I was immediately intrigued when I saw that "Forget Me Not" is a thriller set in the Swiss Alps and features a ski vacation. The story was relatively captivating and I actually felt I could empathize with the protagonist, Helen, which is rare for me with a thriller book. I did put it down a couple of times in favor of other books, so it wasn't entirely as engaging as I would have hoped for, but I would overall recommend it.

Helen has mostly gotten over the loss of her husband Paul; five years ago, he disappeared on a ski trip near a small village in the Swiss Alps and was proclaimed dead, despite the fact that a body was never recovered. Helen has a sweet daughter and a caring partner, and a blossoming career as an interior designer. However, all of that is disrupted when Helen is offered a job decorating a chalet in the same ski village from which Paul disappeared. Despite her initial misgivings about returning to the place that hosts so many unpleasant memories for her, Helen decides to take the job, and sets out to conquer the last of her uncertainties regarding Paul's disappearance. Unfortunately, as you could imagine, things don't pan out quite as she had planned...

This was a pretty fast and easy read with an unexpected twist at the end (at least for me!). I would recommend it if you're a fan of thrillers that take place in snowy settings. 4 stars!

This is my first book from Miranda Rijks and it won't be my last! I really enjoyed this book.
The storyline is believable and realistic: poor Helen Sellers whose marriage is struggling looses her husband to a skiing accident and his body is never found. She finds out she is pregnant and courageously tries to build a new life with Andrew, her new partner.
Her life takes yet another turn when her work brings her back to the location where her husband disappeared!
It really is a good plot with great likable (and dislikeable) characters really well developed.
The star of the show is the location of the Alps in Switzerland. I have experienced the French side of the Alps and the author gives the picturesque backdrop much justice. I want to go back there again!

Could not recommend this book highly enough!

Forget Me Not
Miranda Rijks

5 Stars

A ski trip, a husband who doesn’t love his wife anymore and then just disappears. This book was pretty much predictable from the beginning well at least to me it was. The story plot has been done multiple times but it’s still a good plot because they always seem to end differently. However this book kept me invested from the beginning and I absolutely 100% loved it! I don’t know how people can come up with the most horrible situations for mothers but Miranda had me on my toes with this one!

Helen Sellers lost her husband, Paul, five years ago when he evidently skied off the side of the mountain in the Alps during bad weather. His body was never found. Helen had just learned that she was pregnant and has since given birth to, and is the mother of Emily. While Helen and Paul were having some marital problems before his disappearance, she still grieved him. Paul’s parents helped Helen to get the education she needed to become an Interior Decorator which she now loves.

Helen has met a wonderful and kind man named Andrew and he has moved in with her and Emily. Since Paul’s body has never been found, she must wait for more years yet for him to be declared dead so she can remarry.

Helen gets a call asking her to do the interior design for a luxury chalet in the Alps. While she is thrilled to have the chance, she is somewhat hesitant as it is near the resort where Paul went missing. However, she knows she wants the job and accepts.

She realizes she will need to spend a lot of time there and will stay in a little cottage near the building site. Soon, events happen in the stream of her design schedule that make her wonder if someone is out to ruin her reputation. But things build and she finds herself terrified.

This is a good book with a plausible story that I found to be well-written with good characters. I have read several books by this author and am coming to look forward to more. Enjoy!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This was a great book! Love the author big fan of hers! Never a dull moment in the story! I can’t wait for the next one!

Six years ago Helen and her husband Paul went on a skiing holiday in Switzerland. One day Paul went skiing and never came back. It is presumed he had an accident or even killed himself. Helen was devastated. She just found out that she was pregnant but Paul did not seem happy about it. But she has moved on and works now as an interior designer and raises her daughter together with the new man in her life, Andrew. She never returned to Switzerland. So when she gets the offer to work on a chalet in the Swiss Alps, exactly in the same village where Paul went missing, she almost refuses to do it. But the job is too good and she could use the money. So she travels back and forth on occasions to work on the chalet. On one of those trips she thinks she sees her late husband in a crowd. But that can’t be, can it?

Until that point I thought this book was a nice read. Unfortunately as soon as Paul appears the story flattens. There are a lot of characters and none of them is properly developed. Helen comes across as anxious and insecure. Paul is the most spineless male character ever. The setting in the Alps is nice and a bit eerie, but the story develops slowly and without any major twists or surprises. The end is a bit weird and unsatisfying. It was a nice and easy read but nothing special.

