Secrets, scandals, and surprising reveals make “The Forgotten Gift” a superb book to read! The author narrates the story with two parallel arcs of different timelines. While they may initially feel disconnected, the author does an excellent job of connecting everything.

Moreover, I loved the characters. Cassie is lovely in the role as she tries to figure out her family tree and learns a few surprises along the way that changes her life. I enjoyed the relationship she shares with her mother, Tony, and Andy. My favorite character, however, was George. I loved the way the author wrote Geroge and thought he was the highlight of the story. He is naive, charming, selfless, and just a wonderful person. He does his best to help everyone, even if he doesn’t know them well, like Pinkton. It was fascinating reading all the things he endured. There are quite a lot of surprises, and shocking reveals that changes his life. Even the supporting characters like Nathaniel Spring and Lucy add nicely to the story.

Also, I enjoyed the author’s style of writing. She wrote the story in a simple yet elegant manner that is easy and quick to read. I liked the way she sets the similarities between the challenges George and Cassie face. I would love to read some of the author’s previous works, as she is has a beautiful talent for writing dual storylines.

Overall, “The Forgotten Gift” is a lovely contemporary tale that the reader can connect with, and one that I will not forget anytime soon. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

This was a nice, pleasant story but sadly, nothing more. I was anticipating something to “kick start” and fire up the narrative, but this was absent throughout the story. Therefore, if you are after a gentle, unobtrusive read, this will suit you perfectly. For me, it was just a little too bland that needed spicing up considerably.

The theme of this dual-narrative is finding your family connections. Switching between the nineteenth century and present day, both George and Cassie’s circumstances change when they realise the life they knew is not the truth. Cassie’s story progresses far quicker than George’s; consequently, I felt more invested in her narrative and believe George to lack some gumption. Admiring Cassie’s choices and the difficult decisions she has had to make, I thought the writer’s portrayal of motherhood and family ties in today’s society was really rather touching. On the other hand, I though George was quite a sap and needed to show more backbone. Despite being imprisoned, I still thought he was a quite a weak character that I could not care for.

I was not too impressed with the cover of this book. Too many books feature characters facing the wrong way! Whilst I can understand what the cover is referencing, I don’t think this reflects the main plot enough. This is disappointing and I think adds to why I believe this is just a mediocre read.

Despite this, I love the significance of the title. At first, I thought the title was reference to a beautiful mirror that George purchases before his life changes. However, the ‘forgotten gift’ is also a clear nod to the theme of family and relationships. Embracing one’s family, even if it is complicated, is just as important as knowing where your heritage. I really appreciate the symbolism of it and wished that the novel’s cover had picked up on this too.

Whilst this may seem like a negative review, I did enjoy this read. Although no surprises and mysteries, I like the family values that McGurl emphasises. Both characters grow through their own stories and I appreciated seeing this change. It was also refreshing to have a story with the central characters being both male and female; I liked the different perspectives but also similarities that emerged between the two.

My first experience of McGurl’s writing and I am not disappointed, but surprised. It is a gentle, historical read that focuses more on characterisation than action. Definitely providing some escapism, this slow, thoughtful narrative explores the importance of knowing your family.

With thanks to HQ stories, NetGalley and Rachel’s Random Resources for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I read this for a blog tour.

Families are complicated creatures and this story of adoption and finding your family struck a real chord with me. My Grandad is not biologically related to me, he married my Nan and adopted my mum and aunt after her first husband, my biological grandfather, died of cancer really young. He is however absolutely my Grandad and my hero, regardless of blood.

Cassie has to wrestle with similar issues, after finding out a few things about her father and indeed about his ancestor, George. Her own biological daughter, who she gave up for adoption, gets in touch as well. Cassie and George both learn that what makes a family is a bit more complicated than it first appears.

This was moving and insightful, well written and I enjoyed the way it moved between Cassie's life and that of George, 200 hundred years ago.

