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I Remember You
Twelve years in bustling London have left Tess Tennant dumped by her boyfriend, out of work, and miserable. Still, maybe taking a new job as a classics professor at the tiny college in her picture-perfect hometown in the English countryside was a bit drastic. Langford’s stone cottages, quaint shops, and lifelong locals feel even smaller than she remembered, but at least Tess has Adam, her best and oldest friend. On a spontaneous birthday adventure back to the city, though, their painful and heartbreaking past forces them into an angry confrontation.
Tess escapes to Rome on a class trip and falls unexpectedly into the arms of Peter, a charming American journalist . . . until a tragedy cuts her vacation short. Back home and alone, Tess must slowly unravel her feelings about her secretive best friend, the romantic new lover she barely knows, and the independent woman she really wants to be.
Tess escapes to Rome on a class trip and falls unexpectedly into the arms of Peter, a charming American journalist . . . until a tragedy cuts her vacation short. Back home and alone, Tess must slowly unravel her feelings about her secretive best friend, the romantic new lover she barely knows, and the independent woman she really wants to be.
512 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
67 people are currently reading
2758 people want to read
About the author
Harriet Evans
109 books1,200 followersI was born in London and grew up there. I was very bookish, and had a huge imagination which used to cause me to get rather anxious at times. Now I know it's a good thing for a writer to have. I loved musicals, and playing imaginative games, and my Barbie perfume making kit. Most of all I loved reading. I read everything, but I also read lots of things over and over, which I think is so important.
At university I read Classical Studies, which is a great way of finding out that the world doesn't change much and people make the same mistakes but it's interesting to look at why. I was at Bristol, and i loved the city, making new friends, being a new person.
After university I came back to London and got a job in publishing. I loved working in publishing so much, and really felt for the first time in my life that when I spoke people understood what I was saying. Book people are good people. I became an editor after a few years, working with many bestselling novelists, and in 2009 I left to write full time.
I've written 13 novels and several short stories and one Quick Read, which is an excellent way of getting people into reading more. I've acquired a partner and two children along the way.
In 2019 we moved to Bath, out of London, and I am very happy there. We live opposite a hedgerow, and I can be boring about gardening, and there's room for my collection of jumpsuits and all our books. We have lots of books. Apart from anything else they keep the house warm. xxx
At university I read Classical Studies, which is a great way of finding out that the world doesn't change much and people make the same mistakes but it's interesting to look at why. I was at Bristol, and i loved the city, making new friends, being a new person.
After university I came back to London and got a job in publishing. I loved working in publishing so much, and really felt for the first time in my life that when I spoke people understood what I was saying. Book people are good people. I became an editor after a few years, working with many bestselling novelists, and in 2009 I left to write full time.
I've written 13 novels and several short stories and one Quick Read, which is an excellent way of getting people into reading more. I've acquired a partner and two children along the way.
In 2019 we moved to Bath, out of London, and I am very happy there. We live opposite a hedgerow, and I can be boring about gardening, and there's room for my collection of jumpsuits and all our books. We have lots of books. Apart from anything else they keep the house warm. xxx
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 209 reviews
May 30, 2011
Hmmm. How to say this. I gave this book a three star rating because I quickly became absorbed in it, read the over 400 pages in just a couple of days.
That said, there were serious problems in it for me. While I really liked the main character, Tess, I felt like I only discovered how she was behaving, and her transformation when other characters informed her of it. She apparently starts off as intellectual chic, goes through stages of acting old and frumpy (she's 30) and then back to glowing and beautiful. But again, we seem to only really see this after the fact, based on character commentary. Much of character personality is revealed this way. It seemed like lazy writing to me.
I didn't ever see the draw Tess has to Adam. I had a hard time feeling sorry for him, or understanding his tortured character. Yep, he didn't know much about his family background and he lost his mom at age 18. But I never really understood why this so completely derailed him for 13 years. People go through stuff. And generally, after some amount of time, they move on. It wasn't well explained why he couldn't.
A lot of the action seemed choppy to me.
Little Italian romance in the middle of the book. I wish this had played a bigger role. I wish the relationship had been better developed, even if it was never meant to be. Never felt like Tess was making much of a choice. She spent two or three days with the guy and then skyped and emailed. That's it. Not super hard to walk away from.
I could go on. But still, it wasn't horrible. I enjoyed it while I read it. I just may not care to read it again. Or look further into this author. Maybe one more, just to see.
That said, there were serious problems in it for me. While I really liked the main character, Tess, I felt like I only discovered how she was behaving, and her transformation when other characters informed her of it. She apparently starts off as intellectual chic, goes through stages of acting old and frumpy (she's 30) and then back to glowing and beautiful. But again, we seem to only really see this after the fact, based on character commentary. Much of character personality is revealed this way. It seemed like lazy writing to me.
I didn't ever see the draw Tess has to Adam. I had a hard time feeling sorry for him, or understanding his tortured character. Yep, he didn't know much about his family background and he lost his mom at age 18. But I never really understood why this so completely derailed him for 13 years. People go through stuff. And generally, after some amount of time, they move on. It wasn't well explained why he couldn't.
A lot of the action seemed choppy to me.
Little Italian romance in the middle of the book. I wish this had played a bigger role. I wish the relationship had been better developed, even if it was never meant to be. Never felt like Tess was making much of a choice. She spent two or three days with the guy and then skyped and emailed. That's it. Not super hard to walk away from.
I could go on. But still, it wasn't horrible. I enjoyed it while I read it. I just may not care to read it again. Or look further into this author. Maybe one more, just to see.
February 25, 2011
I was in the middle of writing a delightfully snarky review of this book when something happened and the whole thing got erased. I am so mad right now, but I'll try to remember what I had written...
I really need to stop reading chick lit. Every time I do, I am disappointed and angry.
I Remember You by Harriet Evans is no exception to this rule. And it is about twice as long as most chick lit books I've read. This book clocks in at nearly 450 pages. I am not afraid of long books, by any means, but this book was unnecessarily long. Most chick lit books, I think are fine being no more than 300 pages. When I got to page 300 in this book, I thought I should be done, but I still had 150 pages to go!
The premise of the novel is simple enough. Tess is moving back to her hometown to teach at the local college after living in London for 13 years. Adam, her best friend from childhood, still lives in the town and has squandered his talent by tending bar and working in the Jane Austen museum. (It's English chick lit, of course Jane Austen's got to be there somewhere.) Of course, everyone in the town has always believe that Tess and Adam belong together. Except for Tess and Adam.
Now, that right there is a pretty solid premise for a mediocre chick-lit novel. You could have that thing whipped out in 250 pages or less. But Evans has decided to prolong the agony, er, story, by adding in all kinds of weird plot twists and back stories. I guess maybe she was trying to stand out from the norm? She throws in stuff like a trip to Rome, a hot American boyfriend, a mysterious relative. All of these pieces keep getting swirled around and around until the reader is not sure where this is going or if it will ever end. I mean, of course we know that this has to end with a happily ever after, but will we EVER get there? Argh.
Anyway, I pounded through the last 100 pages tonight. I just couldn't take it anymore. No more chick lit for me. Ugh.
I really need to stop reading chick lit. Every time I do, I am disappointed and angry.
I Remember You by Harriet Evans is no exception to this rule. And it is about twice as long as most chick lit books I've read. This book clocks in at nearly 450 pages. I am not afraid of long books, by any means, but this book was unnecessarily long. Most chick lit books, I think are fine being no more than 300 pages. When I got to page 300 in this book, I thought I should be done, but I still had 150 pages to go!
The premise of the novel is simple enough. Tess is moving back to her hometown to teach at the local college after living in London for 13 years. Adam, her best friend from childhood, still lives in the town and has squandered his talent by tending bar and working in the Jane Austen museum. (It's English chick lit, of course Jane Austen's got to be there somewhere.) Of course, everyone in the town has always believe that Tess and Adam belong together. Except for Tess and Adam.
Now, that right there is a pretty solid premise for a mediocre chick-lit novel. You could have that thing whipped out in 250 pages or less. But Evans has decided to prolong the agony, er, story, by adding in all kinds of weird plot twists and back stories. I guess maybe she was trying to stand out from the norm? She throws in stuff like a trip to Rome, a hot American boyfriend, a mysterious relative. All of these pieces keep getting swirled around and around until the reader is not sure where this is going or if it will ever end. I mean, of course we know that this has to end with a happily ever after, but will we EVER get there? Argh.
Anyway, I pounded through the last 100 pages tonight. I just couldn't take it anymore. No more chick lit for me. Ugh.
