I enjoyed this story of 2 women trying to come to terms with their lives. One having amnesia, while the other is heading back to work after maternity leave. Their lives are about to collide in this domestic drama.

A sensitive book that will make you curious to know how the stories of both narrators are related! First book by the author that I have read and I intend to read more!

A suspenseful and interesting read with characters so well developed, I truly feel like I miss them now that it's over. I loved this book!!

I totally regret not reading this ARC as soon as I got it. The story was so good. I almost didn't see it coming. I kinda knew the other half but not everything. It was so well-written. And though it came from 2 POVs, it was very cohesive. A great thriller, for me.

"The Forgetting" by Hannah Beckerman is a compelling narrative that skillfully weaves together the lives of two women, Anna Bradshaw and Livvy Nicholson, whose worlds are thrown into disarray by the enigmatic threads of memory and unexpected revelations.

The story begins with Anna waking up in a hospital bed with complete amnesia, unable to recognize even her loving husband, Stephen. The author brilliantly captures the emotional turmoil and disorientation that Anna experiences, making the reader empathize with her struggle to reconnect with her past.

On the other side of the narrative spectrum, we are introduced to Livvy Nicholson, navigating the challenges of early motherhood and the desire to return to work. However, Livvy's life takes a perplexing turn when Dominic's estranged mother surfaces, bringing with her a series of unsettling claims that thrust Livvy into a version of herself she can't fathom.

What makes "The Forgetting" stand out is the masterful storytelling that keeps the reader engaged as the lives of these two women unfold, a hundred miles apart. Beckerman skillfully builds suspense and intrigue, creating an atmosphere of mystery that surrounds the characters and their intertwined destinies.

As the plot progresses, the novel expertly explores the themes of identity, secrets, and the intricate connections that bind lives together. The characters' struggles and the unexpected twists in their journeys make for a riveting read, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat.

Beckerman's writing style is both evocative and poignant, delving into the depths of human emotions with a keen understanding. The way she crafts the narrative, gradually revealing the layers of the characters' lives, adds a layer of complexity that enriches the overall reading experience.

In "The Forgetting," Hannah Beckerman delivers a captivating story of self-discovery, resilience, and the enduring power of connection. The novel not only explores the fragility of memory but also celebrates the strength that can be found in reconstructing fractured lives. For those who appreciate a thought-provoking blend of mystery and emotion, this book is a definite four-star gem.

The Forgetting is a fantastic thriller that is in the top of the class of the genre! I loved the mystery, character development, and little reveals throughout. I did not have things figured out before the end, but I really enjoyed trying to!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of The Forgetting by Hannah Beckerman.

Overall this was a very intriguing and interesting book. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 was because I guessed a couple of bits but it was still brilliantly written, characters were both great and infuriating and the main plot trope made me angry which I think is a positive when a book brings out such emotion. Very good I think!

Captivating story that kept my interest but very predictable ending

The Forgetting did a great job of keeping your interest with the highs and lows of the plot line. I was interested in the two women main characters' lives. But, from the very beginning I strongly disliked the male main character. He was never likable within the whole story. With the predictability, I guessed the plot at about 25% through the book. However, this di not stop me from finishing. I will say, it is a great thing to have a friend as great as the lady Anna met. They always say a mothers intuition is always right.

What a read. I really enjoyed the two different storylines and the suspense and what was going to happen. At time in the first half it was abit slow but it picked up the pace in the second half and explained why it was abit slow at the beginning. Overall really enjoyed it and would recommend.

How can you trust the present when you don't remember the past...?

What a delightful little gem this read turned out to be. It's certainly not a thriller though it does sit within that genre, but more of a drama with a touch of mystery and suspense. It has a slow unfold of events with a storyline that is both addictive and intriguing, enveloping you immediately. And believe me, you won't want to put this down.

The story unfolds in two separate threads and the perspectives of two women. Anna Bradshaw in London and Livvy Nicholson in Bristol. Throughout much of the tale the reader is puzzling over how these two women cross paths and how the two threads intersect. I suddenly got a light bulb moment and could see the entire thing play out to the point I detailed it all to a friend and then said I'm only halfway through but I'll let you know. To me, it just made sense...a perfect clever sense.

