Wow. What a book. The tension and story builds so much, it becomes unputtadownable. And get the tissues ready.
This story really twisted and turned and I was utterly captivated by it. I loved the story and bond between Amelia and Lexi. They are IVF twins born 8 years apart and live in separate countries when Lexi gets the call that Amelia has been found hypothermic and needing rescuitation on the beach. When she is brought back she has a very different memory of her past and she believes she was married to Sam.
The book features on the relationship between the sisters and what they will do for each other.
A brilliant book and I’d highly recommend. I think this book will stay with me for some time

What an original idea for a story. The strong bond between sisters, the bond between a mother and her daughters.
This is a tearjerker of a read.
The connection between Amelia and Lexi was so interesting- almost two like, they shared emotions and feelings all through their lives and Amelia’s accident was another link for them to work through.
I must admit I couldn’t quite get my head around Lexi’s method of helping her sister - but you can’t deny the love between them. The memories so clear in Amelia’s mind were so important in her recovery.
This is a true love story, and although I loved the Lexi and Nick thread, it was more about the bond between the sisters that gave me all the emotions.

The dramatic beginning sets the scene for an emotional story of courage, family, love and romance. It is a heartbreaking but heartwarming story about two sisters and their emotional bond. The story has a medical element, but relationships and life-changing themes resonate. Lexi sets out to recreate the perfect love her sister, Mimi, believes in. The memories are false, but Lexi will try anything to help her sister recover her identity. The romance that grows from Lexi's unlikely quest is unexpected, resulting in emotional angst alongside the pleasure. The twists in this story are breathtaking and poignant, and the ending sad but uplifting. I loved the characters, the sensitivity of the writing and the love that this story celebrates.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

A story of connections, love and family. This is quite an involved and lengthy story of sisters and the fallout from a dramatic incident on a beach at night.

This was just a bit too cliche for me. The whole plot was weirdly similar to some historically popular Reddit posts and other internet tales. The sibling relationship just felt odd. The mom seemed to just be some kind of side character doing her own thing. Nick felt a bit love bomberish towards Lexie. Can’t explain why it just didn’t really work for me.

I read this book in a single sitting and loved every page. Well, maybe loved gives the wrong impression as I read this book through an ocean of tears. I am easily moved, but this was on another level, and I found myself ugly, crying into the wee small hours. It’s fair to say that this beautiful book broke me, and I adored it.
The opening pages provide the setting for Amelia being found on the mudflats of a desolate beach near her cottage. Her heart had stopped, and it was the intervention of her rescuers and a handy defibrillator that saw her on the road to recovery. What follows is a challenging story that examines the love between two sisters who have been living apart as Lexi is based in New York.
I did wonder where this story was going, but I subscribed to the narrative and never looked back. Amelia’s false memories had terrific depth and painted an image of a perfect relationship and deep love. My romantic heart was fully onboard with the story that unfolded. This technique created a real opportunity to fully develop the characters and helped paint a picture of the imagined life.
Lexi’s love and support for her sister was a particularly special element. Not every sisterly relationship is as enviable as this one, but I found myself wishing that I had them in my life.
The main story revolves around Lexi and local vet Nick, recreating some of the memories that Amelia has shared with Lexi, and that was a lot of fun to follow. It was also obvious that there would be more than a frisson of attraction between the pair. The worry of what would happen when Amelia fully regained her memory was never far away, and I felt apprehensive about how the story would play out. What I never expected was the bombshell that detonated and threw their worlds into disarray.
This gorgeous story is a rollercoaster of emotions, but ultimately, it focuses on the love between the two sisters. There’s the added pleasure of seeing their mother discover that she can finally stop living her life in mourning and find joy in exploring new friendships.
I can unreservedly recommend this book and hope that you remember to read it with tissues within reach, it’s a heartbreaker.

There’s a very good reason why Dani Atkins is my favourite author. Her books are always incredible and “The Memory of Us” is no exception.

I’m not generally a romance reader or a big fan of the supernatural in fiction, but Dani’s books just pull me in, rip my heart into pieces and somehow put it back together again, leaving me with emotionally exhausted. I love twists and generally associate them with thrillers, so the skilfully written twists always make Dani’s books stand out as more than a love story.