November 16, 2009
Tess Tennant and Adam Smith have known each other since birth. They grew up together as best friends and everyone in Langford expected them to end up together. Until one day, Adam’s mother Philippa drops dead. Tess goes off to London whilst Adam remains in Langford working in a pub. Years later though Tess returns but her friendship with Adam is completely different to how it was. It all comes to a head when Tess takes a class trip to Rome and by the time Tess returns, Adam has gone. What went on between Adam and Tess to cause their friendship to fall so dramatically?
I’ve only previously read one of Harriet Evans’ three novels, her debut Going Home, however when I saw this one up on Amazon, I loved the sound of it and more than that I loved the fact it would be part-set in Rome; I’m a huge fan of authors setting books in foreign destinations. A fellow book blogger, the wonderful Suzana of Bookalicious, offered to send me her review copy and I jumped at the chance. I was thrilled to finally start it a few days ago. My joy, however, was short-lived.
From the offset I liked the sound of the plot: Tess and Adam being best friends for a long long time, since birth, but slowly they seemingly grow apart. The book starts with a prologue where Tess and Adam are still teenagers and we then come to Part One. Strangely enough, the opening chapter is told from the third-person view point of Leonora Mortmain who comes across as nosey and mean. The first chapter also sees Tess return to Langford and we slowly unravel the story behind Tess’ departure from London. The rest of the book is told in the third-person view point from mainly Tess herself, as in, she features in most of those scenes but we do also get the odd change of viewpoint from those living in Langford. There are a total of four parts to the book as well as the prologue. Part One is Tess’ return to Langford, where we also find out what happened between Tess and Adam all those years before; Part Two is Tess’ class trip to Rome, Part Three is the return from Rome and the aftershocks of what went on there and then Part Four is Adam’s disappearance followed by his eventual return. For me, it felt as though the book was four separate books. Yes each part followed on from the last but it also seemed to draw a line under the previous part and I found that disrupting. I want to read a book and have it flow throughout rather than feel as though the book is stopping and starting all of the time. Also on the pages where it says “Part One/Two/Three/Four” are various quotes; I can’t tell you what they were as I skipped them, they’d only have slowed down the book more, as far as I was concerned.
There also didn’t seem to be one main central plot to the book unless of course Tess and Adam’s friendship counts. That is the only main factor to all four parts of the book. The rest of the plots seem to be sub-plots; the fact Leonora Mortmain is turning the watermeadows into a shopping center; Tess’ move back to Langford and how she changes whilst there or how Langford has changed, it depends how you look at it; there’s also the trip to Rome where Tess falls for Peter. But there wasn’t anything that I felt held the book down. I don’t think Tess and Adam’s friendship was a big enough factor for it to be the focal point: yes they have a lot of rows and there are lots of secrets discovered from the past, but there friendship just seemed like any normal friendship really: topsy-turvy. Maybe I missed what the plot of the book was supposed to be? I doubt it, though.
The book is a very slow burner. A lot of the book seems to be filler and, although I’m no book editor, I’d have probably chopped some of it out. I mean I got half way through and I just wanted it to end. I seemed to be reading and reading but I didn’t feel as if I was getting anywhere because nothing was happening. I just didn’t understand what I was reading about: was it Adam and Tess’ friendship and all that had gone wrong? Was it the fact Leonora was turning the water meadows into a shopping mall? or was it the fact Tess felt strange being back in Langford? The book didn’t seem to be going anywhere. The mystery about Adam’s mother didn’t even perk me up. Truth was, I’d already guessed it 100 pages ago. I’d also guessed what had went on with Tess and Adam when they were teenagers because it was quite obvious. To want a book to end after 250 pages is incredibly sad and it’s a rare occurence where I wish that.
I didn’t even feel anything for any of the characters. I thought Tess was quite whingey most of the time and yes, of course, I felt sorry for Adam but Tess was right: what had he done with his life? Of course we find out exactly why he stayed in Langford but still. I wasn’t at all connected to Tess or Adam, I didn’t feel much for them and maybe that’s why I disliked the book so much. How can I enjoy a book when I don’t even enjoy the characters? Tess and Adam spent most of the book being pretty maudlin and that’s exactly how I felt as the book moved along. One character I did like was Francesca, Tess’ flatmate and Adam’s sometime girlfriend. She added a bit of life to the book and I enjoyed her scenes. I also quite like Diana, Adam’s godmother, she seemed nice as well as Liz, who becomes Tess’ flatmate. There were plenty of other charcters but they all seemed the same to me. I mean there were loads of characters who were there throughout the book but none of them, bar those mentioned, really made an impression on me.
One thing I will say about the book was that I loved the descriptions of Rome. Harriet really did her research about Rome and I loved reading of the cobbled streets and the Spanish steps. However, on the flipside of that, I thought the descriptions of the classic things Tess described to her students were quite long winded and, as I have no interest in the subject whatsoever, I found myself skipping passages. I also can’t fault Harriet on her writing, she is a superb writer but even that isn’t always enough to save a book. The description on my review copy says it’s witty, rich and moving. The only one I’d agree with is that it is indeed a rich book. Again, that’s down to Harriet’s writing.
For me though, the book wasn’t really there. I knew how it would end, I’m sure even you all reading this review could guess how it’ll end. While I enjoy a happy ending, I think it was rather rushed. I think it’s a shame I didn’t enjoy the book as I can see Harriet Evans has talent but for me, it was too slow and too long. A book should not bore me after 250 pages, it should just be getting exciting and I should be raring to finish it.
I’ve only previously read one of Harriet Evans’ three novels, her debut Going Home, however when I saw this one up on Amazon, I loved the sound of it and more than that I loved the fact it would be part-set in Rome; I’m a huge fan of authors setting books in foreign destinations. A fellow book blogger, the wonderful Suzana of Bookalicious, offered to send me her review copy and I jumped at the chance. I was thrilled to finally start it a few days ago. My joy, however, was short-lived.
From the offset I liked the sound of the plot: Tess and Adam being best friends for a long long time, since birth, but slowly they seemingly grow apart. The book starts with a prologue where Tess and Adam are still teenagers and we then come to Part One. Strangely enough, the opening chapter is told from the third-person view point of Leonora Mortmain who comes across as nosey and mean. The first chapter also sees Tess return to Langford and we slowly unravel the story behind Tess’ departure from London. The rest of the book is told in the third-person view point from mainly Tess herself, as in, she features in most of those scenes but we do also get the odd change of viewpoint from those living in Langford. There are a total of four parts to the book as well as the prologue. Part One is Tess’ return to Langford, where we also find out what happened between Tess and Adam all those years before; Part Two is Tess’ class trip to Rome, Part Three is the return from Rome and the aftershocks of what went on there and then Part Four is Adam’s disappearance followed by his eventual return. For me, it felt as though the book was four separate books. Yes each part followed on from the last but it also seemed to draw a line under the previous part and I found that disrupting. I want to read a book and have it flow throughout rather than feel as though the book is stopping and starting all of the time. Also on the pages where it says “Part One/Two/Three/Four” are various quotes; I can’t tell you what they were as I skipped them, they’d only have slowed down the book more, as far as I was concerned.
There also didn’t seem to be one main central plot to the book unless of course Tess and Adam’s friendship counts. That is the only main factor to all four parts of the book. The rest of the plots seem to be sub-plots; the fact Leonora Mortmain is turning the watermeadows into a shopping center; Tess’ move back to Langford and how she changes whilst there or how Langford has changed, it depends how you look at it; there’s also the trip to Rome where Tess falls for Peter. But there wasn’t anything that I felt held the book down. I don’t think Tess and Adam’s friendship was a big enough factor for it to be the focal point: yes they have a lot of rows and there are lots of secrets discovered from the past, but there friendship just seemed like any normal friendship really: topsy-turvy. Maybe I missed what the plot of the book was supposed to be? I doubt it, though.
The book is a very slow burner. A lot of the book seems to be filler and, although I’m no book editor, I’d have probably chopped some of it out. I mean I got half way through and I just wanted it to end. I seemed to be reading and reading but I didn’t feel as if I was getting anywhere because nothing was happening. I just didn’t understand what I was reading about: was it Adam and Tess’ friendship and all that had gone wrong? Was it the fact Leonora was turning the water meadows into a shopping mall? or was it the fact Tess felt strange being back in Langford? The book didn’t seem to be going anywhere. The mystery about Adam’s mother didn’t even perk me up. Truth was, I’d already guessed it 100 pages ago. I’d also guessed what had went on with Tess and Adam when they were teenagers because it was quite obvious. To want a book to end after 250 pages is incredibly sad and it’s a rare occurence where I wish that.