Do you like books where the author creates a villain(s) that are completely horrible and you absolutely hate them?! If so, then this psychological thriller is for you. It is full of twists and turns with some you don’t see coming!

Thank you @netgalley and @inkubatorbooks for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book had me on the edge of my seat and kept me guessing. It was full of suspense and had me turning the pages wanting more.

FAVORITE THING ABOUT BOOK:

PROS/CONS OF WRITING: The story is interesting and the characters layered. However, I did not find the revelations surprising or thrilling. I get excited whenever I see a new book by Miranda Rijks. This was good but not great like her others. It tended to fall a bit flat.

WHO WOULD ENJOY THIS BOOK: Mystery lovers; people who enjoy snow, skiing and Switzerland and Miranda Rijks fans.


I received an ARC from Inkubator Books through NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book. I am voluntarily submitting this review and am under no obligation to do so.

First, I want to thank Miranda Rijks, Inkubator Books, NetGalley and Zooloo Book Tours for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review!

WOW!! Miranda Rijks Forget Me Not read just like a Netflix movie playing in my head! It is seriously one of her best written books to date that deserves way more than 5 stars! This had everything a psychological thriller lover like myself craves! The out of the box intense storyline, the heartache, the tragedy, the intensity, the suspense, and the likeable characters. You need to put this on your tbr list and move it to the top of your pile.

Miranda whisks us away from the comfort of our own comfy chair to one of her favorite places in the world Valais, Switzerland. Never have I ever dreamt of visiting there until she described how picturesque it was. Her descriptions were so detailed you felt like you were really there. Even though I am not a skier I could see that place being heaven for ski lovers.

Miranda’s storyline brought out a lot of emotions in me. You could not help but feel empathy for this one character and all that she had been through. Some of her actions I would have done the same. However, there were two characters that the more I learned about them the more I despised them.

Forget Me Not left me speechless and had my head spinning out of control with all the wicked curveballs that just came out of nowhere! Seriously, if you blink you will miss something important! The secrets and revelations were O.M.G!

Imagine a beautiful Swiss landscape with ski slopes and grande chalets. It’s hard to imagine so much chaos happening in one peaceful, safe area. The story begins 5 years prior, when Helen and Paul visit Switzerland to go on a ski trip. Helen isn’t feeling well and thinks she may be pregnant, and her husband Paul is out skiing. Helen and Paul have been arguing lately, and Paul went out to ski in bad weather. He disappears that night, and Helen’s life changes forever. 5 years later, Helen has moved on, had a daughter and has a boyfriend. She’s working as an interior decorator when she gets a call from a woman who wants her to design a chalet in Switzerland—near the very place her husband Paul had disappeared. She starts to work there when strange things start happening and she feels as though she’s being watched. She keeps seeing men who look just like Paul! When her daughter comes to stay with her over the summer, more things happen and it all comes to a head towards the end of the book.

There are 2 POVs in this book, so you get to see both sides of the story. The twist in the book kind of fell flat for me and I had hoped it would end differently for everyone. The ending felt a bit rushed, since most of the book was focused on Helen’s time working at the chalet in the present. Overall, a 3/5 for me. This was my first book by this author, but I would read other books of hers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator for this ARC!

I love Rijks. But this was not up to her usual standards.

The setting was wonderful. Easily the best part of the whole story--snowy alps. The characters were weak, flat, and unlikable. The story was slow and predictable. I wanted to love this but it totally missed the mark for me.

I look forward to more from Rijks.

The title of this book has so many meanings for the story. Six years ago Helen’s husband Paul dies while skiing in the Swiss Alps. Helen and Paul’s relationship was a little rocky at the time but she was devastated. At the same time of Paul’s accident, Helen finds out she is pregnant. Fast forward to the present and Helen is in a loving relationship and has a beautiful daughter. She is loving her dream to be the interior designer at a chalet, in the Swiss Alps.

The story is told from multiple POV and dual timeline. This style of writing gives you a lot of insight into the characters and releases information just when it is needed to keep the story moving. I loved everything about the book. The setting is beautiful and the story is action packed. The multiple POV shows you two stories that connect. I related with Helen so much. Her grief, her protectiveness of her daughter, her new life. This is a very well written book that had me reading it whenever I could.

