The Forgotten Life of Ella Moon offers a heartfelt exploration of memory, loss, and self-discovery. The concept is intriguing, and Ella is a character with emotional depth and vulnerability that’s easy to connect with. The story has its moments of beauty and quiet reflection, and the themes are genuinely touching.

That said, the execution felt uneven. The pacing dragged in parts, and certain plot threads didn’t feel fully resolved or meaningful. Some supporting characters felt more like sketches than fully realized people, and the emotional impact didn’t always land as strongly as it could have.

Overall, it’s a decent read with a promising premise and some poignant moments, but it left me wanting a bit more in terms of development and emotional payoff.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Victory Editing for sending me this ARC.

"Their love had been written in the stars; it would be there until the last star burned out. She knew because she wrote it there."

A fairytale about two gods cursed to eternally endure a broken heart, and a girl who is trying to find where she belongs.

This book was absolutely enchanting. I was fully transported into Ella's whimsical and magical world. This book is beautifully written and tugs on your heartstrings in the most loving way. Ella and Thane's journey is tumultuous and heartbreaking, and I was rooting for their story from the very beginning.

Ella is an incredible character and I found little bits of myself with her. Her desire and passion really pull the story forward and her resilience is breathtaking.

The elements of celestial gods and classic fairytales tied this book up into an incredibly melancholy and nostalgic read, spun into something entirely new. The story of Dawn and Darkness is not only a dreamy creation, but also incredibly beautiful and so lovingly done. Though our main character deals with memory loss and remembering who she is, I will definitely remember this story and think of it every time dusk comes around.

𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯. 𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘴. 𝘐𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳.

OH. MY. GOODNESS. icb I actually read a romance book (well… technically it’s a romantasy) and devoured it in just 3 days. That’s how GREAT it is 😭🫶🏻🫶🏻

The lyrical and whimsical prose kept me engaged with this book, and it made me so curious about what would happen next that I couldn’t bring myself to put it down. I ended up devouring the first part in one night, completely hooked by the drama happening between Ella, Thane and those around them 😋

I love how the story slowly unfolded across the current timeline, the past, and the aftermath, it was just *chef’s kiss* LITERALLY PERFECTION‼️ It’s been a while since I was this invested in a book, the story still lingers in the back of my mind 😩💗 Honestly, I LOVEE all the characters, yes including Death (fr though, if villain, why hot? 👁️👁️)

Don’t get me started on the main couple. They’re both horrendously down bad for each other. Star-crossed lovers, who are cursed to break each other's heart. The yearning, the longing… and whenever they pour their hearts out? 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩 💝💘💖💓 Ugh I swear my review doesn’t even come close to doing justice to how amazing this book is 😩

Anyway, thanks to netgalley, the author Melissa Naatz and the publisher for giving me chance to read this eARC in exchange for the review.

Wow! I really enjoyed reading this. The prose was absolutely beautiful and gave the whole story a really dreamy, magical quality. The mystery was perfect; it kept me guessing but gave enough clues that I felt I was getting closer. The romance was just what I wanted; a slow burn, natural feeling build up.
The story felt original and the characters felt real and fully formed. Honestly just a great book!

3/5 stars

This was a cute and light read! I really liked the author’s writing style and the plot was interesting enough. Would defo read again the future

Wow, this story was absolutely beautiful! And can we talk about the gorgeous cover!

I loved Ella so very much from the beginning. Thane was fantastic as well. A true star crossed lovers story! The story was romantic and also tragic and also happy and also sexy. Well done!

The Forgotten Life of Ella Moon is a beautiful, tender story that captures the ache of lost memories and the healing power of love. From the first page, I was pulled into Ella’s journey — a woman piecing together her past while discovering a love that feels both brand-new and achingly familiar.

The romance in this book is truly the heart of the story. It’s not just about passion (though there are swoony moments!) — it’s about trust, vulnerability, and finding your way back to someone even when everything else feels uncertain. The chemistry between Ella and her love interest is electric yet deeply emotional, making every interaction between them meaningful. I found myself rooting for them through every hurdle, every tender moment, every heart-wrenching revelation.

The writing is lyrical without being overwhelming, and the emotional depth is incredible. It’s the kind of romance that sneaks up on you, leaving a lingering warmth long after you turn the last page.

If you love stories about second chances, emotional healing, and soul-deep connections, The Forgotten Life of Ella Moon is absolutely worth reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for this advanced copy. You can pick up The Forgotten Life of Ella Moon on May 13, 2025.

