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Forgotten Lover
Librarian's note: Alternate cover edition of ISBN 0-373-10539-8.
Her body had felt his caress before...
Velvet balked at the thought; it frightened her. Jerard Daniels frightened her! He claimed to have known her--intimately--two years earlier, but her mind was a blank.
Her husband's tragic death the day their son was born had triggered Velvet's amnesia; she remembered nothing. Yet why would this man lie?
Velvet just couldn't believe she'd had an affair with a married man while engaged to Anthony. On the other hand, if she had loved Jerard as much then as she did now ....
Her body had felt his caress before...
Velvet balked at the thought; it frightened her. Jerard Daniels frightened her! He claimed to have known her--intimately--two years earlier, but her mind was a blank.
Her husband's tragic death the day their son was born had triggered Velvet's amnesia; she remembered nothing. Yet why would this man lie?
Velvet just couldn't believe she'd had an affair with a married man while engaged to Anthony. On the other hand, if she had loved Jerard as much then as she did now ....
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 14, 1982
33 people are currently reading
227 people want to read
About the author
Carole Mortimer
1,296 books907 followersI have written almost 250 romance novels in contemporary and Regency.
I am a USA Today Bestselling Author and recipient of the 2015 RWA Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2014 I received a Pioneer of Romance Award from Romantic Times in the US and in 2012 I was recognised by Queen Elizabeth II for my 'outstanding service to literature'.
I am very happily married to Peter with six sons, and live on the Isle of Man
I am a USA Today Bestselling Author and recipient of the 2015 RWA Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2014 I received a Pioneer of Romance Award from Romantic Times in the US and in 2012 I was recognised by Queen Elizabeth II for my 'outstanding service to literature'.
I am very happily married to Peter with six sons, and live on the Isle of Man
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
April 10, 2017
English model Velvet Dale (who is 22) is in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, doing a photo shoot. When she walks through the reception area of the hotel she is staying at a man approaches her and claims to know her. Velvet thinks he is trying to come on to her and she tells him to leave her alone. But later, when she and the photographer she is working with are to meet their client, the client turns out to be the stranger from the hotel, whose name is Jerard Daniels. Jerard tells Velvet that they met a couple of years ago and that they were lovers. At first Velvet doesn’t believe this, but as time passes Velvet starts to wonder if this may be true. She has lost a portion of her memory and can’t remember eleven months of her life.
Velvet is a top model in England. She was married to a lawyer, Anthony, who died in a flying accident in which Velvet was a passenger. She also has a young son, Tony.
Jerard (who is 39) was married some years ago to Tina, who died of heart disease. Now he is a single parent to an 8-year-old daughter, Vicki. When Jerard met Velvet he was separated from his wife Tina and in the process of a divorce.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I loved the possessive and jealous hero Jerard who was still in love with Velvet. I also liked his adorable little girl Vicki. I liked the part when Velvet, Jerard, and Vicki took a trip to Orlando to visit Disneyworld. Velvet was a good heroine. And Tony was a cutie.
A terrific read by Carole Mortimer!
August 7, 2015
Tell me... if you knew that you had lost memories of a longish portion of your life, and a stranger came up to you and claimed to know you, wouldn't you at least give them a hearing instead of writing them off as deranged? And say something like, "sorry, I had an accident and lost my memory, so I don't remember you"? Apparently it's only me, because this isn't the first time I've seen a character with amnesia apparently forget they had amnesia.
This book was also interesting for showing the inversion of Willa's law, which states: "A Harlequin Presents hero's claim that he would never rape the heroine is directly correlated with the chances of him actually raping her." Here we have a hero who flat out tells her he wants to rape her (!) but then doesn't. Phew?
There's also kids. Lots and lots of kids. Wait, only two, really? It seemed like twelve.
Still, it's a fun read if you go for amnesia and heroes who act badly because they're just so darn tormented with love.
This book was also interesting for showing the inversion of Willa's law, which states: "A Harlequin Presents hero's claim that he would never rape the heroine is directly correlated with the chances of him actually raping her." Here we have a hero who flat out tells her he wants to rape her (!) but then doesn't. Phew?
There's also kids. Lots and lots of kids. Wait, only two, really? It seemed like twelve.
Still, it's a fun read if you go for amnesia and heroes who act badly because they're just so darn tormented with love.
March 9, 2017
2 and 1/2 stars rounded up. This is one of those implausible plots that you either buy into at the beginning or you don't and the rest of the story goes downhill from there. I'm in the second category this time around. The premise is that the heroine has amnesia from an eleven month period of her life. She can't remember her son's conception or her marriage to her (now dead) husband. The plane crash that killed her husband and caused her son to be born prematurely is the cause of said amnesia.
