Reviews

ARC reader review: After Chelsea wakes up from a car accident remembering nothing from the past few years of her life, her ex husband Benjamin tries to fill in the gaps. But as her memories slowly come back, she discovers new people and new information that tries to break the new bond with Ben. Will they stay together? Or will her memories tear them apart once more?

caireeds's review

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2.0

I want to first say that there is nothing wrong with the book or the storyline itself. The reason I am giving it three stars is because it just isn’t my cup of tea.

If you are someone who loves second-chance romance, memory loss, etc., then this is the book for you! I just didn’t love the memory loss aspect of the storyline. I really wanted to like it and I did really enjoy Ben and his storyline and how he loved and cared, but it still was hard for me to get fully in to.

I am still so grateful for the opportunity to have read this book as an ARC!

junemarieg's review

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emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Chelsea and Bens love story takes their readers on a bit of an angsty ride as they work together to see if they can save their love story. This book a was a quick read and did have its surprise twist and angst moments we all love in a second chance romance trope. Still the book was hard to put down as I kept waiting to see where these two would end up and if they could be the odds. Definitely excited to see where their story heads.

Also do want to throw out a possible trigger for sexual assault

Content Warnings

adventuresinfictionland's review

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emotional fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

manonreadsforthefunofit's review

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challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I’ve received an e-ARC copy from the author- but all my thoughts and opinions are my own, this is my honest review.

We follow Chelsea (FMC) and Ben (MMC). The book starts off with Ben receiving a call that his ex-wife has been in a car accident in Texas. He drops his work to be with her. She hasn’t woken up yet, but Ben learns from the Dr. that Chelsea will survive, only she will probably have a long recovery. Ben is anxious about when Chelsea will wake up, will she be angry?

Eventually Chelsea wakes, but she has amnesia. She can’t remember anything from when she was in college, a year before she met Ben.

So Chelsea wakes up, and sees a strange man at her bed, the nurse introduces him as her husband. When they talk, Ben tells Chelsea that they are actually divorced, and that they haven’t talked for a long time, since they aren’t very friendly. The reason the hospital called him was that he is still her emergency contact, and still listed as her husband.

While Chelsea is in the hospital recovering, Ben keeps on visiting as much as he can. He tells her all about how they’ve met, how they got married, how they’re marriage ended.

Finally, after a long stay, Chelsea is released from the hospital, and Ben takes her to their old home.

I found the story very captivating. It pulled me in right away, with the accident, the memory loss, and what Ben told Chelsea about their relationship.

At certain parts the storyline did not connect very well, like characters who were going from 1 room to another, and then instantly were somewhere else. This happened several times, and made it a bit confusing. It is clear to see it is a debut novel, and there is room for improvement.

I did love the whole storyline overall, what the author did with Ben and Chelsea, how they re-connected. It was just fast, and felt rushed at times.

The spice was a lot (for me as non-spice reader), but I didn’t mind. I was well written out!

I am a fan of the ending, that cliffhanger! I did not see that coming!

Overall, I really liked the book and give it 3,5⭐

cliterateur's review

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emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Alright, folks, gather 'round because we've got ourselves an intriguing ride through the tangled web of love, amnesia, secrets, and some steamy scenes that could fog up your glasses. "Forgotten Vows" is like a thrilling adventure that starts slow but gains momentum as you go along.

Picture this: Chelsea Sanders wakes up one day in Texas, missing eight years of her life and having no clue why a ruggedly handsome man is claiming to be her ex-husband. Talk about a bad case of amnesia! But don't let the cliché amnesia trope scare you off; it's only there for the initial setup, and things get spicy pretty fast.

The story is told in an omniscient third-person POV, which might rub some readers the wrong way. There are moments when the transitions between Chelsea's and Benjamin's thoughts feel a bit clunky, like you're switching TV channels too quickly. But hey, it's just an annoyance when you consider the delicious, slow-burning tension between our two leads.

Now, let's talk about the tone. The storytelling is like a hushed secret being whispered in your ear. It's oddly soothing, given the drama unfolding. You'll find yourself getting emotionally invested in Ben and Chelsea's journey "slowly at first, and then all at once," just as John Green said.

Oh, did I mention the spice? Yes, there's some tastefully done steaminess in this book. It is open-door and graphic but it's like a fine wine – classy and elegant. So, if you're into romance with a side of sizzle, you're in for a treat.

In the grand scheme of things, "Forgotten Vows" balances out after the first part where amnesia seems like an info-dumping mechanism. Once you hit the 35% mark, it finds its groove, and you'll be turning those pages faster than a kid in a candy store. It’s very much interesting at first, I just found that there was some info-dumping happening there at first. Don’t get it twisted, there is still a LOT to unpack and find out after all that.

All in all, "Forgotten Vows" is the perfect palette cleanser or a quick, emotional, and fun read. It's the kind of book you'd want to curl up with on a rainy day, or any day when you need a dose of love, drama, and just the right amount of spice. I'd give it 4 stars, depending on how much you enjoy a good, old-fashioned second-chance romance with a twist. So, grab a copy and join Chelsea and Ben on their passionate journey. Will they find their happy ending, or will their vows truly be forgotten forever? You'll have to read it to find out.

I was given a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

teripowley93's review

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emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Reviews

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acrab01's review

snehak27's review against another edition

gottbooks's review

kbookworm10's review

caireeds's review

junemarieg's review

adventuresinfictionland's review

manonreadsforthefunofit's review

cliterateur's review

teripowley93's review