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Remembering Lauren
After a brutal attack in the city leaves her scarred, Nikki Freeman flees to the sleepy little town of Glenwood, Florida for a chance to regroup and find peace again. Small town living brings challenges of its own and she struggles to find her place in this deep rooted community. What she doesn't count on is discovering Glenwood has a few not-so-sunny secrets hidden in its recent history.
Encouraged by her new friends and haunted by her past, Nikki delves into the mystery of a young girl who vanished seven years earlier, the night before Prom. Had she not survived her own attacker, would she have been forgotten as well? As her investigation leads to unexpected places, she's forced to ask herself just how much she'll risk to find a stranger.
Encouraged by her new friends and haunted by her past, Nikki delves into the mystery of a young girl who vanished seven years earlier, the night before Prom. Had she not survived her own attacker, would she have been forgotten as well? As her investigation leads to unexpected places, she's forced to ask herself just how much she'll risk to find a stranger.
- GenresContemporary
361 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 1, 2016
11 people are currently reading
11 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
February 23, 2019
This is a well written debut novel that I enjoyed.
Nikki is trying real hard to move on after she was attacked. Needing a fresh start she finds herself in a small town where she makes friends. Unfortunately the small town has its own secrets including the disappearance of Lauren Weston.
Although I thought this story was slow to start all I wanted to do was keep reading, I needed to know what was gonna happen next. I’m so looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Nikki is trying real hard to move on after she was attacked. Needing a fresh start she finds herself in a small town where she makes friends. Unfortunately the small town has its own secrets including the disappearance of Lauren Weston.
Although I thought this story was slow to start all I wanted to do was keep reading, I needed to know what was gonna happen next. I’m so looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.
October 5, 2020
What happened to Lauren?
Misha Jordan writes a mystery that gives clues. But you have to follow all the way through for the answers. You also get a great romance just to spice it up.
Misha Jordan writes a mystery that gives clues. But you have to follow all the way through for the answers. You also get a great romance just to spice it up.
September 7, 2018
All tea, no shade - not a lot of people can make a slow burn small-town mystery that heavily centres on its protagonists work.
Misha Jordan can.
The novel starts with a cold open that immediately instils a sense of dread and urgency, and you'd think that, when the pace shifts once we get into the story proper, that impression would be spoilt, but in the hands of a quality writer who clearly knows how to temper and maintain rhythm, the change highlights that dark undercurrent.
And make no mistake, despite plenty of sweet scenes that wouldn't be out of place in a quirky small-town romance, the novel doesn't shy away from showing us its sinister side. At first, it comes in flashes - a phrase here, a seemingly throw-off sentence there - but once we start digging into Lauren Weston's disappearance and learn more about Nikki's traumatic past, the grip of the mystery becomes more overt and the suspense increasingly palpable, leading us through the twists and turns towards a highly satisfying conclusion. Best of all, if you're a stickler for realism, you'll be very satisfied with the way the investigative details of the story are handled (let's just say that I was not surprised when I found out the author has a background in law enforcement).
But, for me, the biggest selling points are the two main characters, Nikki and Eric. I loved how they are decidedly NOT the centre of each other's world - far too many writers fall into the trap of gluing love interests to each other and neglecting other relationships in their lives, but not Misha Jordan. And this is why you can not only cheer their developing feelings, but sympathise with a lot of the things they go through together. There's nothing magical about their connection; it's as real as it gets, and oh so much better for it. Take note, they do have some grownup funtimes together, which I know isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I personally found those scenes tasteful and wonderfully written.
Both Nikki and Eric are very sweet people (Eric turns into a puppy when he's with his sister, it's just adorable!), and while, on the surface, one'd say their lives developed in different ways, both of them learned the same lessons from it - to work hard, to be good people and good friends, to be resilient, empathetic, and driven. Nikki begins the story as an outsider finding her way into becoming a part of the close-knit community Eric is already a part of, but because their personalities were built to be complementary to each other, it doesn't take them long to find common ground they can build their relationship on.