The heroine, an English model, doesn't let this bother her until she is on a swimsuit photoshoot in Florida and runs into the owner of the hotel (and owner of the swimsuit company) who claims he knows her. He is also English, a widower with an 8 year-old - and a massive chip on his shoulder. He doesn't believe that she has amnesia and has forgotten
During the few days of the photo shoot, he is horrible to her but has to dial it back because his traumatized daughter has taken a shine to her. We all know where this one is going once the child bonds with the heroine - no surprises here.
The story is just okay, so why the extra half star?
1. The fun tour of Disney World that must have happened before Epcot even opened. The heroine enjoyed the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, the fact that the monorail ran right through the hotel (!) and she was even charmed by the creepy It's a Small World ride. That made me smile - the heat must have been getting to her.
2. The conversation the heroine has with the hero about how many sex partners he has had. 20. Heroine is quite taken aback by what a manwhore this guy is.
3. The heroine is the last to know about This was an interesting twist and the direct result of amnesia.
4. The heroine never gets her memory back.
5. Hero is okay with heroine working after they marry - and he and his mother actually step up and take care of the kids when she can't.
so I can't feel good about their romance (maybe the guilty conscience is why the heroine had amnesia), but this is an interesting story and kept me reading.
The heroine, an English model, doesn't let this bother her until she is on a swimsuit photoshoot in Florida and runs into the owner of the hotel (and owner of the swimsuit company) who claims he knows her. He is also English, a widower with an 8 year-old - and a massive chip on his shoulder. He doesn't believe that she has amnesia and has forgotten
During the few days of the photo shoot, he is horrible to her but has to dial it back because his traumatized daughter has taken a shine to her. We all know where this one is going once the child bonds with the heroine - no surprises here.
The story is just okay, so why the extra half star?
1. The fun tour of Disney World that must have happened before Epcot even opened. The heroine enjoyed the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, the fact that the monorail ran right through the hotel (!) and she was even charmed by the creepy It's a Small World ride. That made me smile - the heat must have been getting to her.
2. The conversation the heroine has with the hero about how many sex partners he has had. 20. Heroine is quite taken aback by what a manwhore this guy is.
3. The heroine is the last to know about This was an interesting twist and the direct result of amnesia.
4. The heroine never gets her memory back.
5. Hero is okay with heroine working after they marry - and he and his mother actually step up and take care of the kids when she can't.
so I can't feel good about their romance (maybe the guilty conscience is why the heroine had amnesia), but this is an interesting story and kept me reading.
July 7, 2020
"Forgotten Lover" is the story of Velvet and Jerard.
Wow. Perfection.
Our heroine is a 21 year old widowed single mother, who works as a successful model. On one such assignment, she meets an enigmatic stranger, who insists that they have been lovers. But how can it be so? She was married, so was he. Both have kids. Was she the type of woman who slept with married men? The whole plot is convoluted by her memory loss of eleven months, preceding the death of her husband and birth of her son. How the mystery unravels forms the story.
Oh my god, I loved this so much. Be it the tender relationship between the hero, heroine and their respective kids- her son and his daughter, the four of them formed a perfect family. She was so kind and loving to the obviously sweet child, and he too treated her son like his own. Their families were wonderful and supportive. The reveal was predictable, but what sold this book was the pure love and devotion the couple had for each other, their ability to forgive as well as the slight surprise
Really loved it!
Safe for me/SWE for some
4.5/5
Wow. Perfection.
Our heroine is a 21 year old widowed single mother, who works as a successful model. On one such assignment, she meets an enigmatic stranger, who insists that they have been lovers. But how can it be so? She was married, so was he. Both have kids. Was she the type of woman who slept with married men? The whole plot is convoluted by her memory loss of eleven months, preceding the death of her husband and birth of her son. How the mystery unravels forms the story.
Oh my god, I loved this so much. Be it the tender relationship between the hero, heroine and their respective kids- her son and his daughter, the four of them formed a perfect family. She was so kind and loving to the obviously sweet child, and he too treated her son like his own. Their families were wonderful and supportive. The reveal was predictable, but what sold this book was the pure love and devotion the couple had for each other, their ability to forgive as well as the slight surprise
Really loved it!
Safe for me/SWE for some
4.5/5
February 16, 2016
Well this one was different but she never does remember her past so it's very different. He wants her to love him again after he left her pregnant and alone to go back to his dying wife. Sorry but what kind of bullshit is that. He is a total dick and it was not nice of him to go on like it was her fault for forgetting that a virgin has a week of sex with a guy giving her a line. I can't leave my wife she is sick and we have a child. Please that is how every cheep little affair beginnings. He was a good father and that's one plus on his side however he did not deserve her. She did the right thing calling her son tony. The man who did marry her was a prince. He was the frog. Just hated the final scene nothing is resolved he needs to make it up to her. It was not right the way they both seemed to think it was her fault. What is wrong with them????
