Member Reviews
Another great book by Hannah Linder! All of her books have a lot of suspense and mystery, but this one seemed to have so much more of both. I couldn't put it down. I really liked how Simon and Georgina's relationship developed in a natural and believable manner. It would have cheapened things if they had overcome their trials and flaws and past hurts too easily.
I have a bit of mixed feelings about this book. It is well written in a way that makes you want to keep reading but on the other hand I found it too slow burn and was waiting for the positive happy ending in the story. The ending was not completely satisfying for me. I will not give spoilers but it would be nice if there was a bit more substantiation as to why they came to certain decisions.
For me it was just an okay book because I felt like something was missing. I really enjoyed the writing style which makes me curious if there is another (shorter) book by this writer that would suit me better than this one.
After every Hannah Linder book I read I am always in awe of how good it was and then I want to binge read the rest of her backlist (which is getting shorter because I’ve been reading a lot)!! This book was no exception! I hate to say it because it’ll probably change again when she publishes another, but I think this one might be my new favorite!
I just loved how Simon had one foot in the proper English world and one in America on a homestead as a self made man. It gave him depth as well as inner turmoil, trying to figure out where he belongs and what he really wants in life.
There were quite a few things in the story I wasn’t expecting! I liked how there was intrigue from several different angles as well a second love interest. It made the story interesting and had me on the edge of my seat! I kinda want Mr. Oswald to get a story now!
The way the book wraps up was exquisite and I kinda loved how it took til almost the very end for things to resolve. Unpopular opinion, but I think the delay added to the angst of the moment and made Simon’s ultimate decision more significant.
I 1000% recommend this book! 5 stars for sure! A huge thank you to NetGalley, the author and Barbor Publishing for the advance copy!
Never Forgotten is about story about loss, love, loyalty and finding Gods path. Simon is constantly running it seems trying to make his own way in life through his own strength. He runs into tragedy upon tragedy never really knowing who to trust. Through the story we see him transform and almost forced to stop running and have his eyes open.
Georgina is loyal to her core even when it seems everyone is constantly leaving her. What I love about her though is she doesn’t stop that from loving and caring for others.
This story is filled with Faith, edge of your seat action and mystery, and love with fighting for.
I highly recommend.
I am so thankful I was able to read Never Forgotten early thanks to Hannah her publisher and NetGalley
I picked up this book expecting more of a sweet romance but got something entirely different, but it was a welcomed surprise. I’m torn between 4 and 5 stars because on one hand, I REALLY admired the writing and story, but it was really sad for most of the book, with what seemed continuous unfortunate events for the poor characters. I was really stressed out up until the end. A true testimate to Linder’s exceptional writing in how she weaves a compelling story through mystery and painstaking longing felt by the characters. Her writing style is something really unique and special. Her characters are real and have all the marks of what actual human beings fully fleshed out in all their complexities. It’s easy to write paper cut out characters that are easily categorized, but this is not that and is no surface level innocent regency novel, which I am glad for! Linder has become a writer that I immediately add to my book shelf upon release.
Thank you for the arc copy, all opinions are my own.
I’ve read all of Hannah Linder’s historical novels up to this point, and every time I finish the last page I sit in awe of her stories. Each one is my new favorite! This one was gut-wrenching and terrifyingly beautiful from the very beginning! It kept up the intensity all the way through until the climactic end when Simon made his final decision.
I loved how Linder gives us a glimpse of the American world and the expected London regency with Simon’s character. This second-chance romance and thrilling mystery will delight all who read it!
I received an ebook copy from NetGalley and Barbour in exchange for an honest review.
Oh the danger and suspense! I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. There were a few unexpected twists. I stayed up way too late to finish the book, I had to discover the causes of Simon and Georgina’s danger.
Georgina carries some secrets. She had her heart broken years ago but hid it from everyone and is also hiding a family secret. She is hurt but also sweet and caring.
Simon is determined to find justice even when danger starts circling. He is frustrated by his father’s demands especially when his mother won’t allow any changes. He is so devoted to his children!
John and Mercy were wounded but adorable kids. I loved how the butler let them do things he scolded Simon for. And the way Georgina falls in love with them was so sweet.
Favorite lines: He loved her…loved her because she was the lifeline that kept pulling him from the waves. Only now she was going down too.
This ARC was provided through NetGalley by the publisher. I was not required to give a positive review, rating and opinions are my own.
Hannah Linder has done it again. She has written a well thought out book with depth-filled character. The way love was shown in this book shook me. They showed that real love isn’t an emotion or a feeling, but a decision. It’s putting what you say into action and they did that. Kris Vallotton said “You can sacrifice and not love, but you cannot love and not sacrifice.” You can see this throughout the book. I can’t say enough how much I loved this book. My sister and I gushed about a certain scene towards the end. Y’all will just have to read it and see.