I have read a couple of Kathleen’s books now and I have thoroughly enjoyed them. I read the synopsis for ‘The Forgotten Gift’ and it certainly appealed to me on so many different levels. I couldn’t wait to start reading and so without further ado, I grabbed a cup of tea, grabbed my Kindle and settled down for what I hoped was going to be a cracking read. I was spot on too because this really was a cracking read, which I thoroughly enjoyed reading but more about that in a bit.
It didn’t take me long at all to get into this story. In fact by the time I got to the end of the first couple of chapters, I knew that I wouldn’t be able to put this book down for long. As the story continued, I had more questions that needed answering and I had to keep reading to see if my questions were going to be answered and whether or not I was on the right track. I loved the fact that Cassie was researching her family tree and that she uncovers a big family secret that had been kept hidden for years. I am also researching my family tree and it really is fascinating. I have come across many family skeletons as the saying goes. I loved the historical aspect to the story. In fact I cannot think of one single thing that I didn’t like about this book.
‘The Forgotten Gift’ is superbly written but then I think that to be true of Kathleen’s books in general. The story is written using two different timelines- there are chapters focussing on the past and on George’s story and there are chapters focussing on the present and on Cassie’s story and her discovery of what happened in the past. I did wonder if this might prove to be a bit confusing but I needn’t have worried because the chapters interlink well and the story flows seamlessly. The chapters focussing on the past are written using more formal and historical language and the chapters focussing on the future are written using more modern language. I genuinely felt as though I was part of the story myself and that’s down to Kathleen’s realistic and very vivid storytelling. I was gripped by the story from start to finish.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘The Forgotten Gift’ and I would definitely recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of this author’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

This book goes between George and Cassie.

George he is living in 1861 aged 19 and he falls in love with a servant. He ends up in prison and life there is not good conditions in that time are really bad and how they treated prisoners is not good.

We Cassie who is in the present who is doing the family tree and her Father is descended from George she was at a University but ends up leaving after the frst year. Cassie ha she been working in a leisure centre for years.

Some of the things that happen in this book have certain twists to this story and kept me captivated.

I would read more of this author.

A dual timeline novel set in the Victorian era and the present day, this emotional story about love, family, and secrets is an engaging read. George and Cassie's initial connection is through genealogy. George is a distant relative in Cassie's family history. The story begins with an extract from George's will noting a bequest to the wife of a prison chaplain. Moving to the twenty-first century, Cassie finds an unexpected connection in her family tree.

George is a naive man who seeks, but never finds, parental love, he needs. Cassie has parental love, but never recovered emotionally, from an early life experience. Cassie and George's emotional vulnerability connects them. They are flawed and naive but easy to empathise. Both timelines give the reader a good sense of time and place. It's easy to visualise the Victorian household and the differences in society's expectation in the differing centuries.

The brutal contrasts of Victorian society are portrayed well in a story with many poignant moments. George, despite his lack of worldliness, is loyal, and you want him to find the happiness he deserves. Both stories have family and love at their heart. The plot reveals its secrets in a way that keeps you turning the pages.

Believable emotion, clever connections and historical detail make this an intriguing and satisfying story.

I received a copy of this story from HQ via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This dual time family drama is packed full of mysterious elements and the puzzle which evolves in the past concerning a miscarriage of justice and the warm hearted story in the present which looks at the complications of family dynamics are each compelling in their own special way.

The story begins in Victorian England with that of George Bitten who becomes enamoured with one of the household servants, but all is not going to go smoothly in this one sided romance and pretty soon George is facing a devastating dilemma. In the present day we meet Cassie who loves researching her family genealogy and when she finds a link between herself and that of the Bitten family she is determined to discover the truth even if it means uncovering some deeply hidden secrets.

I loved how this novel moved effortlessly forwards and backwards in time as each time frame feels really authentic. There is a lovely contemporary feel to Cassie's story especially when something her own past threatens to shatter the cosy world she has so carefully made for herself. George's sad story, particularly of the Victorian penal system, is equally compelling and I enjoyed how the author made this seem all the more relevant by using the journal George tried so hard to complete.

The author has a lovely way of drawing the reader right into the very centre of the story so that emotional bonds are quickly made with all the characters, and even as one section ended I found myself eagerly anticipating what was coming next. Dual time narratives are notoriously difficult to write so that the transition between time frames seems effortless, however, this author has really captured this genre and does so in grand style and with a wonderful sense of both history and mystery.