September 29, 2021
They both needed skilleting!
October 10, 2017
"Forgotten Lover" has become one of my "best favourites" by Carole Mortimer!
So much passion,sensuality and oh so exciting plot.
Two lovers fall in love in a beach,while the heroine is engaged to another man,the hero is unhappily married to another woman.These two have an unforgettable affair in one week.
But the hard circumstances forces them to separate but many years later they meet again,but this time the heroine has forgotten all about him.
Velvet Dale was one beautiful model heroine i adored.She had an beautiful soul and i knew there were some mysteries from the past about the sexy hero Jerard Daniels.I just love the scene they meet and she doesn`t remember him at all,and he thinks she is just pretending...AND HOW I JUST LOVE THEIR SCENES AFTER THAT..so exciting and hot at the same time.
When i comes to sexual chemistry,Carole makes hell of a GREAT job at it!
So much passion,sensuality and oh so exciting plot.
Two lovers fall in love in a beach,while the heroine is engaged to another man,the hero is unhappily married to another woman.These two have an unforgettable affair in one week.
But the hard circumstances forces them to separate but many years later they meet again,but this time the heroine has forgotten all about him.
Velvet Dale was one beautiful model heroine i adored.She had an beautiful soul and i knew there were some mysteries from the past about the sexy hero Jerard Daniels.I just love the scene they meet and she doesn`t remember him at all,and he thinks she is just pretending...AND HOW I JUST LOVE THEIR SCENES AFTER THAT..so exciting and hot at the same time.
When i comes to sexual chemistry,Carole makes hell of a GREAT job at it!
February 19, 2021
Another book between fantasy and romance that I adored. Heroine is a model and one day she meets a man who seems to know her very well but that she doesn't remember. She has an accident and a loss of memory. This man claims rthey were in love and had an affair, that he was about to divorce but then he had to go back to his wife because she was very ill. Then she married another man and now they are both widow. She doesn't remember him and eventually the whole story comes back, and the whole reason for her marriage to another man. Hero was so stupid and dumb, and also a coward, since he happily cheated with heroine when he was still married with his wife but then refused to proceed with divorce because of his wife's illness, leaving the heroine crushed and with the consequence of their affair. I have no respect for this kind of man. First you divorce, then you have all affairs you want. But anyway this was a very good book, original and delectable.
June 2, 2012
Very Good Emotional Amnesia story,though Jerard was very cruel at times and his mistrust towards Velvet frustrated me but everything fell into places,finally he believed her about amnesia and they talk out all issues and past,Jerard-Velvet finally manage to get their HEA.
Recommend it.
Recommend it.
February 28, 2021
There’s no doubting his love and his lust for her. Perfect chemistry. Very intense.
The reason I take one star off is because I don’t like it when children have a big part in a HP. His daughter is too present, too demanding, in the story. And they also have a child together.
The reason I take one star off is because I don’t like it when children have a big part in a HP. His daughter is too present, too demanding, in the story. And they also have a child together.
October 14, 2021
I didn’t like this one nearly as much the second time around. Lowered rating to 3 stars.
September 15, 2021
Carole Mortimer is one of my comfort reads. Her heroes are usually ott in love with the heroine and they just don’t know how to function. This is a fairy tale through and through.
In fact I think Stmargarets did a great job in her review pointing out the issues one may have with this story: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I was in a mood for a fairy tale and because I enjoy CM, I was prepared for whatever she threw at me…
So about 2 years ago, the 20 year old h(Velvet) fell in love and in bed with the 37 year old H(Jerard). He is as enamored with her as she is with him. Great! Let’s move on to the HEA…..but no. Something has torn them apart(in my spoilers⤵️) and now they are meeting again for the first time in 2 years. The h is on a modeling assignment. The H yells her name and goes after her …
Yep, she has amnesia. The H thinks she is lying about not knowing him and is disgusted that she could lie like that. He is also disgusted that as soon as she got back to England the first time, she married and had a baby. He actually requested her for the photo shoot(it was his product they were selling). He comes across as pretty intense.
You know the type…he’s the kind that bandies about the word rape like it is a socially acceptable come on. So what separated these 2 lovers??
So, these two find their happily ever after and surprisingly, the h never regains those lost months. (Even after all the great sexy moments)
Just 1 more thing…lots of different cover art for this story, but the one from Mills and Boon looks like Hugh Jackman….not sure why the h is wearing an oven mitt lol!