There's no doubt that Melissa Naatz's prose is gorgeous, and her world-building in this story is really well done. However, I struggled with some plot points that made it difficult to fully immerse myself in the story. Thane and Ella's romance was sweet and heartbreaking, but I couldn't get over their initial disbelief that she could be who he was looking for (just because he didn't recognize her). Maybe my mood contributed to it as well, but I found it a bit difficult to suspend MY disbelief at some of the major beats in the book.

Overall though, if you want an atmospheric, tragic lovers story, this is the book for you!

First of all, can we talk about how gorgeous the cover of this book is?! It caught my eye the moment I saw it! I’m honestly obsessed with the whole aesthetic. If you’re a fan of Greek mythology and love stories about gods, you must check this out. The love story between Dawn and Darkness will completely steal your heart!

In this story, we’re following our FMC (female main character), Ella, who’s lost her memories. She’s trying to navigate this new life while having no idea who she is, and it’s such a journey. One of my favorite parts was the whole found family vibe especially Ella’s friendship with Sissy. Their bond was just so precious and heartwarming. I loved it so much!

Also, I have so many quotes, highlights, and little notes in this book because I just couldn’t help myself! I loved that there’s a little bit of spice too. And the tension between the main characters? *chef’s kiss*

Honestly, the only thing that kept me from giving this a full 5 stars was Thane. Don’t get me wrong, I love him, but he was so stubborn at one point. I just wanted to grab him by the collar and scream, “SHE’S DOING IT FOR BOTH OF YOU, PLEASE CALM DOWN AND STOP BREAKING EACH OTHER’S HEARTS!!!” 😭 But to be fair, he does make up for it, and I forgave him... eventually.

"Because broken hearts can be mended. And mistakes forgiven."

^ This quote just hit me right in the feels.

The plot twist? SO GOOD. I didn’t see it coming at all! I loved the ending, too, although a part of me wishes we could have had just a little more of Dawn and Darkness together because, honestly, I can’t get enough of them. 😭

Overall, I loved this book so, so much. I had the best time reading it, and I would recommend it to anyone who loves romance, fantasy, and a little bit of magic. Huge thank you to NetGalley and the amazing author, Melissa Naatz, for sending me this ARC. I’m seriously so grateful — I loved every second of it!

start date: 04-20-2025
end date: 04-23-2025
star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5)
🌶️🌶️

This book is beautifully tragic, star crossed lovers at its finest! I loved the ancient fairytale vibes, and the unique twist on this trope. I also LOVED the nods to classic fairytales I grew up with, especially the Sleeping Beauty references!

The beginning drops you into Ella’s life, she doesn’t know who she is or where she comes from, then one day a handsome stranger shows up…and he feels familiar but she can’t quite figure out why. I loved the mystery, and I loved discovering clues and answers along with Ella!

The story and the world really open up around the half way mark and it will break your heart and glue it back together, over and over again. The writing is so hauntingly beautiful, it just painted the world perfectly and fully immersed me into it.

If you love star crossed lovers, lore, feuding gods, curses, and a love for the ages you absolutely NEED to pick this up!

Thank you NetGalley and @melissanaatzauthor for the eARC! All my opinions are my own.

The Forgotten Life of Ella Moon by Melissa Naatz

I absolutely enjoyed reading this book.
It is a beautifully written, cosy romance romantazy with a powerful punch. This moving, heartbreaking tale of love will leave you feeling so many emotions. Naatz's writing is stunning, and I loved getting swept up in Ella's story.
My only critique is that the transition between the first and second parts of the book felt a bit disjointed, but I still really enjoyed it. I highly recommend this book - it's a tragic love story. I look forward to reading more of Melissa Naatz writing.
Look out for this book. Publication date 13/05/2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co Op for the opportunity to read and review this Advanced Release Copy.

thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eArc!

To start off, I really enjoyed the first part of this book, there was some kind of melancholic sadness that I found interesting and that kept me on reading. But sadly, there was not much else that I enjoyed. The book is really predictable and there is practically not much that makes you anticipate what comes next because everything is so obvious. combined with the writing style that was very simple and quite repetitive it just didn't work for me. And I also did not feel the romance at all. I think there is an audience for this book and i hope it finds them but I'm just not one of them and that's okay, and i wish the author all the best!