Wow. I absolutely adored this book! Read it in a day and have already started telling people to buy it!
Wonderful characters, and scenes that made me gasp or smile throughout! I was rooting for Cassie and George like they were my friends!
I did feel like I had to suspend belief a little with some of the twists that came out, but this in no way detracted from my enjoyment.
The dual timeline was so effective, as if it was a masterclass showing its students how to do it.
Will definitely look out for more from this author!

I usually enjoy Kathleen’s books as I have read quite a few in the past but, this one started off well and then seemed to loose pace in the middle and I found it nit quite so interesting. When that happens in books I find my attention wanes and I just want to finish it and move into another far more exciting book. I do hope her next one will be better.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

A sweeping atmospheric and intriguing tale spiced with dark secrets, forbidden passion and divided loyalties, Kathleen McGurl’s The Forgotten Gift is another superb page-turner by this talented storyteller.

In 1865, George’s encounter with the beautiful Lucy changed his world forever. George had been enchanted by Lucy from the very first moment he clapped eyes on her. The second son of a wealthy family had long thought that this kind of happiness would be denied to him, but with Lucy he sees all the possibilities that had been previously unthinkable now becoming a reality. However, George’s happiness is snatched away when he is spurned by the woman he loves. But worse is to come for him when Lucy’s body is found. Somebody had murdered her and the finger of suspicion is aimed squarely at George. But George loved her and would never have harmed a single hair on her head. So who would want to kill Lucy? Can George discover who the murderer is before he ends up hanging for a crime he didn’t commit?

In the present day, Cassie leads a life which, while unexciting. leaves her feeling reasonably fulfilled. She has a good job, a great circle of friends and a loving and supportive family and it would be churlish to ask for more when she has far more than most people would even dream of. When she receives a gift from a long-forgotten will, Cassie is intrigued – especially as this unexpected legacy leads her to a dark secret about her family’s past she is absolutely desperate to learn more about. As Cassie begins to dig deep into a part of her family’s history that was unknown to her, she finds herself uncovering a secret from her ancestors that could have serious repercussions on present and future generations…

As the past and present collide, will Cassie be able to lay old ghosts to rest? Or will she end up paying the ultimate price when she discovers the shocking truth about her family?

Kathleen McGurl is a storyteller of substance who creates captivating tales that never fail to leave her readers transfixed and intrigued from beginning to end. In The Forgotten Gift, she once again seamlessly balances the past and present and has penned a mesmerizing, suspenseful, heart-warming and compelling tale of family secrets, illicit desire and devastating truths that is an absolute struggle to put down.

An insightful, absorbing and riveting novel that will break readers’ hearts and give them a couple of sleepless nights as they won’t be able to stop reading this gripping tale, The Forgotten Gift is another sure-fire hit from Kathleen McGurl’s very gifted pen.

What a lovely way to spend an afternoon! Whenever I read one of the author’s books, it reminds me just how much I always enjoy a well told dual-time story – and she does it so very well. In the 1860s we meet George, a second son who’s shown very little interest or affection by his cold and remote parents, capturing his life in his journal – and then developing a passion for scheming housemaid Lucy with devastating consequences. And in the present day, we meet Cassie – such a likeable and sympathetic character – rather going through the motions, content spending her days working at the local leisure centre, calling in at the pub with her workmates on the way home, where she’s developed an interest in genealogy and is researching her father’s family tree.

On the surface, it’s that research that ties the stories together – George is one of those ancestors, and the census results throw up all sorts of questions about his chequered history and some of the mysterious bequests in the will she then uncovers. But the stories are linked by a lot more than that – Cassie has a few surprises on the way, and the threads mirror each other so cleverly with questions about parenthood and family (especially fathers), love and loyalty, that I thoroughly enjoyed. There’s even some nice echoing of the themes of friendship and support too – Andy, the leisure centre manager, comes through for Cassie (with a little nicely developed attraction in the mix), and George finally finds a support network that rather saves him too.