I also love the fact that there's none of that 'Alpha' crap with Eric - he's a good man who is comfortable in his own skin, devoted to his family and work to the point of putting his life on pause, and plagued by very relatable problems, which makes him a great partner to Nikki, who is smart, strong, inquisitive, caring, though perhaps a little naïve and tenacious. And those last two are the impetus for most of her teaching moments, because Nikki is blissfully far from perfect. She makes mistakes, and she learns from them, and grows as a character right before our eyes in a very natural, genuine way.
All in all, I enjoyed Remembering Lauren very much, and would highly recommend it to every fan of the mystery/thriller genre. It was a fun and gripping story, and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
Misha Jordan can.
The novel starts with a cold open that immediately instils a sense of dread and urgency, and you'd think that, when the pace shifts once we get into the story proper, that impression would be spoilt, but in the hands of a quality writer who clearly knows how to temper and maintain rhythm, the change highlights that dark undercurrent.
And make no mistake, despite plenty of sweet scenes that wouldn't be out of place in a quirky small-town romance, the novel doesn't shy away from showing us its sinister side. At first, it comes in flashes - a phrase here, a seemingly throw-off sentence there - but once we start digging into Lauren Weston's disappearance and learn more about Nikki's traumatic past, the grip of the mystery becomes more overt and the suspense increasingly palpable, leading us through the twists and turns towards a highly satisfying conclusion. Best of all, if you're a stickler for realism, you'll be very satisfied with the way the investigative details of the story are handled (let's just say that I was not surprised when I found out the author has a background in law enforcement).
But, for me, the biggest selling points are the two main characters, Nikki and Eric. I loved how they are decidedly NOT the centre of each other's world - far too many writers fall into the trap of gluing love interests to each other and neglecting other relationships in their lives, but not Misha Jordan. And this is why you can not only cheer their developing feelings, but sympathise with a lot of the things they go through together. There's nothing magical about their connection; it's as real as it gets, and oh so much better for it. Take note, they do have some grownup funtimes together, which I know isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I personally found those scenes tasteful and wonderfully written.
Both Nikki and Eric are very sweet people (Eric turns into a puppy when he's with his sister, it's just adorable!), and while, on the surface, one'd say their lives developed in different ways, both of them learned the same lessons from it - to work hard, to be good people and good friends, to be resilient, empathetic, and driven. Nikki begins the story as an outsider finding her way into becoming a part of the close-knit community Eric is already a part of, but because their personalities were built to be complementary to each other, it doesn't take them long to find common ground they can build their relationship on.
I also love the fact that there's none of that 'Alpha' crap with Eric - he's a good man who is comfortable in his own skin, devoted to his family and work to the point of putting his life on pause, and plagued by very relatable problems, which makes him a great partner to Nikki, who is smart, strong, inquisitive, caring, though perhaps a little naïve and tenacious. And those last two are the impetus for most of her teaching moments, because Nikki is blissfully far from perfect. She makes mistakes, and she learns from them, and grows as a character right before our eyes in a very natural, genuine way.
All in all, I enjoyed Remembering Lauren very much, and would highly recommend it to every fan of the mystery/thriller genre. It was a fun and gripping story, and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
February 24, 2019
I received a copy of this book from an ARC group I am a member of.
The story started off at a fairly even pace, and was told for the most part through the point of view of, Nikki, a crime victim herself who has moved to a small town in Florida for a change of pace. She had found a job as a Vet Tech and during her first few days there, discovers that a girl by the name of Lauren disappeared in the town eight years before. Since she is a member of a "crime club" in Gainesville, she is curious about the unsolved disappearance of Lauren and proceeds to question people in the town about it.
The author did a fair amount of telling in this book, and I thought it would have read a bit better had there been a bit more dialogue telling the story rather than narrative. I found myself having problems with the pacing of the story after about the 1/3 mark. The story tended to have a lot of narrative that contained information that could have been edited out, some of it only served to fill the pages, or that's the way it seemed to me when reading. The book itself could have used a good proofing, as "breaks" instead of "brakes" or double quotation marks showed up more often than I like to see.
Overall, the story was interesting, it was told in a strong point of view, regardless of whether it was Nikki or Eric that we were reading about. I wish it had been about 20% shorter, as that extra 20% had me taking a break from reading the book, then going back to it. I also found myself skimming over pages (and sadly never lost track of the story even though some pages I spent fewer than seconds on).
The story started off at a fairly even pace, and was told for the most part through the point of view of, Nikki, a crime victim herself who has moved to a small town in Florida for a change of pace. She had found a job as a Vet Tech and during her first few days there, discovers that a girl by the name of Lauren disappeared in the town eight years before. Since she is a member of a "crime club" in Gainesville, she is curious about the unsolved disappearance of Lauren and proceeds to question people in the town about it.
The author did a fair amount of telling in this book, and I thought it would have read a bit better had there been a bit more dialogue telling the story rather than narrative. I found myself having problems with the pacing of the story after about the 1/3 mark. The story tended to have a lot of narrative that contained information that could have been edited out, some of it only served to fill the pages, or that's the way it seemed to me when reading. The book itself could have used a good proofing, as "breaks" instead of "brakes" or double quotation marks showed up more often than I like to see.
Overall, the story was interesting, it was told in a strong point of view, regardless of whether it was Nikki or Eric that we were reading about. I wish it had been about 20% shorter, as that extra 20% had me taking a break from reading the book, then going back to it. I also found myself skimming over pages (and sadly never lost track of the story even though some pages I spent fewer than seconds on).
February 26, 2020
This book starts off light and innocent as Nikki moved to a new town for a fresh start. From the title and description of the book, though, I knew this book was about to expose its secrets. Nikki wants to leave behind a traumatic incident and start anew, but these desires are complicated when she hones in on a cold case. Throw a romantic interesting in the mix, and you have an interesting plot with lots of conflict.
I appreciated how Nikki was a believable character most of all. The author fleshed her out well, and as I reader, I followed Nikki's quest to find out what happened to Lauren. Very much a recommended read.
I appreciated how Nikki was a believable character most of all. The author fleshed her out well, and as I reader, I followed Nikki's quest to find out what happened to Lauren. Very much a recommended read.
February 16, 2019
So this is a new author to me and i will continue to read her work. She sucked me in right away! This is a Mystery and my first that i can think of. I do have to say that there were things that were predictable to me. I have watched a lot of crime/Mystery shows so i was able to see where the author might go. She did throw me off with the ending! wow. It was a great read and im very happy that i now have a new author to follow.
February 12, 2019
An interesting premise. The book was good, didn’t have enough suspense as I thought it would.
It was a little slow at times but at the same time I keep reading because I wanted answers.
It was a little slow at times but at the same time I keep reading because I wanted answers.
February 11, 2019
Loved this book, it had me trying to guess who did what and trying to figure out why and how. This was the first Misha Jordan book I have read and was pleasantly surprised with her writing, I'm definitely going to check out more of her work. If you like mystery mixed with a love story then you'll want to check this out.
September 16, 2017
I enjoyed Remembering Lauren. It isn't the type of genre I would usually read, but the story and characters felt believable and realistic to me. At times I felt like I was part of the story, hanging out with people I wouldn't usually hang out with. I was glad the story went where it did, and didn't leave any cliffhangers. It got more interesting and exciting as the story went on, right up till the end!
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August 22, 2017
Nikki has finally recovered from a brutal attack, and just wants to move away from city life so that she can start fresh. But tiny Glenwood is holding some big secrets...particularly with the mysterious disappearance of sophomore Lauren Weston the day before prom seven years ago. Can Nikki--along with her hot crush Eric and her sleuthing friends from Jacksonville--find out what happened to Lauren?
I really enjoyed this book. It's slower and character-driven instead of plot-driven, but it accurately portrays small-town life (although I didn't think it really hit the weird atmosphere of Northern Florida at all, because it also felt like it could be taking place in Smallville, Ohio, too) and the interactions between the characters were realistic and enjoyable.
Nikki is smart, resilient and determined to solve the mystery as part of her own healing process, but she's empathetic enough to realize the emotional damage she's causing by opening up old wounds. She also begins to make relationships with friends and and other families (go female friendships!) in the area, and experiences what it means to be truly part of a small town and a community-family.
Eric, the other narrator in the story, is a local boy single-handedly running a mechanic shop to support his mother and sister. He has a close network of friends, but became distanced from them when he dropped out of high school after his father died. With the reopening of Lauren's case-file, Eric begins to see that he missed quite a few things during the months of mourning for his father and trying to keep the family farm running, and learns that he needs to start participating in life instead of watching from the sidelines.
I really enjoyed this book. It's slower and character-driven instead of plot-driven, but it accurately portrays small-town life (although I didn't think it really hit the weird atmosphere of Northern Florida at all, because it also felt like it could be taking place in Smallville, Ohio, too) and the interactions between the characters were realistic and enjoyable.
Nikki is smart, resilient and determined to solve the mystery as part of her own healing process, but she's empathetic enough to realize the emotional damage she's causing by opening up old wounds. She also begins to make relationships with friends and and other families (go female friendships!) in the area, and experiences what it means to be truly part of a small town and a community-family.
Eric, the other narrator in the story, is a local boy single-handedly running a mechanic shop to support his mother and sister. He has a close network of friends, but became distanced from them when he dropped out of high school after his father died. With the reopening of Lauren's case-file, Eric begins to see that he missed quite a few things during the months of mourning for his father and trying to keep the family farm running, and learns that he needs to start participating in life instead of watching from the sidelines.
April 15, 2018
This mystery was full of surprises for me. It started with a scene that certainly grabs the attention, and sets up what I thought would be a fast-paced, suspenseful read. So, my first surprise came when things slowed down on that front. My second came when I found that the story is no less compelling for that slower pace as the author drew me in to this character driven tale. Page after page, I began to feel like I knew these people, and the more I got to know them, the more I wanted to know. I wanted to join in on the gossip, to learn their secrets, to make friends - they feel that real! My biggest surprise came with the identity of our villain. I had that part figured out rather quickly, and normally that would dim the rest of the story for me, but with Remembering Lauren, it kept me turning pages. Not only to learn the reason for this young girl's disappearance, but to see how it would all play out, and I have to say that I definitely didn't see the final confrontation going the way it did. In addition to a mystery that is certainly dark, gritty, and a bit sinister, we also get some sweet romance for our amateur sleuth and vet tech, Nikki. All in all, this debut novel is an excellent introduction to a promising author. It's small town mystery at its finest and has made Misha Jordan one to watch.
February 23, 2019
Nikki left the bright lights of the big city,the place that she loved and the people who were her friends. She needed to get away from the memories of that fateful night when her stalker had taken her away from everything that she had come to think of as her normal.
She decided to leave the big city and move to Glenwood a small farming community. She finds out that everybody knows everybody and they all know each others secrets. After meeting Tony who invites her to join him and his friends for a cook out she started to feel happier in her new surroundings. She now had girl friends and she had caught the eye of a few men as well. It was then that she found out some people hid a lot of their secrets away.
A great page turner from Misha Jordan.
She decided to leave the big city and move to Glenwood a small farming community. She finds out that everybody knows everybody and they all know each others secrets. After meeting Tony who invites her to join him and his friends for a cook out she started to feel happier in her new surroundings. She now had girl friends and she had caught the eye of a few men as well. It was then that she found out some people hid a lot of their secrets away.
A great page turner from Misha Jordan.
December 31, 2023
Nikki is the new girl in town. In addition to getting started at a new job and making friends, she’s taken on another project - solving the murder of a young girl who disappeared seven years before. Overall, I enjoyed this book. It’s a small town murder mystery with fantastic main character development and pacing. Jordan is a great writer, and it’s a relatively quick read. While the reveal isn’t going to blow your mind, it’s creative enough. Perhaps more realistic than other crime novels. My one issue with the book was its editing. There were numerous grammatical, spelling, or punctuation issues that should have been fixed prior to publication. Other than that, if you want a “fun” crime read, this is it.
February 14, 2019
It took me a bit to find time to sit down and read this book, but once I started I couldn't stop! The plot draws you in from the very beginning and leaves your head spinning as you are whisked along the twists and surprises each chapter has to offer. Being a vet tech and animal lover myself, I found myself connecting with both the author and our main protagonist Nikki. The sense of mystery and intrigue kept me riveted the entire time, and I eagerly ate up page after page. I'm so looking forward to book two, and Remembering Lauren will definitely be something I recommend to others!