Anna wakes up in hospital with no memory of how she got there or even of who she is. The strange man standing beside her bed claims to be her husband Stephen but she doesn't recognise him. They were involved in a car accident with Stephen driving for which he blames himself as he walked away and she ended up with amnesia. After a couple of days of tests and observation, the doctor is happy to discharge her citing that the best place for her to be is at home in familiar surroundings. But as soon as Stephen guides her through the front door, Anna is immediately disoriented. Nothing at all feels familiar. Stephen tells them they have been living here a year but Anna finds herself hard pressed to envision herself in the stark white kitchen or any other room for that matter. She notes that their furniture doesn't seem to match the starkness of the home's decor and, while she feels the pale blue of their bedroom would be calming, she is shocked to discover that their chunky bed takes up most of it eliminating that tranquility that would be otherwise present. Stephen tells Anna that she worked as a librarian before being made redundant and that they have been married twelve years. Before he leaves for work each day, he places the books of what apparently were her favourite authors on the table for her to while away the hours. But she finds she cannot engage in the stories and cannot reconcile herself with choosing these for herself.

But then as the days turn into weeks, Anna begins to wonder about her life before. Where is her family? Why have they not visited? And what about friends? When she ventures out of the house after tiring of the same four walls day in day out, she meets Zahiera and her three year old boy, and it strikes her where are her friends. Why has no one called around to see how she is? And when Zahiera asks for her number, Anna says that she doesn't have a mobile phone. Why not? Everyone has a mobile...don't they? When she confronts Stephen with her questions, he bats them away with soothing overtures that she needs time to heal and that he'll order her a new phone since her one broke in the accident.

But with her need for answers, comes even more questions. And she continues to ask Stephen who is slow to remind her of her past. Why? What heartaches is he keeping from her?

Livvy never thought she would be a mum but when she fell pregnant at 37 just a few weeks into her relationship with Dominic, she feared she would be trudging this path alone. But her fears were unfounded because rather than dump her upon learning the news, Dominic proposed and the couple wed in a small ceremony before baby Leo entered the world in December later that year. Livvy cannot believe her luck. How did she manage to land such a perfect husband as Dominic? Now Leo is six months old and Livvy cannot imagine her life before him. But she is also itching to return to work at the end of her maternity leave.

As an engineer, Dominic received a four month contract in Sheffield which would take him away from them for four days of the week, coming home Friday afternoons to spend the weekend together. His tenure is due to finish at the time Livvy is due back from her maternity leave. Everything seems to be falling into place for her, especially when she is unexpectedly offered a promotion when she does return to work. This is when her picture-perfect world begins to show cracks.

After waving Dominic goodbye one Monday morning, she is shocked when Dominic's estranged mother turns up on her doorstep and pleas with Livvy to listen to her. She wants to reconnect with Dominic after the death of his father and build a relationship with her grandson but Dominic is having none of it. He cut off his parents three decades ago, confiding in Livvy about his difficult childhood. Livvy slams the door on her but despite this, Imogen continues to harass her. She follows Livvy to the park with baby Leo, calls her mobile and when Livvy refuses to take her calls, she texts her or leaves messages on the landline..but only when Dominic is away in Sheffield. Coincidence?

And then Dominic returns from Sheffield one day with a bombshell which is sure to change everything.

This is a very clever tale, expertly told and drip-feeding the reader with just enough information to keep them engaged and turning the pages, longing to find out more. The fact I correctly figured out the major plot twist didn't ruin my enjoyment of this wonderful tale. Because the enjoyment is in the telling, the unfolding, the ability to keep me engaged throughout. And Beckerman managed all of that. Of course, the major plot twist doesn't occur till around 88% and I'd figured out where it was heading about halfway. Just something I picked up on just clicked something inside my head and I thought "that's it!"

While it is a slow unfolding tale, it is not a slow paced one. The pace is steady throughout with the end of each chapter leaving us wanting more. And while we have the two stories of both Anna and Livvy unfolding, it is not difficult to keep pace with each individual story. They are both clearly marked, and Anna's in particular is in the first person while Livvy's is in the third. I wouldn't, however, rate this as a thriller. More of a contemporary fiction/domestic drama/suspense. But it was as intriguing as any thriller...probably more so than some I've read.