I didn’t even feel anything for any of the characters. I thought Tess was quite whingey most of the time and yes, of course, I felt sorry for Adam but Tess was right: what had he done with his life? Of course we find out exactly why he stayed in Langford but still. I wasn’t at all connected to Tess or Adam, I didn’t feel much for them and maybe that’s why I disliked the book so much. How can I enjoy a book when I don’t even enjoy the characters? Tess and Adam spent most of the book being pretty maudlin and that’s exactly how I felt as the book moved along. One character I did like was Francesca, Tess’ flatmate and Adam’s sometime girlfriend. She added a bit of life to the book and I enjoyed her scenes. I also quite like Diana, Adam’s godmother, she seemed nice as well as Liz, who becomes Tess’ flatmate. There were plenty of other charcters but they all seemed the same to me. I mean there were loads of characters who were there throughout the book but none of them, bar those mentioned, really made an impression on me.
One thing I will say about the book was that I loved the descriptions of Rome. Harriet really did her research about Rome and I loved reading of the cobbled streets and the Spanish steps. However, on the flipside of that, I thought the descriptions of the classic things Tess described to her students were quite long winded and, as I have no interest in the subject whatsoever, I found myself skipping passages. I also can’t fault Harriet on her writing, she is a superb writer but even that isn’t always enough to save a book. The description on my review copy says it’s witty, rich and moving. The only one I’d agree with is that it is indeed a rich book. Again, that’s down to Harriet’s writing.
For me though, the book wasn’t really there. I knew how it would end, I’m sure even you all reading this review could guess how it’ll end. While I enjoy a happy ending, I think it was rather rushed. I think it’s a shame I didn’t enjoy the book as I can see Harriet Evans has talent but for me, it was too slow and too long. A book should not bore me after 250 pages, it should just be getting exciting and I should be raring to finish it.
January 4, 2012
It's no surprise that this isn't like my usual reading material. This is some serious chick-lit. But I sort of enjoyed A Hopeless Romantic, in an embarrassing, "why am I admitting that?" sort of way. So I picked this one up, hoping for the same thing.
It's definitely not.
Tess is moving back to her hometown after living in London, which is a quaint little English village. Everyone knows everyone else and all that. She takes on a job as a Classics teacher at the local college, and rents out a cute little cottage.
She spends a lot of time with her best friend since birth, Adam, and her new housemate, Francesca. The two of them find Tess to be droll, but what do you expect? She's a walking stereotype, teaching Classics and wearing frumpy clothes and living in an English cottage. I couldn't understand why this was so bad, though—apparently Adam's idea of a "having fun" is getting drunk and having random sex, and Tess is boring because she wants to sit at home and read? Am I missing something?
So partway through Tess goes on a trip to Rome with the class she teaches, and [insert dramatic voice] it changes her life. She meets Peter, an American journalist living in Rome, and they have a weekend romance. They'll "be together forever" and all that.
Oh and in between all this, there is some drama with the token mysterious woman in town, one Leonora Mortmain. Your typical old, rich lady, hates everyone, family has been in town for centuries, etc. And after the Rome trip, the story switches to figuring out her secrets. So who is this book about, anyway? Tess or Leonora?
It's so hard to follow. We're expected to remember everyone's name in town—most of which have nothing to do with the story itself—and care about Tess's internal turmoil. But Tess was such a bland character. She's apparently going through these life changes, and then everything changes when she meets Peter, but I didn't feel that at all. She apparently has this self-discovery thing going on, but I didn't see it.
Besides, the book was way too long. There is a lot of fluff; it needs some serious editing. Do we have to hear "thank you" every time someone is served a drink? Or listen to the "how are you doing?" chit-chat at the start of every conversation? It could have done without a lot of the details, and then maybe it would be fairly tolerable.
It's definitely not.
Tess is moving back to her hometown after living in London, which is a quaint little English village. Everyone knows everyone else and all that. She takes on a job as a Classics teacher at the local college, and rents out a cute little cottage.
She spends a lot of time with her best friend since birth, Adam, and her new housemate, Francesca. The two of them find Tess to be droll, but what do you expect? She's a walking stereotype, teaching Classics and wearing frumpy clothes and living in an English cottage. I couldn't understand why this was so bad, though—apparently Adam's idea of a "having fun" is getting drunk and having random sex, and Tess is boring because she wants to sit at home and read? Am I missing something?
So partway through Tess goes on a trip to Rome with the class she teaches, and [insert dramatic voice] it changes her life. She meets Peter, an American journalist living in Rome, and they have a weekend romance. They'll "be together forever" and all that.
Oh and in between all this, there is some drama with the token mysterious woman in town, one Leonora Mortmain. Your typical old, rich lady, hates everyone, family has been in town for centuries, etc. And after the Rome trip, the story switches to figuring out her secrets. So who is this book about, anyway? Tess or Leonora?
It's so hard to follow. We're expected to remember everyone's name in town—most of which have nothing to do with the story itself—and care about Tess's internal turmoil. But Tess was such a bland character. She's apparently going through these life changes, and then everything changes when she meets Peter, but I didn't feel that at all. She apparently has this self-discovery thing going on, but I didn't see it.
Besides, the book was way too long. There is a lot of fluff; it needs some serious editing. Do we have to hear "thank you" every time someone is served a drink? Or listen to the "how are you doing?" chit-chat at the start of every conversation? It could have done without a lot of the details, and then maybe it would be fairly tolerable.
July 11, 2012
Not a big fan of this one.
It started well and the build up of brooding atmosphere and anticipation was done really well, but in the end it was all a bit of an anticlimax. I was left thinking, 'er, was that it?'
As others have said, I struggled with all the village characters, there were too many of them and they were too similar so much of the dialogue between those characters and Tess was lost on me as I tried to remember who they were.
My main issue with it was the old woman. the very fact that she had suffered so much in her own past would, in my view anyway, be more likely to ensure she never repeated the mistakes herself (sounds vague, but trying not to spoil the story) not be even worse. And why did everyone do what she said and feel such responsibility towards her in light of her behaviour? that didn't add up for me.
The romantic bits of this book fell short of the mark too - it didn't feel real.
Having said all that I do enjoy this author's style of writing, but I enjoyed her other novels much, much more. Not one I'd recommend.
It started well and the build up of brooding atmosphere and anticipation was done really well, but in the end it was all a bit of an anticlimax. I was left thinking, 'er, was that it?'
As others have said, I struggled with all the village characters, there were too many of them and they were too similar so much of the dialogue between those characters and Tess was lost on me as I tried to remember who they were.
My main issue with it was the old woman. the very fact that she had suffered so much in her own past would, in my view anyway, be more likely to ensure she never repeated the mistakes herself (sounds vague, but trying not to spoil the story) not be even worse. And why did everyone do what she said and feel such responsibility towards her in light of her behaviour? that didn't add up for me.
The romantic bits of this book fell short of the mark too - it didn't feel real.
Having said all that I do enjoy this author's style of writing, but I enjoyed her other novels much, much more. Not one I'd recommend.
June 29, 2012
This book would have received two stars if it wasn't for the ending. When I first started reading it, I thought Evans' writing style was juvenile. Throughout "I Remember You" a lot of pointless conversations take place between the characters. Imagine an interaction that you would have with a person speaking a language you just started studying. It would consist mainly of a friendly greeting, a short sentence about the weather, and a "goodbye" and/or "see you later." Tessa, Evans' main character, held this same conversation with every other character in the novel multiple times.
The story itself was cute to say the least. The featured girl lives in a small town her whole childhood with a best friend who's a guy that she she's known since birth. She moves away to London to experience the city lifestyle, only to return twelve years later after a difficult few years of failed relationships and money hardships. She reignites her friendship while starting her new job as a classics teacher at the local college. Right before her week-long class trip to Rome, she has a fight with the best friend. Finding love in Rome, she returns to her small town and must decide between the boy she's known forever and the man she's known for only a few days but who sparks a new passion within her. Along with some surprising family history, the novel slowly, but surely, brings itself to a satisfying ending. I felt the novel could have been shortened by a hundred or so pages. I also felt like Tess was a different person in every chapter as was Adam. I never fully understood their "relationship."
Besides poor character development and lengthy, usually boring, conversations, the story was pleasant to read. It provided a nice outlet for me. Although it was not a riveting read, it was a happy, eventually uplifting (eventually because it was depressing at times) tale.