In fact I think Stmargarets did a great job in her review pointing out the issues one may have with this story: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I was in a mood for a fairy tale and because I enjoy CM, I was prepared for whatever she threw at me…
So about 2 years ago, the 20 year old h(Velvet) fell in love and in bed with the 37 year old H(Jerard). He is as enamored with her as she is with him. Great! Let’s move on to the HEA…..but no. Something has torn them apart(in my spoilers⤵️) and now they are meeting again for the first time in 2 years. The h is on a modeling assignment. The H yells her name and goes after her …
Yep, she has amnesia. The H thinks she is lying about not knowing him and is disgusted that she could lie like that. He is also disgusted that as soon as she got back to England the first time, she married and had a baby. He actually requested her for the photo shoot(it was his product they were selling). He comes across as pretty intense.
You know the type…he’s the kind that bandies about the word rape like it is a socially acceptable come on. So what separated these 2 lovers??
So, these two find their happily ever after and surprisingly, the h never regains those lost months. (Even after all the great sexy moments)
Just 1 more thing…lots of different cover art for this story, but the one from Mills and Boon looks like Hugh Jackman….not sure why the h is wearing an oven mitt lol!
December 21, 2015
Good Storyline, but Romance Feels Incomplete
"Why are you pretending you don't know me?"
FINAL DECISION: This book has a good storyline and premise but the romance felt flat and incomplete because it was resolved too quickly and without any real emotion.
THE STORY: Velvet Dale is a model who comes to Florida to do a shoot. She is a widow with a young son. There she meets Jerard Daniels, a businessman, who is a widower with a daughter of his own. Jerard confronts Velvet with the fact that the two were lovers several years ago. Velvet does not remember Jerard because she suffered selective amnesia after the death of her husband. Now Jerard is telling Velvet that they were lovers and that she was unfaithful to her perfect fiance. And he doesn't believe that she actually has amnesia.
OPINION: This book disappointed me because the story was progressing so well until the ending. I was engaged with the story, but the resolution came so quickly and without any real movement in the characters that it felt forced and unnatural. I realized that the problem was that there was no real depth to these characters. The best part of this book was the plot itself but the characters remained distant and unknowable. Because Velvet has amnesia, her true motivations are forever left unknown. Without the drama and emotion, this book left me feeling empty.
WORTH MENTIONING: This book was originally published in the 1980s as a category romance.
CONNECTED BOOKS: FORGOTTEN LOVER is a standalone.
STAR RATING: I give this book 2 stars.
"Why are you pretending you don't know me?"
FINAL DECISION: This book has a good storyline and premise but the romance felt flat and incomplete because it was resolved too quickly and without any real emotion.
THE STORY: Velvet Dale is a model who comes to Florida to do a shoot. She is a widow with a young son. There she meets Jerard Daniels, a businessman, who is a widower with a daughter of his own. Jerard confronts Velvet with the fact that the two were lovers several years ago. Velvet does not remember Jerard because she suffered selective amnesia after the death of her husband. Now Jerard is telling Velvet that they were lovers and that she was unfaithful to her perfect fiance. And he doesn't believe that she actually has amnesia.
OPINION: This book disappointed me because the story was progressing so well until the ending. I was engaged with the story, but the resolution came so quickly and without any real movement in the characters that it felt forced and unnatural. I realized that the problem was that there was no real depth to these characters. The best part of this book was the plot itself but the characters remained distant and unknowable. Because Velvet has amnesia, her true motivations are forever left unknown. Without the drama and emotion, this book left me feeling empty.
WORTH MENTIONING: This book was originally published in the 1980s as a category romance.
CONNECTED BOOKS: FORGOTTEN LOVER is a standalone.
STAR RATING: I give this book 2 stars.
September 18, 2021
Velvet was in modeling assignment with her two friends when Jerard Daniels claimed they had an affair two years ago. The problem was she could not remember a thing of what he was claiming because she had an aviation accident which took both her beloved husband's life and her memories. To her shock, she discovered she was also married while they had the affair and he has an eight years old daughter!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2012
It is an older HP but one that has aged well. I rarely enjoy the "I can't remember" plot but the rediscovery of the relationship worked for me this time
March 9, 2013
Reread last night, still good. One of Carole Mortimer's better books.
September 2, 2025
Wish I could return it but apparently you can’t.
Just no.
It was so boring that I cannot begin to describe how boring.
She’s written some very good ones. But this was not one of them.
Everything felt wrong and boring. The way it was written. None of their behaviour rang true.
I liked none of the characters. Felt no sympathy. Felt no resonance.
I’m furious I bought this book. A total waste of my money.
I read one line per page after less than half was read. That was too much attention
First we had to read pages upon pages about some photographer and model. Then hero heroine (both meh) kept dithering meaningless stuff. There were two children.
It was all extremely underwhelming.
I’m flabbergasted but then I just say of course. It did not resonate with me. Of course everyone who likes superficial meaningless mimicry of love will like it.
So angry. I think I will return it.
Just no.
It was so boring that I cannot begin to describe how boring.
