4.5 Stars!!! Wow, this novel surprised me (in the best possible way)! The Museum of Forgotten Memories is a heartstring-pulling novel that took me a little bit to draw me in, but once it did, I was completely hooked!

Cate Morris is trying to navigate a new normal for her and her son, Leo, after their life had been turned upside down by the death of husband several years ago. Moving to her late husband’s family museum filled with taxidermy seems a little drastic being that she’s never ever even visited, but she is officially out of money and options. When she arrivals to the museum her immediately realizes it’s way bigger than she anticipated and also in need of way more TLC than she imagined. It was from this point that I was “all in” and was so excited to see where Anstey Harris would take these characters!

I really enjoyed this book! I found the storyline was well paced with perfectly timed twists. The characters were extremely related and realistic as well as completely endearing. This is the first novel I’ve read from Anstey Harris and I look forward to reading more from her in the future!

DNF @ 46%— As beautiful as the writing is and how the portrayal of grief really hits home and the important topics of marrying someone diagnosed with chronic depression and how that affects their lives.... I couldn’t get into it like that without skim reading after a while.

Cate, Richard and Simon are friends from university. Simon loves Cate but Richard and Cate love each other and marry. Now Richard is dead and Cate and their son, Leo are moving back to his family estate, Hatters, in small village Crouch on sea outside London. There they find a run down, dusty museum that has seen better days. Cate decides to relaunch the the museum with clean more modern exhibits. This is a love story and a tale of family acceptance. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Based on the blurb and lovely cover, I thought this would be tailor made for me. Unfortunately I didn’t jive with slower/whimsical style here.

A young mother must make a new life for her son and herself when she faces sudden loss. In the midst of her grief, she must still provide stability for her son. The emotions this story touches can leave a reader raw. Centered in a unique museum, the new life helps ease their pain and eventually find peace. Anstey Harris writes of the challenges faced by the families affected by mental health issues with grace and a light touch. Yes, it's a little dark, but emotionally redeeming at the end. A really great read.

I really liked the premise of this book (and still do). It felt like a really cozy and atmospheric read. However, I found the majority of the plot points to be very predictable and the character arcs were just ok but not developed enough for me to consider this book literary fiction or more character-driven than plot-driven. But still easy to read and enjoyable. CW: suicide

This novel is beautifully written, filled with intense emotion, vivid descriptions of the surroundings, and the main characters thoughts. The story is set in an unusual museum which actually exists and is one of the authors favorite places to visit. But for me it felt joyless, heavy, at times suffocating under all the emotions, thoughts, and what happens in the novel. There is nothing uplifting in either the situations or the plot, and although the author writes knowledgeably about an important subject, constant deep depression, I couldn’t wait for it to be over so I could breathe again. Maybe it’s the times we’re in but I can’t fully appreciate this novel

The beautiful description of the museum, house and gardens make me wish there really was such a place! How enchanting. And a charming story to go with it makes this a must read. The characters are all very believable and I like how the author chose to leave Cate and her situation at the end. Life doesn’t always end like we imagine but we make the most of what we are left with. Well done.

Excellently crafted story about the effects of love (romantic, parental, familial), mental illness, grief and hope play in a seemingly ordinary life that is also somehow not. I enjoyed it thoroughly and will think about it often.

ARC from publisher via NetGalley but the opinions are my own.

This had such a unique premise, I am fumbling over what to say. However, I can certainly say that I enjoyed this book tremendously. I felt like I was perusing a quirky, strange museum. The attention to detail Ms. Harris pays is a delight. While I enjoyed the lighter parts of this novel, it was ultimately a book about grief, something we all can relate to at the moment. The protagonist, Cate, has tried to outrun her grief for much too long and finally comes face to face with it.

I felt that Cate was a very realistic and relatable character. I very much enjoyed getting to know her.

I would definitely recommend this book. It's a great book to read right now for the times we are in.