The story itself was cute to say the least. The featured girl lives in a small town her whole childhood with a best friend who's a guy that she she's known since birth. She moves away to London to experience the city lifestyle, only to return twelve years later after a difficult few years of failed relationships and money hardships. She reignites her friendship while starting her new job as a classics teacher at the local college. Right before her week-long class trip to Rome, she has a fight with the best friend. Finding love in Rome, she returns to her small town and must decide between the boy she's known forever and the man she's known for only a few days but who sparks a new passion within her. Along with some surprising family history, the novel slowly, but surely, brings itself to a satisfying ending. I felt the novel could have been shortened by a hundred or so pages. I also felt like Tess was a different person in every chapter as was Adam. I never fully understood their "relationship."
Besides poor character development and lengthy, usually boring, conversations, the story was pleasant to read. It provided a nice outlet for me. Although it was not a riveting read, it was a happy, eventually uplifting (eventually because it was depressing at times) tale.
August 8, 2010
Straight away you want the friends to get together. Well I know I did. The story was very well written and it flowed very well. There was a lot of interesting parts to the plot which maintained my interest. This was the first time I had read one of Harriet Evans books, although there are a couple which have caught my eye. It was a nice story idea and you really felt for the characters at times. You really learn to love the characters (although I wasn't too fond of the Tess' room mate).
Her trip to Italy was very interesting and it was a shock when Adam turns up (especially what happened between them before she left). These two main characters have been best friends since they were kids and it really shows. However when it comes to people that have best friend that's of the opposite sex you tend to think there's something going on (like the whole town did).
I loved the ending, it's what I wanted right from the start.
Her trip to Italy was very interesting and it was a shock when Adam turns up (especially what happened between them before she left). These two main characters have been best friends since they were kids and it really shows. However when it comes to people that have best friend that's of the opposite sex you tend to think there's something going on (like the whole town did).
I loved the ending, it's what I wanted right from the start.
March 17, 2011
I don't want to completely slate this novel but if I'm being really honest which you should be in reviews it left me cold. I didn't like any of the main characters, Tess was dull, Adam was not someone fanciable in my opinion, Francesca was a bit pointless and as for Peter, I didn't really see the need for him in the book at all. There were also too many villagers and I never felt I 'knew' any of them, I kept forgetting who was who and the worst thing about that was that it didn't seem to matter. It was a very long novel and a lot of it wasn't necessary, particularly all the delving back in time in the last third of the book. It didn't seem to add any value to the story. The story which could have been sweet was strangled by the Latin and ancient history in my opinion.
August 30, 2016
Well.....I couldn't finish it. It's pretty slow and I seriously couldn't wait to know what would happen between Tess and Adam but I just couldn't finish.
Want to read
June 7, 2017
June 29, 2021
I am expecting that this book will be about friends turned to lovers and romantic getaway in Rome and all but...Adam is a shitty person as well as Tess. These two people are way crazy and I don't like how their story happened. Yes, Adam has a mysterious family that ends up ruining his life but it didn't mean that he can be an asshole to everyone especially his childhood and long-time bestfriend Tess. On the other hand, Tess is frustratingly stupid. She aborted their baby and forced herself to leave their hometown Langford and get away from the arse Adam. She was hurt beyond repair yet when she returned back to Langford and met Adam again for long time, it's all normal. I MEAN WHY? I don't understand their relationship. In the book, I thought Adam and Tess are platonic friends talking about the people they shag and all and just so casual. YET in the following pages, I learned that they have sex in the water meadow where Adam's grandmother Leonora end up having Philippa (Adam's mother) with Philip who died in the war. Well, it's really crazy.
To clarify everything, Leonora Mortmain is an old rich woman who wants to turn Langford's ancient water meadows into a shopping center. The citizens of that place don't want that to happen because that water meadow is a history. In a nutshell, they hated Leonora Mortmain who didn't have any family left.
Philippa is a mysterious woman who migrated to Langford. Nobody knows about her family or why she chose Langford. She is the mother of Adam. In the almost end of the book, it is spilled out that Philippa is the daughter of Leonora Mortmain from premarital sex with Philip. He calls her ATALANTA and they had intimate moments before he goes to the war and fight. It end up Leonora being knocked up. She told her parents and sent away from the home. Her father is a cruel man and ends up declaring that Leonora is no longer her daughter. They sent her to Langford where she give birth to the baby one mother before the due date after reading the letter informing her that Philip died in the war. She sent her baby to adoption and asked to retain her name as PHILIPPA. She waited for years after her parents are dead to get her baby back but it's way too late. She is already adopted by other family but she keeps checking the whereabouts of her daughter discreetly. BTW, ATALANTA means a warrior woman who rejects all the man courting her because she is way too independent. She competes with the men and whoever wins against her will be her husband. Everyone lose except for one man who tricked her by throwing a golden apple to picked up by Atalanta and ends up losing in the marathon. Tess interpreted this that Atalanta is tricked to give up her virginity. And I think this is what happened between her and Philip because he took her innocence right before he go the war thinking that he will be back and marry her BUT he died. This is the reason why Leonora Mortmain is such a bitter and cruel old woman without any family.
Philippa is a professor in a university and lived her life in happy-go-lucky without any responsibilities until he met an Irish professor and had intimate relationship. Eventually she had the baby and insisted to keep it by herself since the Irish professor is also happy-go-lucky. At first, she thinks that it's time to have a baby of her own but she didn't have any money. Her mother's private detectives informed Leonora and called her daughter to meet her. Leonora is cold woman and purposely wanted her daughter to hate her. They met in Langford and gave her the cottage and 500 pounds of money and that's it. She said not to tell anyone that she is her biological mother. That's the reason why Philippa the mysterious woman ends up living in Langford and how Adam's complicated and messed up family started to ruin him.
Adam and Tess are childhood bestfriend who lived their whole lives in Langford. It is the place where Jane Austen lived and all the historical events happened. Both of them loved classical literature and history. They are too close yet thinks that they have platonic relationship until they crossed the line after Adam's mother died in the road without any warning. He is left alone and learned that he is the grandson of the rich and cold woman Leonora Mortmain but must not tell it to anyone. He is lifting that secret right after her mother's death. He is torn, confuse, and grieving that they finally slept with one another. The first time is in the water meadow which is the same place where Leonora and Philip (Adam's grandparents) had their intimate moments. They are just senior high school and didn't used any protection. They meet many times that summer and slept around. Months later, Tess learned that she is pregnant and told to Adam. It is the month right before college where is already preparing for university in London. After realizing Adam's cold shoulders, she decided to abort the baby and informed him again but Adam is only giving him cold shoulders. He only gave money and she left all alone to abort the baby. She had to go away for 8 years (?) just to heal herself and moved on from Adam after hearing that he sleeps right away with their classmate. BUT in the book, Adam's actions were justified because he is keeping a secret and his mother just died. OMG!
Years have passed and Tess returned back to Langford after breaking up with her two-year relationship with her boyfriend in London. She took a teaching position in Langford wherein she teaches ancient history. Adam never leave the place and purposely failed his scholarship provided by her grandfather and of course, hidden as scholarship of the smart people. He is now working as a bartender in a pub and still living in the same cottage that his mother and him lived before. In short, he is still in grief. When Tess arrived, everything is cool and friendship between them. Little did I know that they have a crazy shitty history. Tess is living a cottage and in end of a housemate to share the expense. Francesca is a lawyer from London who moved away after stressful life. She ends up meeting Tess as friend and housemate. She also met Adam and ends up shagging all the time in the cottage where Tess always hear their screams. AND YOU SAY THAT ADAM LOVES TESS? WHO THE HELL WILL GO THE SAME PLACE TO SHAG ANOTHER WOMAN AND LET YOUR SCREAMS BE HEARD?! THERE IS ONE...ADAM!
Tess is all okay and that. She even accompanied Adam to go to Londontown for his birthday right after Francesca and him fought. So they are left alone to celebrate and Adam grabbed her again. They went to the hotel that he is paid for him and Francesca. As they enter the hotel kissing and grabbing each other, Francesca is lying naked in the hotel waiting for him. When they realized what happened, Tess is mortified and went away saying excuses while Adam ran after her and returned back to Francesca for shagging. When Adam ran after her, they said that history happened again. The abortion, his cold shoulders, and her moving away. In short, Adam is an asshole.