It’s been a while since I’ve read a book by the author and since I’ve seen my Booksta friends recommending her again and again, I had to read this book for myself .
And I’m glad I have. It’s interesting, with intriguing characters and a very unexpected ending and twist.
It’s been a while since I was so hooked up in a story and this one surprised me in the best possible way.

Wry grateful to the publisher for my review copy through NetGalley

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Forget Me Not' by Miranda Rijks.

Read and reviewed for Miranda Rijks, Inkubator Books, Booksprout and Zooloo's Book Tours.

Publication date 26th October 2022.

This is the first book I have read by this author.

I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Inkubator. I have yet to read a book published by Inkubator that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of a prologue and 32 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is set in the Canton of Valais, Switzerland 🇨🇭.

This book is written in first person perspective and the protagonists are Helen and Paul. The benefits of books written in first person perspective are as long as they are well written it makes you feel that you are being spoken to by the protagonist and it can create more of a bond between yourselves and them. If there are several protagonists you also get to see more of what is going on.

OMG!!!! WHAT DID I JUST READ!!!! I DID NOT EXPECT THAT!!! MIND BLOWN MUCH!!!

Wow!!! This book is fantastically written and had me hook, line and sinker from beginning to end. The descriptions were so in depth and vivid that the hair on my arms was standing on the ends and my heart was pounding throughout. The synopsis, title and cover were perfect for the storyline.

I was absolutely absorbed throughout this page turner. It is filled with tension, suspense and omg the twist!!! I DID NOT see that coming!!! A MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS Miranda!! It is getting harder and harder to shock me but by God you did that over and over and over!!! What an ending!!! One of the most gripping unputdownable nerve wracking psychological thrillers I have EVER read!!! You lady have one hell of a talent and I cannot wait to get hold of your previous and future books. I cannot remember the last time I was so hooked by a book but you managed that big time!!! The storyline is filled with shocks, suspense, tension and so much more! There was so much going on and it was very fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. The setting was absolutely stunning and OMG the descriptions really paint a perfect and clear picture to the point where you genuinely feel you are in the alps breathing the mountain air. Miranda's writing style and depth had me so engrossed that when I looked up to see the miserable Welsh weather it took me a moment to realise I was even reading!! Clear your schedule before you start as I read this in one sitting as I could not put it down!! I was absolutely hooked!! I would absolutely love to see this turned into a movie!!!!

It is set over multiple time lines. When books show what has happened in the past and what is happening in the present I find it really helps the reader (if it is well done) understand why things are happening and what has lead to the present activities and decisions. It also shows the bigger picture.

Congratulations Miranda on a true page turner! This may be the first book I have read by you but it most definitely will not be my last!! Here's to your next success 🥂

Overall an absolutely heart racing, never wracking, unputdownable addictive psychological thriller!!!


Genres covered in this novel include Mystery, Women's Psychological Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, and Psychological Fiction amongst others.


I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of 'Gone Girl' , 'The Girl on The Train', 'The Wife Between Us', Liane Moriarty, Lisa Jewell and anyone looking for an explosive thriller filled with bombshells you won't see coming!!

262 pages.

This book is just 99p to purchase on kindle, free on kindle unlimited and £9.99 in paperback (at time of review) via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5/5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews

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a bit predictable.

Dramatic story, unlikeable characters (all of them).

The beginning was slow, although I admit that in a certain way I "got hooked" with the story and I was able to follow a normal rhythm.

I recommend it if you're looking for an "easy" read and one that won't break your head over its story lol

The story was an easy read right off the bat. The author was very descriptive, making me feel like I was there. The characters were pretty well developed. Although not many of them are likeable. The story alternates between the past and present tense and is told from two peoples point of views, Helen's and Paul's.  
 
Forget Me Not is story about a woman named Helen who goes on a vacation with her husband, Paul, to Switzerland. He ends up missing going missing on the mountain. The story skips to five years later when Helen gets a job as an interior designer and has to return to the same location with her daughter.  
 
I enjoyed this book and it was a pretty fast, easy read. There were a few twists, some were predictable. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and Inkubator Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

2.75⭐
Unlike the title, this book ended up being rather forgettable.

Since losing her husband Paul years ago Helen has tried her best to move on. He disappeared and was thought to have fallen to his death in a skiing accident. With no body found, she has waited years to have him declared dead.

Now Helen has to return to the same ski resort where Paul went missing all those years ago. Can she finally put the past behind her? Or is everything about to resurface.

I’ve listened to a few books by this author and enjoyed them all. This time I chose the digital version. Is that where I went wrong? Somehow I think it was more than that!🤦‍♀️

(view spoiler) And the ending was beyond random. I have to say this was my least favorite from this author to date. But having enjoyed her previous works I will still be looking for more of her books. Maybe I’ll just stick to the audios.🫤

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator Books

Forget Me Not is a phenomenal thriller from start to finish. Filled to the brim with twists and a captivating plot, this one is sure to keep readers hooked. The characters are well-developed. The story is incredibly fast-paced. This is one not to be missed! Highly recommended! Be sure to check out Forget Me Not asap.

Big Miranda Rijks fan here! Uber excited to have a new thriller of hers to devour and this time it's the atmospheric setting of the Swiss Alps. Seriously, I was frozen to the bone just reading about it! Luckily it's been somewhat toasty here in Sydney this week so I didn't get frostbite.

Interior designer, Helen Sellers has built a new life for herself and her daughter Emily after the tragic loss of her husband Paul in the Swiss Alps some five years ago. He was a far more proficient skier than Helen, who was only a beginner at the time, and spent his days out on the mountains and coming back to their dingy hotel in the evenings. Then one day, he didn't return. Helen is frantic and calls the police who then deploy a mountain rescue team...all to no avail. The only thing they found was a ski Paul had hired at the top of a sheer drop over the mountainside...the consensus being that he had an accident and tragically fell to his death.

Ironically, the death of a teenage girl on the piste occurred just a couple of days before Paul's disappearance...and he was acting somewhat strangely at the time. Helen had confronted him when his response to the girl's tragic death wasn't normal, and they ended up having a huge row. The next day he disappeared. Are the two incidents connected?

Helen had discovered she was pregnant just prior to these events and expecting Paul to be over the moon, she was shocked to discover he was anything but.

Now five years later, she has moved on and found love again in a wonderful man named Andrew. And Emily adores him and has even asked if she can call him daddy. They plan to marry when the seven years has passed since Paul's disappearance and he can legally be declared dead. It is time to move on and close that chapter of her life.

And then Helen gets a commission to design the interior of a chalet in the Swiss Alps...a place that holds nothing but bad memories for her. Is this a coincidence? Or is fate bringing her back to where it all happened all those years ago? The owner of the chalet, Camilla, is a tyrant who wants everything to be perfect and yesterday. She doesn't want to know of any problems...she just wants the job done. But when Camilla brings the completion date forward a month, Helen finds she needs to stay on site for the duration just to ensure everything is completed on time.

And then Helen sees him...or she thinks she does. It's the limp - from an old rugby injury - she would know that gait anywhere. But when she tries to find him, he's gone. Did she really see him or is her mind playing tricks on her?

Then strange things begin to happen. Like when Emily tells her of "the nice man" who has been speaking to her. What man? And the slate that falls off the roof in a storm, narrowly missing Helen and only injuring her. And calls made to the suppliers cancelling her orders for the interior design job she's been commissioned to do. And that inane sense that someone is watching her. But when Emily announces that a huge teddy bear had been left at the door for her name on, Helen is creeped out. Someone is stalking her and her daughter. But who are they and what do they want?

FORGET ME NOT is a fun-filled thriller that moves at a steady pace with a scenic setting that is so atmospheric the chills could be felt icing up the page. Unfortunately none of the characters were likeable, except Andrew and he didn't have a huge role. I would have liked him to have stayed and played more of a part. We get several POVs as the story unfolds in the timelines of THEN and NOW. When the first twist came, it wasn't a shock. I had been expecting it. But it was still entertaining and utterly compelling...until the end. I found that to be sadly disappointing. All that build up...for what? I fear I cannot say more without spoiling it, but I was dissatisfied with it...on more than one count. Up until then, it had almost been a five star read.

Overall, the story was compelling and the tension palpable. While there was no real mystery throughout, you are still absorbed within the story wanting to know more and find out how it all ends. It was definitely an interesting read, with the setting being the star of it all, though not one of Miranda's best. But still compelling enough to enjoy and be entertained.

I would like to thank #MirandaRijks, #Netgalley, #InkubatorBooks and #ZoolooTours for an ARC of #ForgetMeNot in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.