The 1860s story is really excellent – the period detail and the manners and morals of the time really well represented. While the parents are pretty horrendous characters, and you really feel for George as he tells his story through the pages of his journal in a clear and consistent voice. His only real sin is his naivety and need for approval (love might just be too much to ask for…) – but there are the good characters too, not just ciphers but really well drawn, and I was entirely gripped by the story that unfolded.

But I really enjoyed all the twists and turns of Cassie’s story too – and the mark of a writer who writes this story so very well is that no one thread predominates or is more enjoyable than the other, both stories are equally emotionally engaging, and there’s absolutely none of that wrenching you can sometimes feel when the narrative moves from one story to the other.

Superb storytelling, excellent characters, two threads beautifully entwined – and a conclusion that really was everything I wanted it to be. Recommended to anyone who might enjoy the same books that I do – I thoroughly enjoyed it.

(Review copied to Amazon UK, but link not yet available)

Rating 4.5/5*

I’m convinced that Kathleen McGurl is the Queen of dual timeline family dramas – and reading this fantastic book only reinforced that. Cassie is researching into her family history and has found some mysterious aspects that she’d never expected. However, as she finds out more about the past she’s also having to face revelations about her own family, some of which could have life changing consequences on their relationships . . . .

This story is told from the contemporary point of view of Cassie and the historical journal of George. They both have discoveries to make, surprises to uncover, relationships that change and decisions to make. The two threads from the different timelines are cleverly linked and woven together into an enthralling read that kept me turning the pages to discover what happened next. I found it an intriguing and fascinating read and have no hesitation in highly recommending it to anyone who enjoys historical mysteries, family dramas, romances or any combination of these genres!

Thank you for my copy of this book which I have voluntarily read and honestly reviewed.

This was a captivating read once I got into it. I enjoy dual timelines and this story involves Cassie in the present day and George in the mid to late 1800s. Both of stories that are similar in some ways as regards to family relationships. Although, in other ways very dissimilar! It’s difficult to say too much without giving away the storyline but I can say it became a real page turner. It does have a happy ending. I will look for more of this author’s books. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Unfortunately this book wasn't for me and I was unable to finish reading it. This is one of the first adult historical fiction novels I've read and I was intruiged in the first few chapters, but found that the the historical timeline was much less interesting than the current one. While there was nothing badly done about the plotting, it didn't fully command my attention. There were some interesting plot and character moments in the current timeline, but they still didn't have the pow that would've really pulled me in. I'm very sad that I didn't love this, but it just wasn't for me.

1861: George's life changes forever the day he meets Lucy. She's beautiful and charming, and he see a future with her. But when Lucy dies in a suspected poisoning the day after she rejected George, he finds himself caught up in a murder investigation. But George .over Lucy; he would never have harmed her. So who did?

Now: Cassie is happy with her life. She has a secure job, good friends and a loving family. When a mysterious gift in a .long forgotten will leads her to a dark secret in her family history, she's desperate to find out more. But the secrets are not all buried in the past and her research will soon lead her to a revelation much closer to home.

What a beautifully written story this is. The plotline is intriguing with a fast pace. Secrets are revealed and there's a few surprises along the way. We get two stories and two points of view that are seamlessly woven together. The characters are well rounded and believable.

I would like to thank #NetGalley, #HQ and the author #KathleenMcGurl for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishing house and the author for the opportunity to read a complimentary advance reader copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

This author’s books never fail to be enjoyable. Her characters are always compelling to read about and the stories full of depth and interesting. In this book we follow Cassie in the present who is about to come face to face with the child she gave up for adoption as a baby; at the same time we are following George, an ancestor of Cassie’s, as we learn his story, one that Cassie has been trying to uncover as she traces her family’s genealogy. I really enjoyed the twists and turns in this book and both stories were equally interesting. All in all another great book by this author.

Kathleen McGurl is one of the premier Queen’s of the dual time-line novel genre. This is not the 1st book of hers that I have read and it will not be the last. I am always excited for a new book from her.

The book is told through two different time periods. 1860’s Victorian England and the present. The story starts with the last will and testament of George Britten. The will has a mystery of it’s own. Why would George a middle class Victorian gentleman know, let alone leave a 1oo pounds and a valuable mirror to a prison chaplain and his wife? Enter the modern day protagonist and George’s descendent Cassie. Cassie has a happy mundane life. Her hobby of Genealogy research makes her curious about George and his bequests. Thus begins a story of family secrets and the ties that bind.

