really helps her. As is often the way, although they were still friends, they'd lost that closeness and through these events they found it again.
Max is a real jerk at first, back to his wandering eye, man whore ways, even when Ellie is trying to recreate their dates to jog his memory, and I so felt for her. Who wants your Adonis husband flirting constantly when out, especially when being heavily pregnant makes you feel not the most attractive. My heart broke for her at that point, so hard to take, it really brought home just what she was going through.
Fortunately that stage doesn't last long, he's still in a bit of denial there and confused, which is understandable, but as he comes to accept what everyone is telling him he changes his behaviour, tries really hard to be the man he should be, husband and father, even though its difficult when he has no memory of that man. He slowly gets closer to Ellie, comes to see her in a different light to his sisters friend, appreciates her for the woman she is now, and the attraction between them pulls at him and makes him work harder at being her husband. He realises what he's in danger of losing if he doesn't and though at first husband and father isn't what he wanted to be, it scared him, slowly he realises that its exactly what he wants, where he should be at this part of his life. Ellie discovers to her surprise that he's now not her Max, but actually a more considerate Max, active in helping her as a father, in appreciating her as his wife, showing his feelings.
Then just when things are going really well, when they've finally reconnected in a big way there are some major issues. His parents have hidden their separation from him, and when he finds out that – well, a very funny section there but he's angry, angry that those he trusts now his memory is gone have been lying to him. Poor Ellie, she gets caught up even though she was against keeping it secret, but she didn't feel it was her place to reveal it. And then on top of that another massive secret comes out. Ellie is devastated, and I can understand that. Can they find a way past it?
The things that have happened make Ellie look at her perfect marriage, and as with the new, improved Max she finds that actually there were things that weren't right, that she wasn't giving her all to marriage either. Pulled into motherhood it's easy to let other things slide, no-one ever expects how all-consuming new babies can be.
Although what happened was an awful thing, getting through it gave Ellie an inner strength and allowed her to see herself as others did, that actually she was a beautiful, confident, intelligent lady, and well up to being wife of Max the Adonis. Not the lower standard, lucky lady that he chose her image she had of herself. I was really pleased about that.
Max too has learned from the experience, learned whats really important to him, learned that he shouldn't take things for granted, that marriage and family need input, effort to get the best out of them.
I really wondered if Ellie could get past this last big secret, its a huge problem, and I understood exactly how it played on her fears, how she's always felt. Yet I could see how much Max loved her, how she was his life, and I was desperate for them to find a way through.
Stars: Five. Its a great read, a mix of humour and poignancy, romance and practicality. I loved it.
ARC supplied by Netgalley and publishers
February 7, 2021
It's okay.
Humour I feel is quite different from person to person, a few lines made me smile but I didn't find it hilarious.
The couple are already together in chapter 1.
Spoiler
*
*
*
The Hero does kiss an ex and lie about it to his wife prior to the memory loss.
He was drunk and when he realises what is happening he pushes her away, the ex initiated the kiss.
HEA.
Humour I feel is quite different from person to person, a few lines made me smile but I didn't find it hilarious.
The couple are already together in chapter 1.
Spoiler
*
*
*
The Hero does kiss an ex and lie about it to his wife prior to the memory loss.
He was drunk and when he realises what is happening he pushes her away, the ex initiated the kiss.
HEA.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
March 19, 2021I loved the premise, it just didn't pack the emotional romantic punch I wanted it to
December 2, 2024
This is really cute. The premise is that a married couple has to make it work when the husband suffers memory loss and forgets their entire relationship - like The Vow, but throw in a kid, a pregnancy, and a different set of family drama (the unfolds in a very funny way).
I enjoyed this! First, the main character is heavily pregnant with her second child - same (reading this at 39 weeks 🤪) and it’s really fun to read and relate to some of the unique challenges that adds to the plot. Second, their romance was cute! Both characters worked for me, and I also really relate to being married to someone I always had a crush on growing up 🫢 both their shared history and new memories were entertaining, and I thought the challenges they faced were believable. I also appreciated that while the characters were certainly very flirty and suggestive, it stayed closed door and didn’t get weird.
It was also just really funny! I was definitely invested in seeing where their relationship went but also loved the side plots, like Max’s parents shenanigans, and the pregnant friend group meet ups. And it made me think a little too! Like what memories from our marriage would I share to try to jog my husband’s memory? What quirks and rituals have been around so long that they’re second-nature, but totally unnoticed by an outsider? What memories are we making now? Sappy, cheesy stuff like that. I ate it up.
I enjoyed this! First, the main character is heavily pregnant with her second child - same (reading this at 39 weeks 🤪) and it’s really fun to read and relate to some of the unique challenges that adds to the plot. Second, their romance was cute! Both characters worked for me, and I also really relate to being married to someone I always had a crush on growing up 🫢 both their shared history and new memories were entertaining, and I thought the challenges they faced were believable. I also appreciated that while the characters were certainly very flirty and suggestive, it stayed closed door and didn’t get weird.
It was also just really funny! I was definitely invested in seeing where their relationship went but also loved the side plots, like Max’s parents shenanigans, and the pregnant friend group meet ups. And it made me think a little too! Like what memories from our marriage would I share to try to jog my husband’s memory? What quirks and rituals have been around so long that they’re second-nature, but totally unnoticed by an outsider? What memories are we making now? Sappy, cheesy stuff like that. I ate it up.
February 8, 2021
I really liked Anna Bell's writing previously so was delighted to read The Man I Didn't Marry this year.
Imagine being married to your best friend's brother, your school crush, with a daughter and a little one on the way when suddenly he loses his memory and only thinks of you as his little sisters friend. How heartbreaking must that be? The emotions, the turmoil you would go through.
This is where the author excelled and took us along the emotionally journey our protagonist Ellie goes through. The frustrations, the tension, the bewilderment at such a predicament are all solidly packed in to the pages and I really felt for Ellie.
I loved seeing Ellie try to jog Max's memory trying to recreate some pivotal moments from their relationship. There were some good humorous moments - the Paris hotel bedroom for one!
And the group of friends Ellie had made a mere week before Max's memory loss were wonderful. Their friendship really blossomed throughout the book which I enjoyed reading.
I adored and devoured this book and could really see it being made in to a brilliant British rom-com movie.
Imagine being married to your best friend's brother, your school crush, with a daughter and a little one on the way when suddenly he loses his memory and only thinks of you as his little sisters friend. How heartbreaking must that be? The emotions, the turmoil you would go through.
This is where the author excelled and took us along the emotionally journey our protagonist Ellie goes through. The frustrations, the tension, the bewilderment at such a predicament are all solidly packed in to the pages and I really felt for Ellie.
I loved seeing Ellie try to jog Max's memory trying to recreate some pivotal moments from their relationship. There were some good humorous moments - the Paris hotel bedroom for one!
And the group of friends Ellie had made a mere week before Max's memory loss were wonderful. Their friendship really blossomed throughout the book which I enjoyed reading.
I adored and devoured this book and could really see it being made in to a brilliant British rom-com movie.
February 14, 2021
I love Anna Bell’s writing. This does not disappoint. Great concept too.
March 23, 2021
A lovely light hearted read!
Read
January 20, 2022Review to follow!
March 1, 2022
Such a fabulous story, could not put it down!
February 25, 2023
While I enjoyed the memory loss part, the rest of the book I found uninteresting.
April 4, 2023
Really enjoyed it, good pace throughout, ending was good.
May 19, 2023
Ahh this was very enjoyable - a perfect book to curl up and read in the evening once the kids are in bed. Witty, clever and very charming; this is a book that has made me look for more written by Anna Bell!
July 27, 2023
This book was awesome! I loved it, literally had me saying “nooo way” at parts. The characters were easy to click with and I would recommend reading this book. I would read more from this author
August 30, 2024
A really good easy chick-flick read! That actually had me wondering what his secret was! A lovely heartwarming story about finding your way back to one another when you didn’t realise you were lost!
June 11, 2025
A worse version of 50 first dates. Don't bother reading this
April 10, 2023
One of the most underrated books I've ever read! This book is such a feel-good and such an easy read. I read through it so quickly. I also absolutely loved the author's writing style; absolutely phenomenal and a pleasure to read!
July 29, 2023
Amnesia and they have to get to know eachother again? Sold.
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