She’s written some very good ones. But this was not one of them.
Everything felt wrong and boring. The way it was written. None of their behaviour rang true.
I liked none of the characters. Felt no sympathy. Felt no resonance.
I’m furious I bought this book. A total waste of my money.
I read one line per page after less than half was read. That was too much attention
First we had to read pages upon pages about some photographer and model. Then hero heroine (both meh) kept dithering meaningless stuff. There were two children.
It was all extremely underwhelming.
I’m flabbergasted but then I just say of course. It did not resonate with me. Of course everyone who likes superficial meaningless mimicry of love will like it.
So angry. I think I will return it.
Want to read
September 22, 2020"El amante olvidado"
August 19, 2025
Before I review this, I want to point something out that really bugs me. I was looking at some of the other reviews and while readers have a right to be bugged by the H cheating on his wife with the h, no one seems bothered by the fact that when the h slept with him, she was cheating on her fiancée! Even worse, the H's marriage had been a platonic one for years, and while that's no excuse for cheating (despite their little daughter, he should have divorced his wife, he had good grounds since she wouldn't sleep with him) it does make it more understandable. The h, meanwhile, had told her fiancé she wanted to wait until they were married, then she goes away for a week on a modeling assignment (for the H's company) and sleeps with him!!! Not only was he married, but he was her boss!!! Not exactly good behavior on her part, but of course readers choose to put the blame all on the H, and this gets pretty tiring. True, he was older (quite a bit, in fact, and I'd have preferred less of an age difference) and since she worked for him, he should have kept his distance for the time being, but she has to share some of the blame, don't put all on him!
And another thing: the guy's 39, he married his wife when he was 29 or 30, and some readers act like he should have been a virgin on his wedding night, COME ON!!! The h asked him at one point how many women he was with, he said maybe around 20 before his marriage and of course (because she loves him and was jealous) that bothered her, but she should have considered their age difference and realized that having gotten married at 20 (more about that later), her body count (one) would be logically a lot less than his at almost 30!! Some readers called him a "man whore", but I'll bet these same readers would have said a woman in the same situation was just being "strong and independent" or being her own person, or any other term of approval. I'm so tired of all the double standards! Not fair!
That being said, I don't think this h is perfect, far from it! seeing the H again threw him for a loop, but he acted too hot-and-cold, going from declaring his feelings, to acting like he didn't care, from wanting her so badly to the point of making tasteless comments about rape), then keeping her at a distance when she admits how much she wants him! (If he were a woman, he'd be called a tease!) First, he's jealous of the OM (the h's late husband; we have an unseen OM as well as an unseen OW, the H's late wife) and angry about their marriage, then he does an about face and seems not to mind at all. One minute he makes it sound like he can't bear to be away from her, the next as though if he never sees her again, life will go on. He berates her for getting close to his daughter (claiming it's wrong for the little girl to get too attached) yet doesn't do much in the way of keeping them apart, giving in to his daughter on more than one occasion and blaming the h (like on their trip to Disney World) as if she were being manipulative. Then, one minute he's talk about their once-in-a-lifetime love, the kind that never dies, and then he'd say he's over her, doesn't love her anymore!! (Guess it croaked, after all!) He got to be annoying after a while and especially when he refused to accept that the h had partial amnesia and forgot a year of her life, assuming she was faking as a way to avoid their past relationship. It was obvious from the way she acted that she was telling the truth, but he kept insisting she was lying, until we get another about face and suddenly, he believes her, just like that!
I'd say all the trauma in his life (his father's death, his losing the h, his wife's death, taking over the family business, being a single dad, all took its toll and had an effect on his mental health. He needed time to get it together before embarking on another marriage.
As for the h, while I realize it's going to sound like I'm indulging in the double standard I accused some reviewers of, she had more excuse for her mood swings (yes, she had them, too) because of that memory loss. She had a short marriage to a man she apparently cheated on, got pregnant, lost him in a horrible accident after only six months, became a widow and single mom all at once, and couldn't remember anything about it. Her last memories were of being engaged to the OM, so imagine how she felt in the hospital, with all that wiped out, and being told she just had a baby and her husband's dead! ("Husband??? When did we get married???? Baby???? I was pregnant????") It's a wonder she didn't lose her sanity altogether!
Then, on modeling assignment (unknowingly for the H's company again), she meets the H who claims to know her while she has no idea who he is, and is then told they had been lovers, that for a week she had stayed in his apartment and made love almost constantly, which meant she cheated on her fiancée/future husband, and what's more, had supposedly been madly in love with this man! It's not surprising she'd want to get away from him (and all his story implied) yet at the same time she was drawn to him by that incredible attraction he told her about. It was real, and it made her feel guilty because of betraying them both, her fiancé for cheating, and the H for going back to the OM soon after her week with him. I think the reason her memory loss lasted was because she was afraid to remember, not wanting to face the truth about the type of person she may have been. (Ironically, had she remembered, everything would have been cleared up, and things wouldn't have been half as bad as she thought.)