The next morning, Tess is going to Rome with her class as their class trip of classical history. She is leading the group of old people, young people, and Leonora Mortmain. I don't why this old woman went with them and took the class. In short, Tess met this Rome dude and fell in love in just a span of three days. They think that they have special relationship and all that. Peter's the name by the way. During the trip, Leonora Mortmain is having a crazy day and ends up having a stroke in the street of Rome. They sent her to hospital and asked that her family will sign the papers. This is where Tess learned that Adam is her grandson all along. She realized why Adam changed so much when her mother died and this is the reason. When Adam learned that Tess met someone in Rome, he said that she is repeating herself to a fairytale story all over again just like in London where he met her two-year boyfriend. Leonora died and it took months to move back the body to Langford. Adam is only seen when shagging with Francesca. She barely see him. Peter and Tess promised that what to them is not only summer fling but serious one. Peter went to California for the job and Tess returned back to Langford. They will meet in December and that's six months from they separated.
Tess and the group of students returned back to Langford. It took two months for the body to arrive. Adam is busy settling the inheritance and all. After the funeral, he travelled for months. He and Francesca broke up but they were never in a relationship in the first place - only for shagging. Francesca returned back to London to work as lawyer once again. Tess found another housemate. She is still talking to Peter via Skype. She is missing Adam but he never contacted her. The removal of water meadow has started and the people are angry at Adam for allowing it to happen. When he returned back to Langford, he changed a lot. He realized how immature he was. He stopped the construction of water meadows and started a charity for cultural heritage (something like that). He asked Tess to accompany him to London to meet Francesca and solicitors. Tess thought that Francesca and Adam returned back as couple again right after they met. She returned back to Langford via train alone. It is already December and contemplating if she will go to Rome or not. She realized that she is not happy thinking of Rome and Peter. She called Peter and said she can't go and they are not for each. Peter is disappointed but everything's well. Adam returned back to Langford and asked Tess why she didn't informed him about not going to Rome. But Tess is angry for him asking it since he went back to Francesca in London. Adam clarified that Francesca did talk to him alone to tell him how stupid he is for not going after Tess. Everyone knows that they are for each other yet these two are stupid to realize it for themselves. Adam explained that he talked to Francesca because he is fixing the papers of the title of water meadow for the new owner...that is her, Tess. That's Adam's Christmas gift to her. Adam went to find his great-aunt who is the sister of his grandfather Philip. They planned a family get-together. They kissed and the end.
The story is good but not for me, I guess? Adam is such an arse and only thinking with his d*ck. Ooops HAHAHA. I'm still for Tess and PETER! She deserve someone better.
To clarify everything, Leonora Mortmain is an old rich woman who wants to turn Langford's ancient water meadows into a shopping center. The citizens of that place don't want that to happen because that water meadow is a history. In a nutshell, they hated Leonora Mortmain who didn't have any family left.
Philippa is a mysterious woman who migrated to Langford. Nobody knows about her family or why she chose Langford. She is the mother of Adam. In the almost end of the book, it is spilled out that Philippa is the daughter of Leonora Mortmain from premarital sex with Philip. He calls her ATALANTA and they had intimate moments before he goes to the war and fight. It end up Leonora being knocked up. She told her parents and sent away from the home. Her father is a cruel man and ends up declaring that Leonora is no longer her daughter. They sent her to Langford where she give birth to the baby one mother before the due date after reading the letter informing her that Philip died in the war. She sent her baby to adoption and asked to retain her name as PHILIPPA. She waited for years after her parents are dead to get her baby back but it's way too late. She is already adopted by other family but she keeps checking the whereabouts of her daughter discreetly. BTW, ATALANTA means a warrior woman who rejects all the man courting her because she is way too independent. She competes with the men and whoever wins against her will be her husband. Everyone lose except for one man who tricked her by throwing a golden apple to picked up by Atalanta and ends up losing in the marathon. Tess interpreted this that Atalanta is tricked to give up her virginity. And I think this is what happened between her and Philip because he took her innocence right before he go the war thinking that he will be back and marry her BUT he died. This is the reason why Leonora Mortmain is such a bitter and cruel old woman without any family.
Philippa is a professor in a university and lived her life in happy-go-lucky without any responsibilities until he met an Irish professor and had intimate relationship. Eventually she had the baby and insisted to keep it by herself since the Irish professor is also happy-go-lucky. At first, she thinks that it's time to have a baby of her own but she didn't have any money. Her mother's private detectives informed Leonora and called her daughter to meet her. Leonora is cold woman and purposely wanted her daughter to hate her. They met in Langford and gave her the cottage and 500 pounds of money and that's it. She said not to tell anyone that she is her biological mother. That's the reason why Philippa the mysterious woman ends up living in Langford and how Adam's complicated and messed up family started to ruin him.
Adam and Tess are childhood bestfriend who lived their whole lives in Langford. It is the place where Jane Austen lived and all the historical events happened. Both of them loved classical literature and history. They are too close yet thinks that they have platonic relationship until they crossed the line after Adam's mother died in the road without any warning. He is left alone and learned that he is the grandson of the rich and cold woman Leonora Mortmain but must not tell it to anyone. He is lifting that secret right after her mother's death. He is torn, confuse, and grieving that they finally slept with one another. The first time is in the water meadow which is the same place where Leonora and Philip (Adam's grandparents) had their intimate moments. They are just senior high school and didn't used any protection. They meet many times that summer and slept around. Months later, Tess learned that she is pregnant and told to Adam. It is the month right before college where is already preparing for university in London. After realizing Adam's cold shoulders, she decided to abort the baby and informed him again but Adam is only giving him cold shoulders. He only gave money and she left all alone to abort the baby. She had to go away for 8 years (?) just to heal herself and moved on from Adam after hearing that he sleeps right away with their classmate. BUT in the book, Adam's actions were justified because he is keeping a secret and his mother just died. OMG!
Years have passed and Tess returned back to Langford after breaking up with her two-year relationship with her boyfriend in London. She took a teaching position in Langford wherein she teaches ancient history. Adam never leave the place and purposely failed his scholarship provided by her grandfather and of course, hidden as scholarship of the smart people. He is now working as a bartender in a pub and still living in the same cottage that his mother and him lived before. In short, he is still in grief. When Tess arrived, everything is cool and friendship between them. Little did I know that they have a crazy shitty history. Tess is living a cottage and in end of a housemate to share the expense. Francesca is a lawyer from London who moved away after stressful life. She ends up meeting Tess as friend and housemate. She also met Adam and ends up shagging all the time in the cottage where Tess always hear their screams. AND YOU SAY THAT ADAM LOVES TESS? WHO THE HELL WILL GO THE SAME PLACE TO SHAG ANOTHER WOMAN AND LET YOUR SCREAMS BE HEARD?! THERE IS ONE...ADAM!
Tess is all okay and that. She even accompanied Adam to go to Londontown for his birthday right after Francesca and him fought. So they are left alone to celebrate and Adam grabbed her again. They went to the hotel that he is paid for him and Francesca. As they enter the hotel kissing and grabbing each other, Francesca is lying naked in the hotel waiting for him. When they realized what happened, Tess is mortified and went away saying excuses while Adam ran after her and returned back to Francesca for shagging. When Adam ran after her, they said that history happened again. The abortion, his cold shoulders, and her moving away. In short, Adam is an asshole.
The next morning, Tess is going to Rome with her class as their class trip of classical history. She is leading the group of old people, young people, and Leonora Mortmain. I don't why this old woman went with them and took the class. In short, Tess met this Rome dude and fell in love in just a span of three days. They think that they have special relationship and all that. Peter's the name by the way. During the trip, Leonora Mortmain is having a crazy day and ends up having a stroke in the street of Rome. They sent her to hospital and asked that her family will sign the papers. This is where Tess learned that Adam is her grandson all along. She realized why Adam changed so much when her mother died and this is the reason. When Adam learned that Tess met someone in Rome, he said that she is repeating herself to a fairytale story all over again just like in London where he met her two-year boyfriend. Leonora died and it took months to move back the body to Langford. Adam is only seen when shagging with Francesca. She barely see him. Peter and Tess promised that what to them is not only summer fling but serious one. Peter went to California for the job and Tess returned back to Langford. They will meet in December and that's six months from they separated.