The characters are fairly easy to navigate, though not always entirely likeable. It soon becomes clear that there is a level of abuse in the form of gaslighting and coercive control taking place and, while some reviewers despaired over the characters' weakness and inability to take back control, it's not so easy as that in reality. That's what makes them so good at what they do; they are master manipulators and with every idea put forth, they appear welcoming and on board with it all but then reveal some concerns which in all honesty are quite valid but are also meant to seem as such in a way that then makes the other person re-evaluate things and end up agreeing. So really, the master manipulator has just engineered circumstances into the direction they have already predetermined but in such a way that makes the unsuspecting person think that they made the decision themselves. They are not called master manipulators for nothing. And quite honestly, both men displayed these passive-aggressive abusive traits which was indeed a worry for both women. They are quite clearly keeping their fair share of secrets, so how will it all unfold?

A highly emotive story, I cannot say enough wonderful things about this book. When I re-read the premise before starting, I did wonder why I requested it as it really didn't seem at all my thing. But I'm sure glad I did! It is by far one of my favourites. My only complaint is the ending is a little ambiguous. I would have preferred a more conclusive outcome rather than the promise of one. But it wasn't enough to shave anything off my rating.

A solid 5 stars.

I would like to thank #HannahBeckerman, #Netgalley and #LakeUnionPublishing for an ARC of #TheForgetting in exchange for an honest review.

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

I read several reviews of this book before I read it and the story seemed to take a long time to develop. The reviews all talked about a major twist and I kept anticipating it happening. It certainly was a major twist. Give the first half of the book the benefit of the doubt and keep reading, you'll be happy you did.

This was a great domestic suspenseful novel! There’s two women. Anna who has amnesia and can’t remember her life or her husband Stephen. And Liv who’s happily married to Dominic with a young child. The story alternates between the two of them. There’s an ominous tone to the story as Anna tries to find out more about herself.

Fantastic book! First I have read from this author and hopefully not the last. Great storyline with a great lead up to the plot twist. One that i didnt guess from the get go which is a major plus. Definitely a summer read!

I thought the premise was definitely intriguing for this book and the connection between the women kept me reading, however the further I got into the book, the less I enjoyed it. The women were extremely weak and I guess just let their life happen t0 them as opposed to actually taking charge. It was not as noticeable with Lizzy as it was with Anna, however it became pretty obvious what was going on around halfway through the book. The part about the mother coming around and the part about the past relationship just completely threw this book into left field and made it no longer plausible. This was not a terrible book, however not really good either. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

As soon as I started this book I was drawn into the lives of the two women, Anna in London & Livvy in Bristol. Anna wakes up in hospital and remembers nothing, not even the accident which put her there & not even her loving husband, Stephen & when she goes home she doesn't remember her home at all.

Livvy is married to Dominic, she's desperate to get back to work as her maternity leave ends but Dominic thinks it's too soon. When his estranged mother turns up she begins to question her sanity.

I wondered for a while what the connection to the two women are. As the author reveals the connection to the reader I was totally gobsmacked! A twisty read which I absolutely adored.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC.
This is my first title by this author and will read more in the future.
Will recommend this to anyone looking for a thriller.
I requested this book as i was drawn in by the cover and thought it looked interesting.
This is a clever and well written thriller.
I loved this book it was so creepy and twisty
Thanks again for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Two women, one in Bristol, one in London. What connects them?
I enjoyed this book a lot, and while I saw the twist coming, it was still a good play on the memory issues trope. You have to suspend your disbelief in parts, but still a fantastic read that I enjoyed a lot!

My first reaction is WOW! The story itself is very interesting. The resolution of the story is shocking. The story introduces you to 2 women - one who wakes up in the hospital in London after an auto accident and can't remember anything about her life, including who she is and anything about her husband or her life with him. The second one is about a woman from Bristol who is married with a baby and is now ready to go back to work when her husband's mother, who he hasn't had contact with for years, suddenly shows up. As you read most of the book, you wonder how in the world the author is going to connect these 2 seemingly unrelated women and stories. And then she hits you with it and you go WOW!

One aspect that truly stood out to me was Livvy's admirable ambition and determination to pursue both a fulfilling career and motherhood. She defied the stereotype of naive and passive women and showcased her strong views. The author skillfully portrayed how even someone seemingly blessed with a loving family, supportive friends, and an engaging job could justify questionable actions. It challenges our expectations of trust and truthfulness, essential for navigating the world. While these expectations are necessary, encountering individuals who exploit them is an unfortunate reality.