She had her moments of hot-and-cold behavior with the H too, as well as childish temper (like hanging up on him and acting hurt and insulted by innocent remarks) but that was due to her confusion about her emotions. She felt guilty about loving him, as it made her feel even more disloyal to her late husband, the father of her baby. (Father of her baby????)
It's not surprising she'd get amnesia after all she went through at such a young age in so short a time, and I understand why her family couldn't tell her the whole story (amnesiacs have to remember on their own, not have the truth foisted on them) but some things were just silly. The letter from the H that the h gave her brother, for example. It's never explained why she gave it to him. And like she pointed out later, why didn't he read it? She never said he couldn't. If he had, he would have known that his opinion of the H's character had been wrong, he hadn't just used his sister for a week's fling before going back to his family. He knew the h had loved him and she wasn't the flighty or gullible type, so he should have figured there was more to the guy than just some horny older man wanting a young pretty woman in his bed. When he met the H later, he liked him right away, and he should have looked at the letter then, it would have told him what he needed to know.
As for the OM, he was either a real wimpy simp, or else obsessive, as in not wanting to let the h go, no matter what. They were engaged, she cheats on him, and while it's true she loved the H, she shouldn't have given in to her desires until she officially broke up with the OM. She did do that when she got home and told him everything, but after getting the letter, and Mother Nature's little surprise, the White Knight steps up and offers marriage, security, and a name for her baby. He even agrees to separate bedrooms! Talk about a MORON!!! Did he really think she'd come to love him later??? If the H had died it would be more understandable, but knowing there was a chance he could return, and want both the h and the baby, did he think their marriage would stop that??? Their engagement didn't make a difference when the H an h first got together!!!
SO STUPID, unless his feelings for her were unhealthy, possessive and obsessive, and that could account for taking her up in an airplane he had just learned to fly when she was eight months pregnant! Perhaps (subconsciously or not) he hoped to crash the plane and rid himself of the h's baby!!! If that was the case, then the joke sure was on him, because he was the one who croaked (good riddance)!!!
It's funny how he died, yet the pregnant h (who was a real dummy to fly with him) only got a bruised memory! The author really stretched a lot with this book, in more ways than one!
Too much time in this book was wasted on the H's 8-year-old daughter and the h's toddler son (though I adored both those kids) which should have been focused on the H and h, their past coming back to her (with her remembering bits and pieces as the story goes on) instead of leaving her memory a blank, and (surprisingly) not having it return at all! She gets a shocking revelation on her wedding night, of all nights! (It's all about a birthmark!) She learns a truth about her son that the H already knew (as well as his mother) but didn't tell her! I can understand how awkward it would be, but I still find it difficult to believe he'd keep quiet about it.
And, after all the talk from the H about how wild and passionate their lovemaking was, you'd think the author would have been more descriptive about their wedding night! Instead, all we're told is that the h had such an orgasm, she fainted! (The "little death" was a real biggie!!!) That's it! None of the hot kisses all over, nipple sucking, body fondling, caressing her femininity center, stroking his manhood, love bites, nail scratches, NOTHING! The H carries her off to the shower (they apparently used to love to bathe and shower together, during that hot week of passion) but that's it! What a letdown!
So was this book, which promised a lot more than it gave. At one point, I was thinking about the h's friend (also a model) and her boyfriend (their photographer) and all the witty repartee they exchanged, and how maybe the book should have been about that couple, instead. Always a bad sign!
And another thing: the guy's 39, he married his wife when he was 29 or 30, and some readers act like he should have been a virgin on his wedding night, COME ON!!! The h asked him at one point how many women he was with, he said maybe around 20 before his marriage and of course (because she loves him and was jealous) that bothered her, but she should have considered their age difference and realized that having gotten married at 20 (more about that later), her body count (one) would be logically a lot less than his at almost 30!! Some readers called him a "man whore", but I'll bet these same readers would have said a woman in the same situation was just being "strong and independent" or being her own person, or any other term of approval. I'm so tired of all the double standards! Not fair!