Tess and the group of students returned back to Langford. It took two months for the body to arrive. Adam is busy settling the inheritance and all. After the funeral, he travelled for months. He and Francesca broke up but they were never in a relationship in the first place - only for shagging. Francesca returned back to London to work as lawyer once again. Tess found another housemate. She is still talking to Peter via Skype. She is missing Adam but he never contacted her. The removal of water meadow has started and the people are angry at Adam for allowing it to happen. When he returned back to Langford, he changed a lot. He realized how immature he was. He stopped the construction of water meadows and started a charity for cultural heritage (something like that). He asked Tess to accompany him to London to meet Francesca and solicitors. Tess thought that Francesca and Adam returned back as couple again right after they met. She returned back to Langford via train alone. It is already December and contemplating if she will go to Rome or not. She realized that she is not happy thinking of Rome and Peter. She called Peter and said she can't go and they are not for each. Peter is disappointed but everything's well. Adam returned back to Langford and asked Tess why she didn't informed him about not going to Rome. But Tess is angry for him asking it since he went back to Francesca in London. Adam clarified that Francesca did talk to him alone to tell him how stupid he is for not going after Tess. Everyone knows that they are for each other yet these two are stupid to realize it for themselves. Adam explained that he talked to Francesca because he is fixing the papers of the title of water meadow for the new owner...that is her, Tess. That's Adam's Christmas gift to her. Adam went to find his great-aunt who is the sister of his grandfather Philip. They planned a family get-together. They kissed and the end.
The story is good but not for me, I guess? Adam is such an arse and only thinking with his d*ck. Ooops HAHAHA. I'm still for Tess and PETER! She deserve someone better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 29, 2022
i’m definitely not the target audience for this book but it was a nice light read. beware of the rampant Italian fetishism and horrendous translations devoid of accents and grammar
September 27, 2010
Best friends Tess Tennant and Adam Smith grew up in the tiny English town of Langford, made famous for its connection to author Jane Austen — and for its gorgeous vistas, including the historic water meadows. The meadows have been controlled for years by Leonora Mortmain, the daunting and severe old woman who has taken up permanent residence as an antagonistic old crone in the lives of Langford’s residents.
After many years apart, Tess returns to town from London and finds Adam — handsome, gawky, intelligent — living the same old life has has since the death of his mother, the larger-than-life Phillippa. Tess’s heart breaks at the thought of finding her oldest, dearest friend at a stand-still, but what can she do?
Other than begin teaching a course on classics at a local college. She eventually leads her pupils to Rome on an end-of-term field trip, and it’s there that she meets Peter — a charismatic, gorgeous American who sees something in Tess that she doesn’t yet notice in herself. Torn between her long-ago feelings for Adam and attentive, exciting Peter, Tess flounders. But Adam isn’t himself these days, and when a final secret comes to light, changing the very nature of everything in town — and Adam himself — can Tess embrace a new life? Or is she destined to flounder in the old one — alone?
Harriet Evans’ I Remember You is wildly entertaining, colorful, poignant, heartbreaking — basically everything I look for in a good novel. What I wanted David Nicholls’ One Day to be — a tale of best friends over the years, reuniting and loving and losing — was all found here, and what a thoroughly enjoyable book it was.
Tess was a character with whom I could identify immediately: proud but a bit confused about where she’s headed in life; adventurous, but still with a yearning to find “home.” Adam has been her steadfast friend since they were children, growing up in town together, and everyone assumed they’d eventually find love in each other — but not so. Through a succession of heartbreaks, heartaches and confusion, Adam and Tess lose touch. And when they eventually reunite, nothing is the same.
It’s hard for me to say exactly what I loved about this story. It was emotional, yes, and that’s the biggest boon for me: I felt emotionally invested with these people from the start. Their hurts were my hurts; their successes were my successes. Sweet, lovable Adam was hard not to fall for, too, even when he was off gallivanting through Langford, and Evans managed to perfectly capture the bittersweet feelings of first love. Since a terrible breakup, I’ve seen my first love once more — and reading I Remember You brought on a flood of feeling.
The English town in which Adam, Tess, Leonora and many others live really comes to life here, too. Throughout the novel, a huge tension exists between the “old and the new” — the longtime residents who want nothing to change, even as a flood of tourists arrive to visit the Jane Austen Centre, and the new regime: younger people, some transplants from London, who are seeking modern amenities in a quieter setting. I loved the resolution to many of the problems that exist in the narrative, especially regarding the water meadows.
Not a novel I’ll forget anytime soon — and one that has me itching even more than usual to tromp around an English village. And if Tess and Adam were there to greet me, more the better.
After many years apart, Tess returns to town from London and finds Adam — handsome, gawky, intelligent — living the same old life has has since the death of his mother, the larger-than-life Phillippa. Tess’s heart breaks at the thought of finding her oldest, dearest friend at a stand-still, but what can she do?
Other than begin teaching a course on classics at a local college. She eventually leads her pupils to Rome on an end-of-term field trip, and it’s there that she meets Peter — a charismatic, gorgeous American who sees something in Tess that she doesn’t yet notice in herself. Torn between her long-ago feelings for Adam and attentive, exciting Peter, Tess flounders. But Adam isn’t himself these days, and when a final secret comes to light, changing the very nature of everything in town — and Adam himself — can Tess embrace a new life? Or is she destined to flounder in the old one — alone?
Harriet Evans’ I Remember You is wildly entertaining, colorful, poignant, heartbreaking — basically everything I look for in a good novel. What I wanted David Nicholls’ One Day to be — a tale of best friends over the years, reuniting and loving and losing — was all found here, and what a thoroughly enjoyable book it was.
Tess was a character with whom I could identify immediately: proud but a bit confused about where she’s headed in life; adventurous, but still with a yearning to find “home.” Adam has been her steadfast friend since they were children, growing up in town together, and everyone assumed they’d eventually find love in each other — but not so. Through a succession of heartbreaks, heartaches and confusion, Adam and Tess lose touch. And when they eventually reunite, nothing is the same.
It’s hard for me to say exactly what I loved about this story. It was emotional, yes, and that’s the biggest boon for me: I felt emotionally invested with these people from the start. Their hurts were my hurts; their successes were my successes. Sweet, lovable Adam was hard not to fall for, too, even when he was off gallivanting through Langford, and Evans managed to perfectly capture the bittersweet feelings of first love. Since a terrible breakup, I’ve seen my first love once more — and reading I Remember You brought on a flood of feeling.
The English town in which Adam, Tess, Leonora and many others live really comes to life here, too. Throughout the novel, a huge tension exists between the “old and the new” — the longtime residents who want nothing to change, even as a flood of tourists arrive to visit the Jane Austen Centre, and the new regime: younger people, some transplants from London, who are seeking modern amenities in a quieter setting. I loved the resolution to many of the problems that exist in the narrative, especially regarding the water meadows.
Not a novel I’ll forget anytime soon — and one that has me itching even more than usual to tromp around an English village. And if Tess and Adam were there to greet me, more the better.
October 24, 2015
Tess Tennant is moving back to Langford, the place she grew up in. She lived in London for a long time, but after being made redundant she needs a new start. Moving back to Langford means living close to her best friend Adam again. He helps her to find a cottage and soon Tess has a new housemate to share it with. Everything is going really well, but Tess is missing something. There's no spark in her life. Adam is dating the lawyer she's living with and even though the three of them get along just fine Tess doesn't really like it that her two friends are spending so much time together...
For Tess the best part about her work at the local college is going on a class trip to Rome. Her students are all adults and they're well behaved and friendly. Just before she left Tess went out in London with Adam and their day didn't end well. Fortunately Tess doesn't have to be sad for a long time, because she meets a handsome and interesting man in the exciting Italian city. Tess is finally happy again, only her glorious Rome holiday can't last. She needs to talk things through with Adam, but he isn't there to listen. Will they manage to mend their friendship eventually?
I Remember You is a beautiful story about love and friendship. Tess and Adam share a complicated history. They are great friends, but something has happened between them. When Tess moves back to Langford they are really happy to see each other again. The wonderful days of the past are something they love to chat about. I liked reading about their childhood days and about life in Langford. Tess and Adam went their own way after doing their A Levels. That made their relationship interesting and more complicated, which made the story fascinating.
This novel is quite long and I enjoyed every minute of my reading time. I loved finding out more about Rome and about Tess's work. Sometimes I wanted to shake them both and force them to talk to each other. It was fabulous that I felt so involved. I wanted to travel to Langford and see the town, I also kept wishing I could attend one of the classes, just to see what it would be like. I think Harriet Evans makes her characters and settings come to life really well. This amazing romantic story is definitely one of my favorite books by Harriet Evans.
For Tess the best part about her work at the local college is going on a class trip to Rome. Her students are all adults and they're well behaved and friendly. Just before she left Tess went out in London with Adam and their day didn't end well. Fortunately Tess doesn't have to be sad for a long time, because she meets a handsome and interesting man in the exciting Italian city. Tess is finally happy again, only her glorious Rome holiday can't last. She needs to talk things through with Adam, but he isn't there to listen. Will they manage to mend their friendship eventually?
I Remember You is a beautiful story about love and friendship. Tess and Adam share a complicated history. They are great friends, but something has happened between them. When Tess moves back to Langford they are really happy to see each other again. The wonderful days of the past are something they love to chat about. I liked reading about their childhood days and about life in Langford. Tess and Adam went their own way after doing their A Levels. That made their relationship interesting and more complicated, which made the story fascinating.
This novel is quite long and I enjoyed every minute of my reading time. I loved finding out more about Rome and about Tess's work. Sometimes I wanted to shake them both and force them to talk to each other. It was fabulous that I felt so involved. I wanted to travel to Langford and see the town, I also kept wishing I could attend one of the classes, just to see what it would be like. I think Harriet Evans makes her characters and settings come to life really well. This amazing romantic story is definitely one of my favorite books by Harriet Evans.
August 7, 2017
Tess and Adam grew up together. Born within weeks of each other, and raised across the road from each other in a small English village, to everyone else they seemed destined for each other. And then, in true Harriet Evans fashion, everything goes wrong. Right before they are head to university Adam's mother dies. She was his only family, as he never knew his father, and he loses his way, gives up his spot at school and seems to give up on life and just stay in town. Tess can't seem to leave Langford fast enough. But after 10 years in London, she is back in Langford, after a failed relationship and a lost job. The town is facing forced changes from it's sleepy tourist images, and the natives are restless. The rest of the book bounces from situation to situation, meant to ratchet up the tension between the secretive Adam and the slightly lost Tess.
I was not as impressed with this one as I have been with the other Harriet Evans books I've read. I guess I just didn't buy the actions of the characters this time. The muddled conversations and arguments between the characters, especially Tess and Adam made little sense to me. Or maybe I just wasn't in the mood for chick lit by the time I got to the heart of the story. Any way, I wouldn't say it's her best work, but it's still better than a lot of other drivel that gets sold.
I was not as impressed with this one as I have been with the other Harriet Evans books I've read. I guess I just didn't buy the actions of the characters this time. The muddled conversations and arguments between the characters, especially Tess and Adam made little sense to me. Or maybe I just wasn't in the mood for chick lit by the time I got to the heart of the story. Any way, I wouldn't say it's her best work, but it's still better than a lot of other drivel that gets sold.
August 7, 2010
When I was shopping for my summer reads, I picked this one up as I loved the jacket and while I hadn't read any books by her before, I had heard good things, in particular about GOING HOME, so I thought I would give her a try. I'll be honest with you, the book didn't grab me. It was enjoyable enough, but I wasn't gribbed to the page, nor did I particularly care about the characters. The plot ambled along, much like the country life in Langford did, with little titbits of information leaking out onto the otherwise quite mundane pages.
The flashback element of the novel was good, and I liked how the author held back on the character's past and then staggered the flashbacks to reveal what had happened between Tess and Adam in the past. I won't spoil you here, but it definitely made me like Tess a little more and Adam a little less! However, this wasn't enough to turn the book around for me and found myself rushing the last few pages of the book so that I could move onto the next book in my TBR pile.
The flashback element of the novel was good, and I liked how the author held back on the character's past and then staggered the flashbacks to reveal what had happened between Tess and Adam in the past. I won't spoil you here, but it definitely made me like Tess a little more and Adam a little less! However, this wasn't enough to turn the book around for me and found myself rushing the last few pages of the book so that I could move onto the next book in my TBR pile.
August 24, 2010
I liked this book well enough. For as lenghty as it was though, I still felt like there were a few holes. Don't ask me to explain. I've already forgotten.
Also, I didn't take too kindly to the author's knock on Pittsburgh! Yeah, I'm like that. ;-/ On page 164 when Tess is talking with Peter, Peter says in a not so kind way that he could be writing about the steel industry for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. First, we don't have that important of a steel industry anymore that a writer for the Post-Gazette would be spending any considerable amount of time writing about it. Second, Pittsburgh kicks butt! LOL! I do get rather defensive of my city. Maybe the author was being nice by even mentioning it. It's okay if she wasn't though.
Also, I didn't take too kindly to the author's knock on Pittsburgh! Yeah, I'm like that. ;-/ On page 164 when Tess is talking with Peter, Peter says in a not so kind way that he could be writing about the steel industry for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. First, we don't have that important of a steel industry anymore that a writer for the Post-Gazette would be spending any considerable amount of time writing about it. Second, Pittsburgh kicks butt! LOL! I do get rather defensive of my city. Maybe the author was being nice by even mentioning it. It's okay if she wasn't though.
July 24, 2017
While I'm not adverse to the idea of romance in my books, and I definitely read some books that others define as "guilty pleasures," I feel like whatever a book is, it ought to be amusing!
"I Remember You" was a slog for me. I felt like I was reading the same chapter over and over again, with a little bit of variation. The main character (Tess) is living in the small town of her childhood, and the whole books seems to be her feeling stuck/not-stuck/"coming to a realization" about feeling stuck/not-stuck. Her best friend from childhood, Adam, treats her horribly, continues to do so, and the two of them continue to feel stuck/un-stuck.
Well, some people might love this book, and think it's filled with romantic tension or something, but this book absolutely wasn't for me.
"I Remember You" was a slog for me. I felt like I was reading the same chapter over and over again, with a little bit of variation. The main character (Tess) is living in the small town of her childhood, and the whole books seems to be her feeling stuck/not-stuck/"coming to a realization" about feeling stuck/not-stuck. Her best friend from childhood, Adam, treats her horribly, continues to do so, and the two of them continue to feel stuck/un-stuck.
Well, some people might love this book, and think it's filled with romantic tension or something, but this book absolutely wasn't for me.
July 17, 2012
Overall I thought this was a good book. It actually had a pleasing ending, which is so uncommon these days. I would have liked to have had the ending a little meatier, considering there were a lot of things that the author could have expanded on at the end, making things a little more clear that she spent so much time on in the middle of the book. It was a pretty close portrayal of real life relationships. Both the awesome parts and the ugly.
I would agree with the book reviews printed on the cover ~ It is a feel good romance of friendship and love lost,and found.
I would recommend this book, I will be keeping it on my shelf as a book to go back to again and again.
I would agree with the book reviews printed on the cover ~ It is a feel good romance of friendship and love lost,and found.
I would recommend this book, I will be keeping it on my shelf as a book to go back to again and again.
May 21, 2010
Yet another book of this genre that I gave up on less than half way through! Whist it may simply be me, I do believe this book had its faults:
I found I had absolutely no sympathy for the characters, and when it just started to get good the plot fell flat once again. I tried to enjoy this book I really did. Unfortunately we can't win them all...
I found I had absolutely no sympathy for the characters, and when it just started to get good the plot fell flat once again. I tried to enjoy this book I really did. Unfortunately we can't win them all...
July 15, 2011
I picked this book up, attracted by its British chick lit nature. However, I just could NOT get into it. The author has written many books, all of which seem to have the same theme (lost loves). Sorry, Ms. Evans, but I will not be seeking out more books you have written, although you seemed so promising.
September 10, 2018
I was really disappointed by this book - it took me a long time to get into, the characters all felt quite dull and the plot was too unbelievable. Having said that, it was still an enjoyable book that provides the perfect amount of escapism.
January 7, 2018
3 stars
The book was average, although the description made me assume otherwise. An honest description would be -
Adam and Tess are best friends. Everyone in their small cliché town secretly wants them to be together. They secretly want to be together. But it's a chick-lit, so throw in a multitude of secondary characters that make no sense to the real story , a mysterious old lady , a holiday fling, a casual fling and did I mention the mysterious old lady?
I liked the friendship between Adam and Tess as it was real and had its own ups and downs. I liked that their struggles were real. The chemistry was good too.
But what I did not like were so many secondary characters . How could you expect us to remember all of them ? It was good for a while , you got to experience a good country village in England but then , it got too much. Too many Janes ,Mr./Mrs. for me to care, frankly.
And the mysterious old lady. The author tried (and failed)to add a mysterious element with that. But when the reader wants romance , they frankly want only that. Atleast I do.
The plot with the hot American guy she meets at Rome was good. I liked the brief time they spent together and it added a jealousy element. Same with Adam and Francesa .
But what I couldn't feel was the love brewing between the two characters. They were constantly referring each other as brother /sister and while I knew they would eventually get together, I didn't feel their attraction until much,much later in the book.
Overall, it was a good read. Average. And a tiny bit above average , if you skip 30-40 pages in between.