To start I loved the first part of the book when Ella is lost in the mortal world trying to figure out her past. I liked when the magical elements started to mix in and her pull to Thane becoming an undeniable link to her past. But, once things shift and start to unravel then the past is revealed I felt like the story went a little south for me. It would pick up here and there but I just didn’t care about the main character’s relationship quite as much as they weren’t very likable. Then the end fell completely flat and honestly a bit confusing. I think this is supposed to go into a series possibly because there was a lot of set up for some things that seemed to have been let go of really easily to create some major plot holes. All in all I loved the overall idea and concept but maybe could have used a little more polishing on the execution. Would still continue to see where it goes if it does become a series and hopefully see more of the Gods involved.

Ella Moon was found almost a year ago, with no memories of her past life. Since then, she has been trying to remember who she was and what happened to her.

This is a sweet and whimsical story about a love that remained when no other memories were left.

3.8 stars rounded up! This book was devastatingly beautiful. 😭 Thank you, NetGalley for the eARC!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ . 8 / 5
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️ / 5
Plot? Absolutely LOVED it. It was beautiful and heartbreaking all at once.

I loved this book and the cover? STUNNING. 😍

After reading this, I’m going to be looking at cloudy skies differently. I’ll be wondering if it’s simply the weather or if there is a god in the heavens that’s in mourning and bruising the skies with the pain.

The Forgotten Life of Ella Moon is very well-written and I loved the characters (well, most of them). Although, there were a few minor inconsistencies I kept coming back to that threw me off a little, and there was so much information at once at many times in this book that I had to go back and read it a few times over to make sure I got it all tucked away in my head because if I didn’t, I definitely would have forgotten and other details wouldn’t have made much sense.

I felt like this book could have been longer to slowly deliver all the information and details the readers needed, but I still very much enjoyed this book. It was lovely and emotionally frustrating all at once, but I love that. The fact that words on a page can make me feel so much is so exciting. ❤️



**disclaimer: I received this eARC from NetGalley and left this review of my own accord. All thoughts are my own**

I thought this would be a more though up newish fairy talke which was exciting, but it seemed to be more of a retelling of multiple fairytales which there are a lot of those. So while the book was very good and the writing flowed nicely, I thought it could have been a bit more original , even in the names.

Wonderfully written, The Forgotten Life of Ella Moon will linger within your mind long-after you finish reading. The struggle of memory-loss for Ella, as she recalls moments from her past and then to her present-day self are captured so well within this book, it moved me in the ways of love and loss and broke my heart a little along the way. An absolute must-read for fantasy and romance readers.

The premise was interesting, but sadly DNF'ed this one after a few chapters. Unfortunately the writing style wasn't for me, but I'm sure there will be others out there who really enjoy this!

I had such high hopes for this book after reading the blurb, and while the storyline was interesting, the more I read, the more I felt that this book just wasn't for me.

There were things I enjoyed while reading this book - the entire concept of this book and the storyline was genuinely interesting and the love story kept me going because I really wanted to know if there was a happy ending.

But there were also some things that just weren't my cup of tea. The writing style was very clean cut and to the point, which made it easy to read but at times felt very repetitive and unnecessary reminders of things that have already been clearly established seemed to slow down the pace of the storytelling for me.

I didn't find Ella, the main character, to be particularly likable; at times I found her quite conceited, shallow and fickle, especially in the first half of the book, and again nearer the end. I understood why to a degree, but sometimes it felt like being beautiful and in love were her only personality traits.

I did like Thane, though - he wasn't overbearing and, at times, genuinely seemed like the only rational character. I really liked Sissy too. Her whimsy, childlike charm was really quite endearing, and it was lovely to just have a normal, genuinely kind character in the mix.

There's so much going on in this book, from God's (so, so, many God's) to curses to family fueds to deals with Death to fairytale lands, it was almost too much to contend with.

Overall, this book was fine. I can see a lot of people really enjoying this, but it just wasn't a good match for me personally. If you enjoy a clear-cut writing style, romantasy, flirting with the God's, stories of magic and heartbreak, and a happy ending , you'll probably enjoy this book.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC, it's much appreciated ♡

Review posted to GoodReads 24/04/25

I wasn’t familiar with the original stories that inspired this whimsical tale, so I may have missed some of the charm others might find in it. While the concept had potential, the story didn’t quite land for me.

I tend to prefer less dialogue, and the pacing felt a little repetitive—particularly in the first portion, where the main character spends a lot of time complaining.

When the male lead arrives, he brings a bit of intrigue, but the mystery element didn’t fully hook me. It was easy to add up the clues and know where this was going. I can see how others might enjoy this, but this one wasn’t it for me.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for this advanced copy. 🫶🏼

Check out this review on Fable
https://fable.co/review/e5e68fc8-6e45-4667-8e49-c5220d75d267/share