That being said, I don't think this h is perfect, far from it! seeing the H again threw him for a loop, but he acted too hot-and-cold, going from declaring his feelings, to acting like he didn't care, from wanting her so badly to the point of making tasteless comments about rape), then keeping her at a distance when she admits how much she wants him! (If he were a woman, he'd be called a tease!) First, he's jealous of the OM (the h's late husband; we have an unseen OM as well as an unseen OW, the H's late wife) and angry about their marriage, then he does an about face and seems not to mind at all. One minute he makes it sound like he can't bear to be away from her, the next as though if he never sees her again, life will go on. He berates her for getting close to his daughter (claiming it's wrong for the little girl to get too attached) yet doesn't do much in the way of keeping them apart, giving in to his daughter on more than one occasion and blaming the h (like on their trip to Disney World) as if she were being manipulative. Then, one minute he's talk about their once-in-a-lifetime love, the kind that never dies, and then he'd say he's over her, doesn't love her anymore!! (Guess it croaked, after all!) He got to be annoying after a while and especially when he refused to accept that the h had partial amnesia and forgot a year of her life, assuming she was faking as a way to avoid their past relationship. It was obvious from the way she acted that she was telling the truth, but he kept insisting she was lying, until we get another about face and suddenly, he believes her, just like that!
I'd say all the trauma in his life (his father's death, his losing the h, his wife's death, taking over the family business, being a single dad, all took its toll and had an effect on his mental health. He needed time to get it together before embarking on another marriage.
As for the h, while I realize it's going to sound like I'm indulging in the double standard I accused some reviewers of, she had more excuse for her mood swings (yes, she had them, too) because of that memory loss. She had a short marriage to a man she apparently cheated on, got pregnant, lost him in a horrible accident after only six months, became a widow and single mom all at once, and couldn't remember anything about it. Her last memories were of being engaged to the OM, so imagine how she felt in the hospital, with all that wiped out, and being told she just had a baby and her husband's dead! ("Husband??? When did we get married???? Baby???? I was pregnant????") It's a wonder she didn't lose her sanity altogether!
Then, on modeling assignment (unknowingly for the H's company again), she meets the H who claims to know her while she has no idea who he is, and is then told they had been lovers, that for a week she had stayed in his apartment and made love almost constantly, which meant she cheated on her fiancée/future husband, and what's more, had supposedly been madly in love with this man! It's not surprising she'd want to get away from him (and all his story implied) yet at the same time she was drawn to him by that incredible attraction he told her about. It was real, and it made her feel guilty because of betraying them both, her fiancé for cheating, and the H for going back to the OM soon after her week with him. I think the reason her memory loss lasted was because she was afraid to remember, not wanting to face the truth about the type of person she may have been. (Ironically, had she remembered, everything would have been cleared up, and things wouldn't have been half as bad as she thought.)
She had her moments of hot-and-cold behavior with the H too, as well as childish temper (like hanging up on him and acting hurt and insulted by innocent remarks) but that was due to her confusion about her emotions. She felt guilty about loving him, as it made her feel even more disloyal to her late husband, the father of her baby. (Father of her baby????)
It's not surprising she'd get amnesia after all she went through at such a young age in so short a time, and I understand why her family couldn't tell her the whole story (amnesiacs have to remember on their own, not have the truth foisted on them) but some things were just silly. The letter from the H that the h gave her brother, for example. It's never explained why she gave it to him. And like she pointed out later, why didn't he read it? She never said he couldn't. If he had, he would have known that his opinion of the H's character had been wrong, he hadn't just used his sister for a week's fling before going back to his family. He knew the h had loved him and she wasn't the flighty or gullible type, so he should have figured there was more to the guy than just some horny older man wanting a young pretty woman in his bed. When he met the H later, he liked him right away, and he should have looked at the letter then, it would have told him what he needed to know.
As for the OM, he was either a real wimpy simp, or else obsessive, as in not wanting to let the h go, no matter what. They were engaged, she cheats on him, and while it's true she loved the H, she shouldn't have given in to her desires until she officially broke up with the OM. She did do that when she got home and told him everything, but after getting the letter, and Mother Nature's little surprise, the White Knight steps up and offers marriage, security, and a name for her baby. He even agrees to separate bedrooms! Talk about a MORON!!! Did he really think she'd come to love him later??? If the H had died it would be more understandable, but knowing there was a chance he could return, and want both the h and the baby, did he think their marriage would stop that??? Their engagement didn't make a difference when the H an h first got together!!!
SO STUPID, unless his feelings for her were unhealthy, possessive and obsessive, and that could account for taking her up in an airplane he had just learned to fly when she was eight months pregnant! Perhaps (subconsciously or not) he hoped to crash the plane and rid himself of the h's baby!!! If that was the case, then the joke sure was on him, because he was the one who croaked (good riddance)!!!
It's funny how he died, yet the pregnant h (who was a real dummy to fly with him) only got a bruised memory! The author really stretched a lot with this book, in more ways than one!
Too much time in this book was wasted on the H's 8-year-old daughter and the h's toddler son (though I adored both those kids) which should have been focused on the H and h, their past coming back to her (with her remembering bits and pieces as the story goes on) instead of leaving her memory a blank, and (surprisingly) not having it return at all! She gets a shocking revelation on her wedding night, of all nights! (It's all about a birthmark!) She learns a truth about her son that the H already knew (as well as his mother) but didn't tell her! I can understand how awkward it would be, but I still find it difficult to believe he'd keep quiet about it.