I received an eARC from Netgalley, all opinions are my own.
I've had a hit-or-miss relationship with this author's books. I absolutely loved Beneath His Silence, liked The Girl from the Hidden Forest quite a bit, but DNF'd Garden of the Midnights. As to this book, I give it 3 stars.
The book was very well written, full of intrigue and drama, but . . .
While I found the mysterious events riveting, in the sense that I found it intriguing and puzzling, there was just so much doom and gloom and so little joy in the book, that I can't really say I enjoyed reading it. I felt compelled to finish it, but only because I wanted to learn who was causing all the tragedy, turmoil, and trouble. On a positive note, I was fairly late in guessing the villain, so I'd say it was unpredictable. But after finishing, I was left with questions about motivation . . .
While I appreciated that there was an epilogue, I found this one to be disappointing. I believe if it had been set a little further into the future lives of the MCs, it would have been better.
Tastes in reading are subjective, so others may disagree with my opinion and love the intrigue and drama of the story.
Hannah Linder is making a name for herself as a Christian "gothic" writer. Her books have some dark themes but are never gory or inappropriate. I enjoyed Never Forgotten very much!
In the book, Georgina Whitmore is engaged to Simon Fancourt. It is an arrangement by their parents and Simon rebels against his father's expectations. He leaves his fiance and society behind and travels to the Americas. Twelve years later, he returns to his family home with two small children with no other goal but to find his wife's killer. He knows someone is releasing convicted criminals to the Americas instead of being executed and one of them killed his wife. Georgina has been living quietly all these years having never found Simon's equal. But someone doesn't like Simon's investigation and targets him and his children. Desperate, he turns to Georgina for help. The two of them must work together to keep the children safe, find who's responsible for all the trouble and maybe leave with their hearts intact.
I love reading historical fiction with light romance and high adventure. My only critique of Never Forgotten would be its fast pace. It moves so quickly without pausing for a breath and I actually felt tired when I finished the novel. I will be looking forward to any future books by Hannah Linder!
So, so many plot twists, so much sorrow, so much danger, so much misunderstanding, and so much everything. Yes, Hannah Linder's "Never Forgotten" is exactly that - so much! Definitely her best work that I have read to date. Characters that twisted my heart strings and wove me into their lives from page one. Now, I have to let this story steep in my thoughts a little longer before I can read anything else.
Releases Nov. 1st. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I had a hard time putting this book down because of the intense emotions it invoked. So much angst, regret, sorrow, drama, pain, anger and violence lurked in its pages I wanted to quit several times, but couldn’t because I had to find out how everything would be resolved. There is more than one mystery to solve, as both the hero and heroine lost loved ones in brutal ways, and it has you guessing if everything was interconnected. I felt so sorry for Simon’s mother who lost everything she held dear, and although the ending is a HEA for Simon and Georgina, she must have felt great sorrow that the only family she still had, left her behind. I felt the greatest tragedy was Georgina's heartache; she was nothing but kind, sweet and loving despite the grief Simon caused her and did not deserve such anguish. All throughout I wanted to shout the words Sir Walter says near the end, “If you wish to stop being a fool, Fancourt, stop being one.” How sad it took him that long to realize it when he could have experienced so much happiness earlier and given it to others. Although this was much heavier than expected, I still enjoyed reading it; I only wish there could have been a longer portion of the book dedicated to their happiness at the end. Thanks to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing, I received a complimentary ARC copy. These thoughts and opinions are my own.
"Never Forgotten" is set in 1813, mostly in England. I got 63% of the way through this story before I just couldn't care how it ended and quit due to lack of interest. I just couldn't relate to the main characters, who seemed determined to be contrary. Georgina is rich, beautiful, and sweet. She had many suitors but only fell "in love" with Simon, the only man who was indifferent to her. She still believes herself in love with him twelve years after he abandoned her (his betrothed) for another country and another wife.
Simon's father doesn't come across as cruel or unreasonable, but Simon will do anything (even stupid things) to spite his father...even after his father's dead. Simon also handled everything with violence, killing his wife's murderers and then beggaring himself to return to England to have revenge on the person who set those known murderers free instead of hanging them. His method of searching for answers left dead innocents in his wake.
Since Georgina was one of the few still supporting him, he used her, even put her in danger to protect his children. It's only at the point that I quit that he began to think he had misjudged Georgina and took some interest in her life and worries. The thing is, Simon has a horrible temper and dealt with practically everything personally and with violence. If Georgina and Simon get married, I just don't believe Georgina will get the devoted love that she's longing for. Someday, Simon will hit her or maybe even abandon her again because he doesn't appreciate his current life and thinks something else will be fulfilling. I don't want them to end up together, so I won't finish the story. Georgina deserves much better.
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!