Amelia and Lexi are IVF twins, born eight years apart and share a very strong bond. When Amelia is found on a beach, hypothermic and not breathing, and is resuscitated, she wakes with a memory condition which has created false memories. She is convinced she is married to a man called Sam and can even draw him. Lexi can’t bear to see her sister so upset at Sam not being there, so she does everything she can to create the non-existent memories Amelia describes of Sam, with far reaching consequences.

I loved all of the characters, especially the connection between Lexi and Nick and their shared sense of humour. Actually, I loved Nick full stop! The close friendship between fisherman Tom and the girl’s mum was adorable too. Dani’s characters all have real depth and feel so real and relatable.

Just one thing I really want to know - what’s in the envelope?

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Dani Atkins and Aria & Aries for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Well... wasn't this book a lot of fun... and heartache!
I don't usually read this genre of book as I often find them lacking enough substance for me compared with my usual hard boiled reads. But I do have my go to authors who I have tried and tested, and consider these reads as kinda Bonne Bouche books!
So... Amelia is found on the deserted beach near her home just in the nick of time. She is rushed to hospital and her family called to be with her. Easy for Mum who doesn't live far away, but sister Lexi has to jump a plane from New York. Amelia and Lexi are sort of twins. I'll leave the author to explain that one to you but suffice to say they are very similar looking. Which really helps when Amelia wakes up convinced that she is married. To Sam. Who... well... doesn't exist. False Memory Syndrome, apparently. She describes him, but nothing sparks the other two's memories, until she also mentions that she can now draw. Perfectly. And so she draws him. And also reminisces with her family about all the major love and life events she and Sam have shared.
Coincidentally, the man she draws turns out to be Nick, a local vet, who, after a strange conversation, agrees to recreate some of the events with Lexi to create photos for Amelia. And then they, well, get a bit too close...
Are you still with me... I know... but... that's where we are!
OK.. so I struggled with a few things in this book that really didn't make sense, were too convenient, too bonkers, too obvious, and then too emotional. But only really in a kinda minor way and, once I just accepted what was going on, I was better placed to read on and more/less enjoy the ride. Side eyeing and eye rolling as I went. Especially when the author hit me with that whammy towards the end. Bit brutal... Wasn't ready for that!
But all in all, it ticked most of the boxes (credibility aside) for me and kept me occupied/quite for a while and did leave me mostly satisfied at the end. I'd recommend with caveats. And it definitely hasn't put me off the author. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

I enjoyed this moving romance set in Somerset. The plot was definitely somewhat outlandish and ridiculous but I liked the characters and the plot kept me interested and keen to keep reading.
With thanks to NetGalley and Dani Atkins for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

Tear Jerker.
An emotional tale with a strong sisterly bond, medical issues and an interesting love story. Hope to read more by this author.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this story from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Be still my bleeding heart because it simply hasn’t recovered since I finished this a couple weeks ago. Talk about a heartwrenching, beautiful read. I knew my the synopsis that I was in for some Atkins handed emotional warfare and I was not wrong.

If I’m being honest, I picked this up because it has a Veterinarian love interest and as a budding Veterinarian, narcissism prevails. I think this book has my favorite book boyfriend of all time. He hit ALL of my favorite tropes/traits: single dad, fake dating, ‘I don’t want to pretend anymore,’ pining on pining on pining, and an animal lover. He was just soooo perfect and selfless without being so perfect that he’s unrealistic. The romance was a fantastic component in this book and had me swooning the entire time.

The only thing better than the romance was the sisterly bond between our main character and her ill sister. It was beautiful to read about the depths of their love and how much the MC was willing to sacrifice for her sister’s happiness. I was so in my feels over these two.

I’m conflicted about the ending because it literally ripped my heart in two. I knew that it would be sad but Atkins made it EVEN SADDER. I’m absolutely crushed, devastated, upset, and any other adjective that describes emotional trauma from a fictional read. I also personally hate when letters are involved in a storyline that don’t get opened because I’m nosy.

Overall, highly recommend if you love tragic books that are guaranteed to bring you to tears at least once. Beautiful writing, story, and character bonds.

On the blog tour - an emotional book looking at a special bond between the siblings. Enjoyed the story but not as much as Dani’s previous books.

Any Dani Atkins book is one you approach with a box of tissues as you know it will be an emotional read and this one is no different! Our heroine is Lexi who has to rush home from.New York to be with her sister Amelia - who was found on an abandoned beach and was saved just in time. When Amelia woke up she has developed a series of false memories and it's up to Lexi to help her sister get better, along with handsome vet, Nick. An excellent read that had me gripped at all times - loved it.

Upon receiving a distressing call about her sister Amelia's hospitalisation, Lexi abruptly leaves her life in New York to be at her side in Somerset. When Amelia regains consciousness, she bewilders Lexi and their mother by insisting on her marriage to a man named Sam—a claim that seems entirely unfounded.

Amelia is so convinced of Sam's existence that she vividly illustrates him through detailed drawings. Intrigued, Lexi decides to investigate further. Spotting a man resembling the one in her sister's drawings on the beach, Lexi can't resist inquiring if he knows Amelia. This chance encounter becomes the linchpin for subsequent events, setting the stage for Lexi's efforts to aid her sister's recovery.

However, as Lexi delves deeper into unravelling the mystery, unexpected emotions arise. She finds herself developing feelings for the man her sister believes to be her husband.

The story unfolds with a compelling blend of twists, turns, and emotional depth, captivating readers from the very beginning.

Thank you so much to the author - @daniatkinsauthor as well as the team at @headofzeus for the ARC.

Lexi Edwards living and working in New York receives a call through the night, from her mother in Somerset, England. Lexi’s sister Amelia is in hospital, she packs and puts the wheels in motion immediately to get back to England on the fastest flight she can.

This book was a good read from the start, with a twist in it I hadn’t seen coming.
Lexi and Amelia are very close sisters,, although there is an age gap, and a significant distance where they live, New York USA, and England.
An emotional storyline that tugged at my heartstrings, and I did shed a tear or two.
I really enjoyed reading this.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Publisher for an advanced e-book copy. Opinions about the book are entirely my own.

Amelia is found on a deserted beach unconscious by two doctors. she is alive, just but when she wakes up he is convinced she is married to Sam with all their memories. But she has never married.
Her sister, Lexi, comes home from New York to help her mum look after her. she wants to help her sister so, with the help of a Sam look alike, she sets up photos and memories for her sister.
However, Lexi soon finds herself falling in love .
This book will make you both laugh and cry right to the very last page.

I’ll start by saying that I’ve loved and enjoyed all of Dani Atkins books. This one has a different vibe, it was a bit of an oddball read - and possibly to close to home for me being that I’ve spent the last 5 years watching my grandma disappear/waste away with dementia. The whole IVF twin thing panned out as I expected. I thought creating Sam was odd, it seems that Amelia simply made him up-I actually expected him to appear at some point. I didn’t ‘get’ that bit and the crying out for him at the end. It also irked me that Lexi threw her letter away - again, I’ve been through this situation very recently and answers helped our family deal with it. I did enjoy this book, I get that it is fiction (!) but it was very drawn out and not as realistic as this authors books tend to be.

Dani Atkins never disappoints with her books and this one was no exception. A beautiful story told full of emotion with great characters which kept me turning the pages from start to finish. A real gem of a book.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I have read a lot of books by this author and have loved them all so when I saw this one on @netgalley I was super excited. I have had this one since October which really isn’t very long but I wish I had picked it up sooner. I loved the characters and the storyline and it was such a beautiful love story but heartbreaking at the same time.
I would highly recommend this author and her books and this is going to be another great one when it’s released later in February.

Amelia is found on the beach at night without a heartbeat. Efforts to revive her are successful, but after 30 minutes of being "dead", her heart is damaged and her memory is playing tricks on her.
Lexi is Amelia's sister, 7 years younger, but technically her twin. She returns home from New York to be with her sister. With Amelia's memory reminding her of a different life, Lexi goes to great lengths to recreate these memories, believing this will help her sister's recovery.
This is a tear-inducing, heart-wrenching book.
Thoughtfully written and unpredictable.
A really great read.