Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
Hello, my wonderful friends! How have these first few days of fall been treating you? It was a wonderful weekend here on Cape Cod. I went to a local Oktoberfest with my husband, then came home and watched season one of Loki as we rewatch the MCU ahead of the Doomsday premiere. A friend and I also went to Boston to explore Lovestruck Books and take in the Fall Thai Market Festival happening just outside its doors. I hope your weekend was just as wonderful!
This week, I want to share with you the debut romance from author Amanda Gayle, Once, Again, Always, which I received from the great people at NetGalley, HarperAudio Adult, and Avon. As always, all opinions are my own. I am giving this read four stars for its wonderful story about Molly and Aster.
Molly wakes up in the hospital after a mishap with some books and cannot remember the last six years of her life. Only, when she wakes up, Aster Bishop, her former school rival, is saying that he is her husband!
She wants to go home with her best friend, but a lot has changed in the six years she cannot remember. Her friends have kids, acquaintances are telling her they are close friends, and she works in a bookstore instead of the library she dreamed of. Everyone is trying to ease her back into her life instead of just telling her what is happening.
Also, why is that room at the back of her apartment locked, and why will Aster not tell her what is inside? And did she really pick that hideous sofa?
As she begins to realize why she fell in love with her husband, Molly is told she may never get her missing memories back. Can she move on without them? Will her friends and family be able to do the same? Does she want a new life, or does she want to step back into the one she does not remember, even if everyone else remembers who she was? Guess you will have to pick this one up to find out more.
Before I tell you why this was a four-star read for me, I do want to say that the narration from both Will Damron and Lauren Fortgang was excellent. I loved how Will voiced Aster’s love, frustration, and worry. Lauren also did a fantastic job bringing Molly’s exasperation with herself and her friends to life as she struggles with her memory loss.
However, the reason for the four stars is the predictability. The minute that locked door was mentioned, I knew what was behind it. While it was a good story, that predictability kept it from being a great one for me.
One thing I loved, though I do not know whose decision it was, is that the trigger warnings were at the end of the audiobook. At the beginning, you are told where you can skip ahead to hear them. I appreciated having the option to check them first without automatically hearing information that might give away parts of the story.
If you are looking for an emotional story about finding your way back to love, this is one you are not going to want to miss. It comes out tomorrow, October 6th. Grab your copy now!
Until next time, my friends, happy reading!