The book was average, although the description made me assume otherwise. An honest description would be -
Adam and Tess are best friends. Everyone in their small cliché town secretly wants them to be together. They secretly want to be together. But it's a chick-lit, so throw in a multitude of secondary characters that make no sense to the real story , a mysterious old lady , a holiday fling, a casual fling and did I mention the mysterious old lady?
I liked the friendship between Adam and Tess as it was real and had its own ups and downs. I liked that their struggles were real. The chemistry was good too.
But what I did not like were so many secondary characters . How could you expect us to remember all of them ? It was good for a while , you got to experience a good country village in England but then , it got too much. Too many Janes ,Mr./Mrs. for me to care, frankly.
And the mysterious old lady. The author tried (and failed)to add a mysterious element with that. But when the reader wants romance , they frankly want only that. Atleast I do.
The plot with the hot American guy she meets at Rome was good. I liked the brief time they spent together and it added a jealousy element. Same with Adam and Francesa .
But what I couldn't feel was the love brewing between the two characters. They were constantly referring each other as brother /sister and while I knew they would eventually get together, I didn't feel their attraction until much,much later in the book.
Overall, it was a good read. Average. And a tiny bit above average , if you skip 30-40 pages in between.
March 12, 2017
It was just okay. I gave it 3 stars because I was interested enough in it to want to keep reading to find out what happened to the town and a few of the minor plot lines, but I couldn't find myself cheering for Adam or Peter to end up with Tess. I knew who she was going to end up with from the beginning (it is one of those books that you can guess the ending within the first chapter) and the whole time I was hoping she would end up with the other guy, but I chose the wrong side of the triangle. I liked Tess enough, but I kept feeling like she felt bad about herself over the decisions that she would make and the life that she lived, but she never really did anything to change any of that except go to Rome, but after Rome she became the same person again, and I just was confused because I think that she was supposed to develop as a character, but she really didn't in my eyes. It was an easy read so if you're looking for something that is light and fluffy, you should go with this book because I finished over a few nights. I wouldn't recommend if you're looking for the type of romance that will make your toes curl and make you a giggling mess because, honestly, I wasn't that happy with who she ended up with. I didn't think they were actually meant for each other, but I can respect the author's decision because it is her world that she created, but I wasn't a huge fan of the novel because of the characters and how things worked out.
January 9, 2021
I really struggled with this novel on two counts.
The first was that it didn't seem particularly well structured in terms of story - it meandered and wobbled around various bits and pieces of story, pushing in a 'mystery' about the parentage of one of the characters, and didn't seem to go anyone. It was stop and start, and I never found myself completely immersed.
The second was that I didn't like any of the main characters, and didn't believe in the relationships between the leading lady and either of her two potential beaus. The summer romance that became something more, but didn't really, happened way too fast for me to ever feel like it was real - and the man was arrogant and a bit annoying. And the best friend who is actually more was also annoying and not really a man I would want any woman to be with (yes, he has issues with things that happened in his past, but rather than womanising, treating your best friend like shit, and generally being an arsehole, you could, I don't know, go to a therapist or perhaps work through it on the rugby pitch or in the boxing ring).
So, very few redeeming features to this one. Which is a shame because I have enjoyed Evans' novels before and I'm sure I will pick up others in the future.
The first was that it didn't seem particularly well structured in terms of story - it meandered and wobbled around various bits and pieces of story, pushing in a 'mystery' about the parentage of one of the characters, and didn't seem to go anyone. It was stop and start, and I never found myself completely immersed.
The second was that I didn't like any of the main characters, and didn't believe in the relationships between the leading lady and either of her two potential beaus. The summer romance that became something more, but didn't really, happened way too fast for me to ever feel like it was real - and the man was arrogant and a bit annoying. And the best friend who is actually more was also annoying and not really a man I would want any woman to be with (yes, he has issues with things that happened in his past, but rather than womanising, treating your best friend like shit, and generally being an arsehole, you could, I don't know, go to a therapist or perhaps work through it on the rugby pitch or in the boxing ring).
So, very few redeeming features to this one. Which is a shame because I have enjoyed Evans' novels before and I'm sure I will pick up others in the future.
September 24, 2021
I guess this book wasn't for me. I mean I did enjoy some parts, but more than 80% was a torture for me.
Tess's personality never developed, not even in the end. People kept telling her but no, she couldn't see. She had no character development.
Sorry about it, but Tess's mother was not a caring mother from what I learned about her from that one incident. She was horrible to Tess that day.
I hated/liked Francesca. I mean I liked her but didn't at the same time.
As for Adam, he was repulsive most of the times. I wasn't rooting for him at all.
I wish Tess had been open about that particular summer to with Adam. I don't understand she kept her silence about it. She didn't even tell him till the end.
The only good part was Rome and Peter. I wish he had more part in the book than he got. He served something better than what he got.
Tess's personality never developed, not even in the end. People kept telling her but no, she couldn't see. She had no character development.
Sorry about it, but Tess's mother was not a caring mother from what I learned about her from that one incident. She was horrible to Tess that day.
I hated/liked Francesca. I mean I liked her but didn't at the same time.
As for Adam, he was repulsive most of the times. I wasn't rooting for him at all.
I wish Tess had been open about that particular summer to with Adam. I don't understand she kept her silence about it. She didn't even tell him till the end.
The only good part was Rome and Peter. I wish he had more part in the book than he got. He served something better than what he got.
March 3, 2024
Summary:
Tess Tennant & Adam Smith were the best of friends growing up but everything changed when they turned 18. Tess went off to university in London while Adam stayed behind in their small town.
Fast forward a few years later, Tess decides to come back to her hometown to work as a Classics teacher at the local college. Seeing Adam again stirs up some long-forgotten feelings but he is now in a relationship. So, Tess jumps at the opportunity to take her class to Rome. She has a holiday romance with an American journalist called Peter but when it turns sours, she heads home only to find that Adam has left.
Tess has to decide once & for all, where she wants to be & with whom.
My Thoughts:
This is a nice enough story about trying to find your place in the world & realising that you will never forget your first true love.
My Rating: * *
Tess Tennant & Adam Smith were the best of friends growing up but everything changed when they turned 18. Tess went off to university in London while Adam stayed behind in their small town.
Fast forward a few years later, Tess decides to come back to her hometown to work as a Classics teacher at the local college. Seeing Adam again stirs up some long-forgotten feelings but he is now in a relationship. So, Tess jumps at the opportunity to take her class to Rome. She has a holiday romance with an American journalist called Peter but when it turns sours, she heads home only to find that Adam has left.
Tess has to decide once & for all, where she wants to be & with whom.
My Thoughts:
This is a nice enough story about trying to find your place in the world & realising that you will never forget your first true love.
My Rating: * *
August 15, 2024
friend to lover?
i always think that it is such a beautiful love story if your partner is your best friend and i hope i have that lol but impossible.
the first part of the book is quite boring and i can tell the ending already. but the plot twist in second part of the book omg i dont see that coming! it such a tragedy and i love that in book!
and i love that there is dejavu scene between the old generation and both Adam and Tess life. what a poignant memory😿
Adam is a jerk and idiot and Tess is people pleaser! overall i love it and it gets me out of reading slump after so long! half a year is a longggg period so 3/5 for this book cause the ending is kinda dissapointing!
ohhh and i would be thankful for Adam pov for God sake?! the writer can do better and i am interested to read her other novel. so thats that
i always think that it is such a beautiful love story if your partner is your best friend and i hope i have that lol but impossible.
the first part of the book is quite boring and i can tell the ending already. but the plot twist in second part of the book omg i dont see that coming! it such a tragedy and i love that in book!
and i love that there is dejavu scene between the old generation and both Adam and Tess life. what a poignant memory😿
Adam is a jerk and idiot and Tess is people pleaser! overall i love it and it gets me out of reading slump after so long! half a year is a longggg period so 3/5 for this book cause the ending is kinda dissapointing!
ohhh and i would be thankful for Adam pov for God sake?! the writer can do better and i am interested to read her other novel. so thats that
May 10, 2020
4 stars. I really enjoyed this book. Tess had left her home town of Langford for a job in London. After a bad breakup, she comes back home and takes a new job teaching at the local College. She reunites with her old best friend Adam, but things have changed with them, and when he takes up with her new room mate Francesca, things change further. Tess takes her class on a tour to Rome and meets a lovely man Pete, who she has a fling with. But the tour is cut short but the illness of one of her students and that causes a lot of problems for Tess and eventually for the locals. An interesting read and very enjoyable.
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