April 6, 2019
This was set for a great story, tonnes of intrigue and mystery, however I felt that despite how much I liked Nicki and her backstory interested me, a large proportion of the story was told and not shown. This can normally be forgiven, however in one segment early on Nicki goes to a party and we are told the entirety of events. Where I felt let down was when this happened again but from Eric's perspective. There were several sections such as this I felt the book can overhaul, as the characters and plot itself were all engaging.
February 12, 2019
I am simply blown away by this author’s creative writing when it comes to this mystery.
This book is about a woman (Nikki) that sets out to discovery what happen to a 7 year old girl. Along the way, she meets some interesting characters.
The plot is engaging, her characters are clearly drawn and there is no mistake as to what roles they play. I look forward to another book but this author.
This book is about a woman (Nikki) that sets out to discovery what happen to a 7 year old girl. Along the way, she meets some interesting characters.
The plot is engaging, her characters are clearly drawn and there is no mistake as to what roles they play. I look forward to another book but this author.
February 14, 2019
Grabs you in chapter 1 and does not let go. I didn’t want to put it down. There are so many twists in this story and you feel like your part of the story you wanna know what happened to Lauren. By the end of this I had cried because of sadness and then because of happiness. I can’t wait for book 2. I want more. 😢
February 13, 2019
Wow this was a great mystery book with some twists and turns to lead up to the discovery of the whole story. Your heart will break with this book on many levels, but this author did such a great job with her writing you are right there with them.
February 15, 2019
This was a gripping good mystery with lots of twists and turns with great characters and description that hold your attention right from page one just waiting for something bad to happen in this small town life so if your into figuring out a puzzle this ones for you.
February 17, 2019
A Great Read. This is a new author to me. And I'm so glad I read this book. It's very well written. The characters are incredible. I would recommend this to to anyone. I was hooked from beginning to end. I cant wait to read more from Misha Jordan.
February 20, 2019
This story had me from the first page and kept me guessing for awhile. The characters are well written and the love story evolves slowly. The mystery is intriguing and the plot twists and turns as you discover the motivation behind the suspects of this unsolved missing person case. This is the first book I read from Ms. Jordan but I’m sure it won’t be the last visit to this quaint small town.
February 18, 2019
this was a really great book! it did start out kinda slow. she needed a new life after she escaped her kidnapper. now there is a young woman who went missing years ago similar to her own. she wants to find answers, but they could get her killed. read to find out what happens.
February 24, 2019
This is a good story although it didn’t grab me right away. I found it a little slow in the beginning but once it picked up I found myself pretty intrigued the rest of the way. It was a worthy read for sure!
February 26, 2019
First time reading a book by Misha Jordan and I really enjoyed it. I kind of figured out the ending before the end. LOL This reminded me a bit of Nancy Drew but in today's world. I loved the characters and happy that Nikki and Eric got their HEA.
February 26, 2019
While this isn’t the type of book I usually reach for, I was pleasantly surprised by it. The writing is strong, characters interesting, and story engaging. This is a new author for me, but I look forward to reading more of her work.
September 6, 2019
Misha Jordan does a great job telling this story. The only reason this doesn't get a 5 star rating from me is because I figured out the "who" before it was revealed. However, finding out the "why" was worth continuing to read. I look forward to reading more from this author.
February 11, 2019
Read this nonstop and boy was it a page Turner. Things happen that you least expected. Kept me guessing. Now I would think I knew but nope blind sided me. Couldn't put it down!!!
February 16, 2019
Nice mystery
This was a nice mystery book with a little romance in it. I like the build up and the character background.
This was a nice mystery book with a little romance in it. I like the build up and the character background.
February 22, 2019
A very good book! I liked the characters because they were believable and well thought out. The plot was interesting. Try it!
February 23, 2019
Wonderfully written,
Sensitive Readers beware as some scenes in the book could be Triggering.
Well Sculpted Story, I highly recommend reading!
Sensitive Readers beware as some scenes in the book could be Triggering.
Well Sculpted Story, I highly recommend reading!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews