What do you think?
Rate this book
The Defenders #4
A Trace of Memory
IN SEARCH OF HER PAST
Emma Landers has amnesia. Problem is, she can't remember how she got it, why she's injured or why someone wants to hurt her. When she lands on the doorstep of former love Travis Wright, she can barely remember their past history. But she knows she can trust him to protect her. The handsome farmer was heartbroken when Emma left him for the big city. But there's no way he can send her away when gunshots start flying. Now Travis must keep Emma safe while helping her piece together her memories—before it's too late.
The Defenders: Protecting children in need
Emma Landers has amnesia. Problem is, she can't remember how she got it, why she's injured or why someone wants to hurt her. When she lands on the doorstep of former love Travis Wright, she can barely remember their past history. But she knows she can trust him to protect her. The handsome farmer was heartbroken when Emma left him for the big city. But there's no way he can send her away when gunshots start flying. Now Travis must keep Emma safe while helping her piece together her memories—before it's too late.
The Defenders: Protecting children in need
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
36 people are currently reading
122 people want to read
About the author
Valerie Hansen
180 books251 followersValerie Hansen is the pen name of Valerie Whisenand.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Although I have been a published author since the mid 1980s, I have been writing women's Christian fiction almost exclusively since 1999.
There is a longer, more detailed bio on my website so there's no need for me to repeat all that here. Right now, I write for all three Love Inspired lines, Romance, Suspense and Historical. I'm delighted to have been included that broadly and besides, it keeps me so busy that I stay out of trouble. Well, mostly.
You'll find me on the LI Historical blog as well as other LI features. If I try to do much more I won't have time to write my books!
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Although I have been a published author since the mid 1980s, I have been writing women's Christian fiction almost exclusively since 1999.
There is a longer, more detailed bio on my website so there's no need for me to repeat all that here. Right now, I write for all three Love Inspired lines, Romance, Suspense and Historical. I'm delighted to have been included that broadly and besides, it keeps me so busy that I stay out of trouble. Well, mostly.
You'll find me on the LI Historical blog as well as other LI features. If I try to do much more I won't have time to write my books!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 4, 2014
Defeat was snatched from the jaws of victory. Until the last 40 pages, I was going to give it a high rating, then it was as if a new author took over - using every trite cliche available, transforming a strong woman into a hapless girl to be rescued by a male, and [SPOILER ALERT], having a little girl disappear and then reappear magically. Quel sad!
January 22, 2015
2.5 Stars for A Trace of Memory
What The Heck???
First off...wait the heck was with the last 40 pages? It was like the author was going for the all out cliché, hit every pet peeve Sarah has, award of the year. What happened? Things were going so well! knocked it down a full star!
We went from a full out, pretty awesome story about a woman with amnesia who manages to find her way back to her old flame (who she left for a chance at fame) and works to reclaim her past and solve a mystery that is putting her life in danger, to a cliché riddled nightmare. Who in their right mind goes to a paper about a drug ring and false conviction when the people who are really guilty are still out there and SHOOTING AT YOU WHENEVER THEY FEEL LIKE IT??
Going with the killer, being an idiot, nearly falling off a cliff, anti-climatic, and that epilogue...what is with these stories and people getting married as soon as humanly possible and 'magically' throwing together a wedding??? You know what, I'm not getting started because it IS my biggest pet peeve and I'll just get mad.
2.5 is as best as I can do for a rating with such a disappointing and annoying ending. Don't get my wrong, I loved the first 160-ish pages of this book, but when a book ends poorly like this one, it tends to overshadow the rest because it is the last thing you read and it is the last impression it leaves.
In Conclusion
If you don't mind endings like the one I loosely described above, you'll love this book. otherwise, stay away from it or it'll leave you with your knickers in a knot.
What The Heck???
First off...wait the heck was with the last 40 pages? It was like the author was going for the all out cliché, hit every pet peeve Sarah has, award of the year. What happened? Things were going so well! knocked it down a full star!
We went from a full out, pretty awesome story about a woman with amnesia who manages to find her way back to her old flame (who she left for a chance at fame) and works to reclaim her past and solve a mystery that is putting her life in danger, to a cliché riddled nightmare. Who in their right mind goes to a paper about a drug ring and false conviction when the people who are really guilty are still out there and SHOOTING AT YOU WHENEVER THEY FEEL LIKE IT??
Going with the killer, being an idiot, nearly falling off a cliff, anti-climatic, and that epilogue...what is with these stories and people getting married as soon as humanly possible and 'magically' throwing together a wedding??? You know what, I'm not getting started because it IS my biggest pet peeve and I'll just get mad.
2.5 is as best as I can do for a rating with such a disappointing and annoying ending. Don't get my wrong, I loved the first 160-ish pages of this book, but when a book ends poorly like this one, it tends to overshadow the rest because it is the last thing you read and it is the last impression it leaves.
In Conclusion
If you don't mind endings like the one I loosely described above, you'll love this book. otherwise, stay away from it or it'll leave you with your knickers in a knot.
December 25, 2021
Rating: 1.2 / 5
DNF at 33%
Generally speaking, I judge Harlequin novels by way easier standards than almost every other genre of books, but in this case, A Trace of Memory was bad even by harlequin standards.
Yikes!
Basically, the plot moves at a stupidly fast pace, leaving room for ZERO connection with either the characters OR the plot. I don't know who these people are or what their history is even after sixty odd pages interacting with them. It feels like the author wrote this while I gun was being held to her back, with the assailant yelling at her to finish the book already, faster, FASTER! That is the only way I can describe the brisk pacing, as well as all the confusion/nonconfusion (or whatever) about Emma's partial amnesia, Travis's own unexplained acceptance to everything and, as always, how the hell the people who are after Emma keep managing to find her and then accost in her various places. When one of these places was a ladies dressing room in the middle of a mall and NO ONE did anything to help or could even catch a glimpse of the assailant, then I was just done.
D-O-N-E, done, and not going to look back. Next, please. Just next.
DNF at 33%
Generally speaking, I judge Harlequin novels by way easier standards than almost every other genre of books, but in this case, A Trace of Memory was bad even by harlequin standards.
Yikes!
Basically, the plot moves at a stupidly fast pace, leaving room for ZERO connection with either the characters OR the plot. I don't know who these people are or what their history is even after sixty odd pages interacting with them. It feels like the author wrote this while I gun was being held to her back, with the assailant yelling at her to finish the book already, faster, FASTER! That is the only way I can describe the brisk pacing, as well as all the confusion/nonconfusion (or whatever) about Emma's partial amnesia, Travis's own unexplained acceptance to everything and, as always, how the hell the people who are after Emma keep managing to find her and then accost in her various places. When one of these places was a ladies dressing room in the middle of a mall and NO ONE did anything to help or could even catch a glimpse of the assailant, then I was just done.
D-O-N-E, done, and not going to look back. Next, please. Just next.
June 19, 2014
What an incredibly powerful story about amnesia and its effects on the person suffering from it and the people that love them. This is a well written story with lots of suspense and romance with interesting and colorful characters. “A Trace of Memory” is one of those hard-to-put-down books!! I loved the ending, and without saying anything to give it away, I will say I wish Emma and Travis had gotten custody of Sissy!!! Enough said, now you will have to read the book to understand! You will not be disappointed as this is another riveting, nail-biting inspirational suspense from Valerie Hansen and I highly recommend it! What a great writer and lovely Christian lady!
September 8, 2018
Loved it.
April 23, 2021
Really good mystery with a lost love thrown in for good measure. It had all the great elements of a mystery and a romance too. Very enjoyable.
January 18, 2017
This was a really intriguing story. Perfect blend of romance, suspense, and faith.
February 26, 2016
A fantastic story!!!
What a fantastic plot. To come out of such an ordeal, feeling God with throughout is wonderful. It's just like us humans when we go through a storm in our lives, Jesus promised he would go through the storm with us and be on the other side with us, when we rejoicing and praising Him for bring us through. We can look back over the storm and see how God worked everything out for our good even if we had our doubts going through the storm. And Travis, WOW. He was a symbol of God, reaching out and rescuing us at the last minute,
What a fantastic plot. To come out of such an ordeal, feeling God with throughout is wonderful. It's just like us humans when we go through a storm in our lives, Jesus promised he would go through the storm with us and be on the other side with us, when we rejoicing and praising Him for bring us through. We can look back over the storm and see how God worked everything out for our good even if we had our doubts going through the storm. And Travis, WOW. He was a symbol of God, reaching out and rescuing us at the last minute,
January 14, 2015
A Trace Of Memory one of the books in The Defenders series by Valerie Hansen was a very good book. Lots of suspense right up until the end. At the end I would have liked a little more romance. Was a happy ending. Bad people in the band Emma Landers sang in were after her. The other members were doing drugs. They thought Emma knew where some drug money was hidden. She didn't. An old boyfriend, Travis, saves her. A good read
Read
January 12, 2016Miniseries: The Defenders
September 4, 2014
Loved it
Great story, extremely well written. Drew me in from the first sentence. The plot was fantastic and different from the usual novel.
Great story, extremely well written. Drew me in from the first sentence. The plot was fantastic and different from the usual novel.
December 4, 2015
A nice read about love lost and found, memory lost and found, and the human spirit. Something to cheer you up on a cold afternoon.
July 13, 2016
Emma and Travis' story is poignant and Hansen makes it believable by having them rekindle their high school romance. Emma's amnesia and her memory nightmares were effective as suspense devices.
Read
January 12, 2016Miniseries: The Defenders
May 7, 2017
2.5 stars.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews