I Will Remember You

by Lisa Cardiff

After her life crumbles, young widow Emma Clayton escapes Atlanta to create a new life on the estate gifted to her by her deceased husband's mother. In this estate filled with history and secrets, she hopes to come to terms with her grief and learn how to pick up the pieces of her life.

But instead doing the soul searching she desires, she finds her mind torn between the haunting images of the world of Elizabeth, a young woman who lived there during the Civil War, and her unwanted fascination with the estate's caretaker, a brilliant yet reclusive artist, Caleb Anderson.

Each time Emma is transported into the past, she becomes more confused as to why she keeps returning to Elizabeth’s life. She finds an unexpected confidant in Caleb, and for reasons she doesn’t understand, he’s hellbent on helping her navigate of the implausible.

With her life hovering between the past a she doesn’t understand and an uncertain future, she realizes the only way forward is to embrace the impossible.

247 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 18, 2021

About the author

After spending years practicing law and a million other things, Lisa decided to pursue her dream of becoming a writer and she must confess that inventing characters is so much more fun than writing contracts and legal briefs. A native of Colorado, she lives with her husband and three children in Denver. When she isn’t managing the chaos of raising three children and owning her own business, she can be found reading or writing a book.

You can read more about Lisa and her upcoming work at www.lisacardiff.com.

Reviews

[JP · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romance alert! Hey everybody I just wanted to let you know how much I loved this one. It’s my first book by Lisa Cardiff and it was exactly what I needed. I was drawn in immediately by the mystery of some many things.
I liked the characters and don’t even get me started about the chemistry. Done well in my opinion. I’m still smiling.
So this was sorta time-travel…. I guess. And I’m picky about time travel, but this really worked for me.
I’ll be thinking about this one for a while.
It was good and it checked off all the boxes for me.
I highly recommend it!
Thanks BooksGoSocial via NetGalley.

[May · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emma grieves the loss of her husband in a new house gifted to her by her mother-in-law. She met the caretaker/artist Caleb in her new house. She also starts to dream about another woman who lived during the civil war.... The past and present mingles....

This is a deeply moving book about grief and learning to move on... A wonderful book! I got this book from the publisher as an ARC in exchange for my opinion.

[Christine Woinich · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very interesting story. I loved how the past and the present came together. I kept turning the pages to see what was going to happen. Emma and Caleb were meant to be together as their connection was so strong from the start, the trust and feeling of safety. With everything that Emma was going through, I felt for her from the first page to the last. I highly recommend this story.

I received a copy of this story through Enticing Journey Book Promotions, and this is my unsolicited review.

[Nell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! It's a small town romance with a twist! More remembering than time travel. I enjoyed both stories. A very sweet romance!
A quick read, I read this in a few hours.

[Jackie M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Will Remember You by Lisa Cardiff. BooksGoSocial, 2021.

This time slip story begins with Emma’s husband Andrew’s death. At twenty-six and newly-widowed Emma is grateful when her mother-in-law gives her the long unoccupied family ancestral home in rural Georgia.

The house comes with a reputation for being haunted and a handsome artist as caretaker. Once she moves in, Emma is transported back to the Civil War era where we meet Elizabeth and her fiancé Henry. Though the story shifts back and forth, it is mostly about Emma as she experiences Elizabeth’s life in non-consecutive bits. I was reminded of Susanna Kearsley’s Mariana.

The book is immediately engaging, well-written with nicely developed characters we either like, or not, as the author intended. I will need to read it again to see if I missed hints about Emma’s earlier life that explain why she married an older, comparatively wealthy professor and why after nursing him for two years, he left almost everything to his mother and his sister.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of I Will Remember You for free via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. #IWillRemember #NetGalley

[Nicole Pinto · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, I don’t usually read books about the civil war era but something about this one intrigued me. It is more of a reincarnation story, almost reminds me of a Nora Robert’s I had read long ago. The setting was great and the story has a lot of good things going for it but in order to be great , it really could use some good editing of the story. There are a few things left unsaid and I think it ends rather quickly. Overall I did enjoy the story. All opinions are my own, thank you to netgalley for the ARC.

[Jamice Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a good story. The plot was interesting and not what I expected, it’s not the typical time travel romance I’m used to. I loved Emma’s character and how she handled everything, way better than I would have. 😅 I’m not going to say anything more because I don’t want to spoil anything but if you are looking for something out of the ordinary to read, then this is the book for you.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emma Clayton is deeply affected by the death of her husband and she chooses to stay at an estate given to her by her mother-in-law of the Civil era to deal with that loss. She encounters the caretaker, Caleb Anderson there. Their attraction is palpable from the start which leads to a believable connection forming between them one moment at a time.

Emma starts to have dreams that consume her and lead her to experience the life of a 19th century woman, Elizabeth. She is curious about this woman and this new obsession serves as a distraction from the painful experiences of her life. Anyone in her place would wonder if Elizabeth is real or a figment of her imagination. She does so and she gradually discovers what happened to her. Caleb is an amazing companion during this time and he helps her come to terms with Elizabeth's story. This brings them closer together and forges a deep connection between them. Overall, this is a wonderful book and keeps you guessing and wondering what will happen next.

[Booklover Judy Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emma is grieving the loss of her husband when she moves to an old Civil War era house gifted to her by her mother-in-law. There she meets the artist/caretaker Caleb. They share an instant connection, though they get off to a bit of a rocky start. Emma finds herself having weird experiences where she is having dreams and flashbacks to the 1860s from the point of view of a young woman named Elizabeth. This book is written in first person from Emma and Elizabeth's POV.

I love how resilient Emma is in the face of a life that has been somewhat cruel to her. I love that when she starts to learn about Elizabeth's life, she goes for it, trying to figure out what happened. I love the support that her brother offers her, and the new friends she makes. I love the connection she shares with Caleb. Caleb is strong and patient with Emma. I love how he helps her through the feelings she is experiencing. I love that he cherishes her from early on. I love the deep emotions and passion they embrace together.

This was my first book by this author. I was seriously sucked into this story. I really did not want to put it down. I knew how I wanted the story to go, but I was kept guessing till almost the end to see if was going to go the way I hoped. I thought the flashbacks were well done, and the writing overall was on point. I loved the pacing of the book. I adored the dual story lines and the beautiful perfect ending. I highly recommend this book.

I am voluntarily leaving this honest review after receiving an advance review copy of the book.

[Cheryl Blackburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love it!
I Will Remember You, had me falling in love with the past. A rich story that had me on the end of my seat. Emma Clayton has been having dreams of the past. Dreams so vivid that Emma could feel everything from the wind blowing in her hair to the feel of the fabric on her dress. Emma is torn between the past and her future. She confesses what's happening to Caleb, and he listens to her without judgment. I fell in love with the characters and story. I haven't read a good time romance in a long time. I Will Remember You is one I will highly recommend reading!

[Jenni V. · Rating 4 out of 5]

First Impressions/Judging a Book by Its Cover
I chose this book from NetGalley (full disclaimer below). It was categorized as historical fiction and romance; historical fiction is my favorite genre and adding romance could make it a lighter read. The cover art is light and airy, not quite a "bodice ripper" but definitely a romance feel. The description was interesting even if it's not reinventing the wheel (it appears to cover two different women living in the same place in different time periods).

My Opinion

**I received an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley and would like to thank the author and/or publisher for the opportunity to read and honestly review it.**

Looking at my first impression, I actually think it did reinvent the wheel a little bit. Instead of alternating viewpoints between two women as I expected, there was a supernatural aspect when Emma began having visions of Elizabeth's life. Channeling isn't exactly the right word and I can't say more because of spoilers but my point is that the book stays in one timeline and the stories from the past are given in an unexpected way.

The pages passed quickly. Other than the supernatural/paranormal stuff, everything else happens organically. It's mentioned that the house hasn't been lived in and the mother saved everything which would explain certain objects remaining. The conversations that move the plot along, such as when Emma ran into Lainey, happen naturally. It was also nice that there was no subplot of anger about the inheritance or between the widow and the in-laws...there was no unnecessary drama or secret keeping.