The reason that I keep reading Kathleen McGurl’s books is for the mystery, the time periods and the family dynamics that she likes to write about. If you are a fan of dual time books and have never read Kathleen McGurl, giver her books a try. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

Thanks to Netgalley, Kathleen McGurl and the publisher for a chance to review this book.

I read this book as part of the blog tour hosted by Rachel's Random Resources. Thanks to NetGalley and HQ Digital for the copy in exchange for an honest review. 3 stars

The first thing that caught my eye with The Forgotten Gift was the beautiful cover followed by the fact that it's a historical fiction that involved a family mystery! I liked the way that McGurl presented the story through two perspectives, timelines and writing styles, and I found it worked well in giving the story distinct character voices. I am a fan of the epistolary format, so I liked that half to the story was told through journal entries, plus the alternating dynamics made it a pretty fast read!

We're first introduced to Cassie as she discovers some interesting information about a (very) distant relative, George Britten, when she dives deep into her passion for genealogy. I liked Cassie a lot at the beginning as she seems to have a good solid head on her shoulders. However, there's some information about her that is revealed at one point, and the way she reacted surprisingly frustrated me. Is it so easy to forget a lifetime of unfailing support and love so easily? While I can't say that I've been in that situation but I found the way she reacted quite hurtful and irrational. On the other hand, I started off not being too keen on George. There was this naivete to his character that made me think he was much younger than his 18/19 years, but my heart went out to him and his sad upbringing with truly the worst parents. While I found his actions frustrating at the start, I could still understand why he reacted the way he did. He was so desperate for love and acceptance that he was willing to see it at even the slightest hint of. I eventually started really warming up to his character, and by the end I was really rooting for his happiness.

Without going into too many details that could lead to spoilers, I will say that I enjoyed the exploration of what it means to be family in this story. Through the dual timelines, we follow Cassie and George as they deal with many surprising family revelations, and we see them simultaneously unravel as well as try to put themselves back together while figuring out what really makes a family. It isn't just your birth or adoptive parents, but it also extends to friends and other important people who've come through your life that have played a key role in your growth.

TL;DR: This was an interesting combination of historical and contemporary fiction that explores important themes surrounding family. Both main characters had distinct character voices, and the alternating formats made it for a quick and engaging read. Although the journey to get there was a little bit frustrating and irrational at times, I found the end to this story heartwarming and very positive!

LOVELY STORY ABOUT THE MEANING OF FAMILY

This is my first McGurl novel, and I am so happy I picked it up. Apparently, McGurl is known as the queen of parallel timelines (personally, I think Gill Paul deserves a mention here as well) and this novel really showed that to the fullest. Family is the most important theme of this book and it's one I really approve of.

👍 What I Liked 👍

Dual timelines: Dual timelines (or parallel timelines) can go either way in my experience. For some stories it enhances the reading experience. For others it diminishes it. This is an example of the former. Both stories were really strong and had a clear connection to one another. It basically felt like reading two great books at once.

Cassie's story: While both stories, both Cassie and George's stories, were really strong, I want to highlight Cassie's story. Because at first I wasn't really that into it. I didn't really feel it. But the fact that it picked up and became just as engaging and moving as George's story was a real plus for me.

Theme: To me, family is the most important thing. And I adore books that explore the concept of family - the family we're born into and the family we make for ourselves. Several times the concept of nature versus nurture was brought up and examined, which was a really good point and which fitted in so nicely with the story.

👎 What I Disliked 👎

Similarities: While the dual stories were both really strong, I did find it a bit unrealistic that the two stories were so similar. George and Cassie share a lot of the same experiences, and while one would have been fine and plausible, the number of similarities here were too many in my opinion.

I read this on advice of a friend, it didn’t disappoint. It is in two time zones with different characters. Usually I would be more interested in one than the other but not in this case. Both were exciting. I found it easy to read. I would definitely recommend this and will read some more of Kathleen’s books.