And, after all the talk from the H about how wild and passionate their lovemaking was, you'd think the author would have been more descriptive about their wedding night! Instead, all we're told is that the h had such an orgasm, she fainted! (The "little death" was a real biggie!!!) That's it! None of the hot kisses all over, nipple sucking, body fondling, caressing her femininity center, stroking his manhood, love bites, nail scratches, NOTHING! The H carries her off to the shower (they apparently used to love to bathe and shower together, during that hot week of passion) but that's it! What a letdown!
So was this book, which promised a lot more than it gave. At one point, I was thinking about the h's friend (also a model) and her boyfriend (their photographer) and all the witty repartee they exchanged, and how maybe the book should have been about that couple, instead. Always a bad sign!
October 14, 2012
Loved it.!!
July 29, 2020
Hot mess amnesia style.
May 26, 2021
I hated this book, and I'm upset about it because I love Carole Mortimer. When I was a teen and young adult, I used to immediately pick up any book she wrote. I loved them so. This book was just bad. It's well-written because she's an excellent writer, but:
1. Too much kids and supportinger characters. I feel like I spent more time with the kids, the photographer, the mom, the brother, etc than I did with Jared, the hero.
2. The hero is a sulking jerk. I was actually glad I spent more time with all the other characters because the hero was a real bratty, mean, childish, grudge-holding, cheating, threatening, pouty, bossy dude. He threatened to rape her for calling him Mr. Daniels. He was creepy, too.
3. It was an amnesia story, but the herione never regains her memory. That's a let down. Plus, how does she have amnesia and then shun someone who said they knew her during a time she had it? Weird.
1. Too much kids and supportinger characters. I feel like I spent more time with the kids, the photographer, the mom, the brother, etc than I did with Jared, the hero.
2. The hero is a sulking jerk. I was actually glad I spent more time with all the other characters because the hero was a real bratty, mean, childish, grudge-holding, cheating, threatening, pouty, bossy dude. He threatened to rape her for calling him Mr. Daniels. He was creepy, too.
3. It was an amnesia story, but the herione never regains her memory. That's a let down. Plus, how does she have amnesia and then shun someone who said they knew her during a time she had it? Weird.
August 14, 2021
Something very traumatic happened to Velvet to cause her memory to shut down on 12 months of her life....she doesn't remember falling in love with Jerard, marrying Anthony but she does remember when he dies and her baby, Tony was born....on the same day.
Jerard doesn't believe her amnesia but is persistent that he and Velvet had had a week of loving one another...but he is in the process of getting a divorce when he learns his wife is dying of heart trouble and must care for her and their daughter.
But as with all Harlequin Romances, it works out well in the end of the story....which is why I need one of these light romances once in awhile.
Jerard doesn't believe her amnesia but is persistent that he and Velvet had had a week of loving one another...but he is in the process of getting a divorce when he learns his wife is dying of heart trouble and must care for her and their daughter.
But as with all Harlequin Romances, it works out well in the end of the story....which is why I need one of these light romances once in awhile.
January 13, 2018
Forgotten Lover
This starts off with Velvet doing a fashion shoot. But when she runs into someone who seems to know her, who goes into a tailspin. She had been in an accident and ended up with amnesia. Could He be able to open up her memories? What does he have to do with her forgotten days? Was everything in her marriage as good as she remembers?
This starts off with Velvet doing a fashion shoot. But when she runs into someone who seems to know her, who goes into a tailspin. She had been in an accident and ended up with amnesia. Could He be able to open up her memories? What does he have to do with her forgotten days? Was everything in her marriage as good as she remembers?
May 25, 2019
This book is about a women who loses her memory and finds herself with a man who keeps showing up and says he was her lover. I won't say more as I don't want to spoil it but it keeps you wanting to read with the twists it takes. Good short read..
August 24, 2023
Forgotten Lover
Very good book, I have read it several times. It's a
Book for all ages. Nicely written and for all ages
Carole Mortimer is a great writer. I am 85yrs old
and I have most of her books.
Very good book, I have read it several times. It's a
Book for all ages. Nicely written and for all ages
Carole Mortimer is a great writer. I am 85yrs old
and I have most of her books.
June 17, 2020
Amnesia plot.Interesting read
November 12, 2023
Oldies
December 7, 2023
Another great old book by Carole I always felt sorry for Jerard in this one. He tried to do what was right and really paid for it. He certainly loved Velvet and went to hell and back for her. I liked that they didn’t have Velvet suddenly regain her memories to tie every loose end up. Made it all much more believable in the end.
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