Member Reviews
Never Forgotten is another brilliantly penned Regency Era romantic suspense story with Gothic vibes by consummate storyteller Hannah Linder! The well-paced, expertly plotted story filled with mystery, secrets, drama, and emotion kept me enthralled and buried in its pages from beginning to end. Complex, unforgettable characters who I came to care about advance the muti-layered plot and enhance the impact of the story. Although the faith element is light, themes of forgiveness, redemption, and self-sacrifice are inspiring. I have read all of Ms. Linder’s books, and I think this is her best one yet! I recommend it as a must read for Regency romantic suspense fans.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley with no obligation to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Never Forgotten is my first book by Hannah Linder and I hope not my last! At first, I struggled with the writing style because it felt chaotic & abrupt, but this was only for the first bit and I ended up very much enjoying the book.
The plot was intriguing, the character development was great, and the mystery was far more intense than I was expecting (which I’m definitely not complaining about!) - I was kept guessing who the culprit was until the very end. The faith content was light, but there were strong themes of forgiveness and reconciliation.
Also, I loved Georgina! She was so sweet, kind, and brave - just overall a great protagonist!
In short, I would recommend this book to those who love a regency setting, a good mystery, and sweet, well-written story. It’s also great if you are craving a fast-paced read.
“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”- Deuteronomy 31:6
“Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.” - Isaiah 49:15
I am very grateful to NetGalley and Barbour Fiction for this advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I was not required to leave a positive review.
I have become a big fan of Hannah Linder’s books and thoroughly enjoyed Never Forgotten. She writes really good Regency storyline (which I never imagined I would enjoy). This regency tale has an unusual setting partly on the American frontier. It’s a great twist. It is well written, has complex characters, good intrigue, and just the right amount of romance.
Thank you to NetGalley and Barbour publishing for the opportunity to read for my honest review.
Simon Fancourt has his life all planned out for him. But a desperation of wanting to pave his own way and choose his own destiny and purpose prevails to alter that plan.
Fast forward more than 10 years and though he has seemingly followed his heart, tragedy strikes and he is left with little to no option to run back to the life he didn’t want to bring justice for one of the few things he came to love.
Georgina Whitmore at first glance is beautiful but lacks depth of character. Scorched by a broken engagement and a fierce tie to the one who broke it, she longs to live the rest of her life without any more scandal and to forget what she couldn’t have so long ago.
Love however is loyal to the end and once it is found is unbreakable.
This story like most others from the author is a gothic regency. There were real vulnerable and dark moments. A few graphic scenes of murder and bloodshed. It was a little darker and heavy that ones before and for my taste, but also made some of the scenes more real and raw.
I always love a slow burn love and this really is slow. Simon’s need for revenge and how he jumps in with both feet lead to a lot of hard situations for him to find his answers he searches for.
Georgina is torn between showing how much she cares and feigning disinterest to protect her heart. But when the test of true loyalty comes, neither one of them back down.
A lot of tragedy, mystery & love lost and found intertwined with a gothic dark time period and for me has some themes found in Wuthering Heights, Tess of D’ubervilles & Sense & Sensibility.
This was an enjoyable period novel with well-developed characters and enough plot twists to make it very difficult to put down! The author did a good job of allowing the reader to peer into the hearts and motives of the characters and see them as strong, imperfect people who were seeking to do what was right. My only caveat, not criticism, is that there is very little to make the reader view this book as a Christian novel, It was certainly moral and enjoyable, but the characters had very few references to God, prayer, or faith. Again, definitely enjoyable, but not noticeably Christian.
(Thank you Barbour Publishing and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review)
“Never Forgotten” tells the story of Simon Fancourt, who wishes to follow his dreams but this means disappointing his family and leaving behind his fiancée. Years later, he returns home with two children and a murdered wife. Seeking justice, he embroils himself in a mystery that puts himself, his family and his former fiancée in danger. To make matters more complicated, his father leaves a will that states he can only inherit if he marries Georgina Whitmore— the fiancée he left behind.
Georgina Whitmore is not used to men being unaffected by her charms which is why the rejection and disappearance of her fiancé, Simon has plagued her for years. His return brings hope but when it’s obvious Simon is still not pleased with the thought of an arranged marriage and would do it as duty, she rejects his offer, for “What profit was there in gaining his name but not his heart?” But when danger finds him and his children, she can’t help but risk everything to help them.
This is officially my number two by Hannah Linder. It seems my kryptonite is single-parent romances because every single one she has put out has been a hit. I really loved this. This is my favourite mystery that she has written. It was action-packed, the stakes were high and consequences were felt.
The characters were realistic. I love how the characters discovered their feelings for each other. For Georgina, it was analysing if her feelings were due to Simon’s previous rejection or genuine emotion while Simon’s was a gradual, (a bit unwilling) falling for her, after unpacking all the prejudices he had against her. It felt genuine. As it is a romance, we know it has a happy ending, but the author at one point made me feel like they wouldn’t end up together. She really made them consider their choices and it made me panic.
I can’t wait for more from her.
Oh. My. Heart.
When you read this one… block off a whole day. Make sure nothing will distract you. And have a box of tissues ready.
What an adventure. There were times when I thought I knew who the culprit was… but I was wrong! I also thought at one point that maybe the two mysteries were related… but they were separate.
Hannah created Simon and Georgina with such depth, and complexity. And then, John and Mercy… I LOVE children in books.
John’s bravery and resilience, Simon’s confrontation with his past, Georgina dealing with her fears… this book will suck you in, and it won’t let you go!
This was my first Hannah Linder read. It was like I was part of the story and she was bringing me a long for the read. I can't wait to read more by her.
Georgina Whitmore was once betrothed to Simon Fancourt, but that was twelve years ago. He went to the colonies to start a new life, a life he loved until his wife was murdered. Now, Simon wants revenge. Everything is not black and white; it is hard to tell who is hiding from the truth. When the truth is finally discovered, will it bring peace and closure to Simon and Georgina?
For me, this story was a little hard to read the beginning of the story. I am glad I continued reading. It is a very good story; I did not expect the twists and turns. I look forward to reading more from this author. I received a copy of this book via Netgalley.
I really enjoy Hannah Linder’s writing. It is a little disjointed but she writes a great story and you really get involved with the characters.
I like that she doesn’t push perfect people that are great at everything.
I highly recommend the story along with all of her novels.
It’s a great fast read.
I really enjoyed the writing style of this author. I have read a few books by this author and she writes in an enjoyable fashion. I wish her faith content was stronger, I feel it would strengthen her characters. Some parts (especially in regards to the ending and the villains/s) could have been more fleshed out, they seemed a little rush.
All in all, if you are a fan of this author, you will enjoy this story. I plan to read more by her and look forward to seeing her grow as a writer.
This is a great read.
There is murder, suspense, and mystery along with love.
The main characters are very human with secrets of their own. Only by working through past traumas can they come to a healthy place in their lives.
Seeking justice for crimes is a big theme throughout.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. My opinions are my own.
Enjoyed reading the story of Simon and Georgina. There were many plots, some were predictable and others completely opposite like "oh ok! i didn't see that coming😏“, but I have to say I enjoyed both. The faith part was minimal. I really liked reading the many attributes of the MCs like Simon being a father and trying to do other things, Georgina though suffering herself trying to help others, I think it was beautifully captured in the story. Though I still don't exactly understand the reason for the villain's crime.
I will be reading other books by the author cause I loved the gothic vibes the pages coughed at me. And I would recommend for the same.
TW: blood, fire accident, violent scenes, killing, hanging
Never Forgotten is a well written Regency romance/mystery. I throughly enjoyed the plot and the character dynamics.. if you enjoy Regency era books. I recommend this one. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance book.
I have read Hannah Linder before. This story was full of suspense and romantic drama right up to the climax. It is a gothic regency romance with danger lurking around every corner. The main characters were so stubborn it made me want to shake them. I struggled to keep the multitude of characters straight. There were some surprises regarding who the villains actually were. If you like focus on drama this story will satisfy.
#netgalley #HannahLinder
Never Forgotten by Hannah Linder is a Regency mystery novel. I have read all of Linder's novels, but this book definitely has gotten better than her previous novels. The mystery was a little more of a mystery with twists and turns. The Regency aspect of the novel in London rang a little more of a Regency style novel from the characters, their lifestyles, their elaborate homes, and their business dealings. I like how Linder incorporated the prison lifestyle into this story. Made a little more of a realistic novel. I wish there was more of diving into this aspect of the mystery. I wanted to see the hero diving into the underbelly of the prison system. As for the characters, they both had an interesting past that came into the present storyline. It was predictable as much as the romance was predictable, but it was nice to see both characters struggle and want different things as the story moved along. Overall, Never Forgotten by Hannah Linder has felt like a much better Regency mystery than her previous novels. If fans like cozy historical mysteries, then this would be a good book to pick up and read.
I received a complimentary copy of Never Forgotten by Hannah Linder from Barbour Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own
This story was heart-wrenching and redeeming. Both elements that are very hard to see done well. I was on the edge of my seat the entire story to see how it would end. So many unanswered questions throughout the entire novel. As I read I kept wondering how it would end…how things would (or could) ever work out…and I truly never knew what was going to happened, until it happened. Not many stories flow so well in that regard. It was a little grotesque at times, but I pushed through and in the end it was all worth it. (But if violence is bothersome for you, this would be a book to skip as there was a lot of it.) The ending was fantastic and peaceful. I’ve read all her books and this one is my favorite so far. Great read!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I really wanted to like this book, but it had a few things that had me irked.
First, I felt like a yoyo bouncing about with the H and h and just in general the way the book was written. The writing style was a bit chaotic. Next, the hero, Simon, came off as a prat. He could have asked for more time. He could have told Gerogie something before running off. Seriously, after all that drama, he did not even make anything big of himself in America.
Georgie was amazing. She was strong but vulnerable. She took an emotional beating from Simon... and boy, her patience and strength were just admirable. She's kind, she straight forward, she's brave.
Alexander Oswald was another intriguing character. He's dynamic, smart, and knows what he wants.
Simon, hmmmm... the only redeeming thing about him is that he loved his kids and, finally, towards the end, realizes what a fool he has been.
The villain was a surprise. The reasoning behind his villiany was a little weak but realistic.
Overall, I would like to see this book go through a good edit for language usage and clarity to make it easier to read.
#netgalley #NeverForgotten
This book kept me on my toes during the entire read. I would think one thing is happen but find that something else happened instead. I enjoyed this book but will say, it was sometimes a bit hard to follow. I would preface that by saying I tend to read books extremely fast so I do not always catch everything the first time. But overall, I enjoyed this book and the storyline.
I enjoyed this book so much. A wonderful romance and mystery with a Gothic feel that I love. Georgina and Simon were to be married but Simon fled the country to avoid the arranged marriage. How they ended up together makes for a touching love story. This was my favorite of all of her books. I received this book from Netgalley but the opinion is my own. If you enjoy Gothic books as much as I do you will love this book too.