The ending was good too with just the right amount of sappiness. I sighed with a warm feeling without rolling my eyes.

I'm not using "fluff" as a bad word here when I say this was just a fluffy, quick read. I would definitely read this author again.

Find all my reviews at: https://readingatrandom.blogspot.com

[Colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I Will Remember" is an interesting story about two hearts being connected for eternity. The story starts with Emma and her dying husband. After he dies, she is given the long unoccupied family ancestral home in rural Georgia which is also reported as haunted. Emma searches for the caretaker a surly artist. Shortly after their encounter Emma is transported back to the Civil War era where we meet Elizabeth and her fiancé Henry. Emma will be transported back and forth as the love story about Elizabeth and Henry comes to a conclusion.

This is a quick afternoon read. The book is well-written with great characters, some are very likeable and others not so much. Early in the story I wondered about the plot line of the will and why it was dispersed as it was. But the end of the story lets the readers understand why.

I received an advance copy from NetGalley for an unbiased review.

[Crystal Tadlock · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really unique. I had not expected the two alternate stories but I loved how it played out! I was able to get through this in one day because it kept my attention so well!

This book is about Emma, a recent widow who was given a home by her husband's mother. She moves into this home and begins having strange "flashbacks" into a different time. She is Elizabeth, betrothed to Henry in this alternate reality.

Both stories were wonderful and I genuinely liked this book. It was a solid 3.5 stars for me so I am rounding up to 4 stars.

[Marieke Scheers · Rating 2 out of 5]

I will remember is the story of the young widow Emma. She’s going to live in a big house in the south of America, a house with history of the American civil war. When she’s in the house she has moments of absence and is transported back in the to relive the life of Elisabeth who looses the love of her life in the civil war. She gets support from Caleb, the house caretaker.
The story of Emma and Caleb isn’t that strong. She doesn’t like him when they first meet, but soon she does like him and falls in love. It’s predictable. The story in the past is much more interesting and shoes pieces of the life during the civil war. I did like the story of Elisabeth and Henry. This part saves the book, and makes it a nice novel to read.
It’s easy to read. The chapters are short and the type of letters are big. Sometimes difficult words for not native readers, but within the sentence it’s understandable what the meaning is.
I will remember is a novel with a great part of history, which makes the story interesting. It’s about true love and finding your soulmate. But it’s not what I expected and the characters of Emma and Caleb didn’t convince me.

[Diane Horne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will Remember You By Lisa Cardiff

Four stars, very different time travel, the only thing I see wrong, all the flashbacks Emma and Caleb were having on the connection of Elizabeth and Henry.. No one did any historical research on their history.. Emma waited until the end to finally find the floorboards to get Henry's letters.. Where we find that the flashbacks were real.. And what became of Charles the union soldier, v that was confusing and Brian in Emma's time.. But it all came out good in the end

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Will Remember You is an interesting take on Emma Clayton having dreams about a woman named Elizabeth and her life during the 1800s. I loved that this story took on the two different lives of two women one from the past and one from the present. The storyline was intriguing and I loved the characters and everything they went through. The writing is well done and the ending was perfect. I highly recommend this book to everyone looking for something great to read. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought I Will Remember to be a pretty good read. I can not wait to read more by this author in the future. Four and a half stars.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Will Remember by Lisa Cardiff is the story of a young widow, Emma, who is given her late husband's family home in the south by his mother, as his house was left to his sister. Emma loves this home and is happy to be there, in spite of the cute artist caretaker that she immediately dislikes and the stories that the house is haunted. She begins to have strange dreams and almost out of body experiences where she is living the life of a young girl named Elizabeth, who lived in the house during the Civil War. These experiences bring her to an understanding of the house and her place in it and reveal a number of facts about the artist, who she comes to like and who helps her through this trying time.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this novel. It was told differently than most two timeline stories and the timelines converge in an unusual way, which is easy to figure out as you're reading the novel, but is refreshing nonetheless. Thank you to the author, Books Go Social and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.