What do you think?
Rate this book
The Day She Can't Forget
It changed her life. But can she remember everything?
On a cold evening Zeb, a single mum in her thirties, is found wandering aimlessly on a remote road. She is dazed, confused and bloodied. She doesn’t know where she is, or how she got there. She has travelled far from home and someone has attacked her. Memory loss means she can trust no one, and with her assailant unidentified, Zeb is desperate to be reunited with her son Matty, and to ensure their safety. But what will her search for the truth uncover? Will it bring answers, or more questions? And what if the person she can rely on the least… is herself?
The Day She Can’t Forget is tense and evocative, perfect for fans of The Sister or Saving Sophie. Packed full of emotion, drama and mystery, it is Meg Carter’s second novel, following her bestselling debut The Lies We Tell.
On a cold evening Zeb, a single mum in her thirties, is found wandering aimlessly on a remote road. She is dazed, confused and bloodied. She doesn’t know where she is, or how she got there. She has travelled far from home and someone has attacked her. Memory loss means she can trust no one, and with her assailant unidentified, Zeb is desperate to be reunited with her son Matty, and to ensure their safety. But what will her search for the truth uncover? Will it bring answers, or more questions? And what if the person she can rely on the least… is herself?
The Day She Can’t Forget is tense and evocative, perfect for fans of The Sister or Saving Sophie. Packed full of emotion, drama and mystery, it is Meg Carter’s second novel, following her bestselling debut The Lies We Tell.
341 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 24, 2016
62 people are currently reading
516 people want to read
About the author
Meg Carter
8 books28 followersAfter graduating from the University of London with a degree in English, I worked directly for CEO Michael Green at Carlton Communications. I then joined Televisual magazine, published by Centaur Media, where I worked for four years eventually becoming Assistant Editor.
A brief stint on Centaur sister title Design Week followed before I joined Marketing Week writing news, features and editing various sections including the international pages.
Four years later, I was approached by EMAP to edit its then recently-acquired title Commercials magazine - a position I held until going freelance.
During more than two decades working as a freelance features writer, I have contributed to a wide range of titles. Newspapers include: The Financial Times; Wall Street Journal; The Guardian; The Independent; The Times and The Telegraph. Magazines include: The Radio Times; The Mail on Sunday's You Magazine; Personnel Today; Director; Campaign; The Marketer and Wired.
I am an advisory board member for Women in Journalism and co-ordinated and wrote the WiJ report Real Women: The Hidden Sex.
A brief stint on Centaur sister title Design Week followed before I joined Marketing Week writing news, features and editing various sections including the international pages.
Four years later, I was approached by EMAP to edit its then recently-acquired title Commercials magazine - a position I held until going freelance.
During more than two decades working as a freelance features writer, I have contributed to a wide range of titles. Newspapers include: The Financial Times; Wall Street Journal; The Guardian; The Independent; The Times and The Telegraph. Magazines include: The Radio Times; The Mail on Sunday's You Magazine; Personnel Today; Director; Campaign; The Marketer and Wired.
I am an advisory board member for Women in Journalism and co-ordinated and wrote the WiJ report Real Women: The Hidden Sex.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
December 19, 2023
EXCERPT: February 2016
A road appears through the shifting whiteness. Along it walks a woman.
She is beyond cold. Coatless and sodden, hobbled by city shoes, she staggers forward. Her nostrils flare. Her mind struggles to focus. She doesn't stop to think why she has no coat, or what brought her here, stumbling along this tarmac lifeline, in an ice-bound landscape, however long ago. Yet two things are certain: she must keep walking, left then right, repeat. And she must not turn back.
ABOUT 'THE DAY SHE CAN'T FORGET': On a cold evening Zeb, a single mum in her thirties, is found wandering aimlessly on a remote road. She is dazed, confused and bloodied. She doesn’t know where she is, or how she got there. She has travelled far from home, and someone has attacked her. Memory loss means she can trust no one, and with her assailant unidentified, Zeb is desperate to be reunited with her son Matty, and to ensure their safety. But what will her search for the truth uncover? Will it bring answers, or more questions? And what if the person she can rely on the least… is herself?
MY THOUGHTS: There is far more to this book than the publicity blurb indicates. Usually I am critical of blurbs for giving away too much of the plot, but this time it does not do the book justice.
Despite a somewhat confusing beginning, I enjoyed The Day She Can't Forget by Meg Carter. There are two stories told over three timelines. The main character is Zeb (Elizebeth), the woman found wandering around in shock. She seems quite unstable at times, and I can quite understand why her ex-husband was wanting their son Matty to spend more time with him. We are privy to Zeb's childhood growing up with her dad Pete, and his partner Helen; and then Zeb in the present day, following the death of her father. The third timeline and second story is that of Alma (she hates her old-fashioned name) and builds up to the day she can't forget. The two stories do intersect, eventually.
It's a slow burner of a read, but one that I enjoyed, although it could benefit from a bit more judicious editing. I would have liked to know more of Alma's story in the latter years of her life rather than the very small and not at all informative glimpse we are given.
If you are wanting a thriller with lots of intrigue and excitement, then this isn't the book for you. This is more of a multi-generational family drama complete with long held secrets, and lies perpetuated over the years.
⭐⭐⭐.7
#TheDaySheCantForget #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: Meg is an advisory board member for Women in Journalism and has spent more than two decades working as a freelance features writer.
DISCOSURE: Thank you to Canelo via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The Day She Can't Forget by Meg Carter for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
A road appears through the shifting whiteness. Along it walks a woman.
She is beyond cold. Coatless and sodden, hobbled by city shoes, she staggers forward. Her nostrils flare. Her mind struggles to focus. She doesn't stop to think why she has no coat, or what brought her here, stumbling along this tarmac lifeline, in an ice-bound landscape, however long ago. Yet two things are certain: she must keep walking, left then right, repeat. And she must not turn back.
ABOUT 'THE DAY SHE CAN'T FORGET': On a cold evening Zeb, a single mum in her thirties, is found wandering aimlessly on a remote road. She is dazed, confused and bloodied. She doesn’t know where she is, or how she got there. She has travelled far from home, and someone has attacked her. Memory loss means she can trust no one, and with her assailant unidentified, Zeb is desperate to be reunited with her son Matty, and to ensure their safety. But what will her search for the truth uncover? Will it bring answers, or more questions? And what if the person she can rely on the least… is herself?
MY THOUGHTS: There is far more to this book than the publicity blurb indicates. Usually I am critical of blurbs for giving away too much of the plot, but this time it does not do the book justice.
Despite a somewhat confusing beginning, I enjoyed The Day She Can't Forget by Meg Carter. There are two stories told over three timelines. The main character is Zeb (Elizebeth), the woman found wandering around in shock. She seems quite unstable at times, and I can quite understand why her ex-husband was wanting their son Matty to spend more time with him. We are privy to Zeb's childhood growing up with her dad Pete, and his partner Helen; and then Zeb in the present day, following the death of her father. The third timeline and second story is that of Alma (she hates her old-fashioned name) and builds up to the day she can't forget. The two stories do intersect, eventually.
It's a slow burner of a read, but one that I enjoyed, although it could benefit from a bit more judicious editing. I would have liked to know more of Alma's story in the latter years of her life rather than the very small and not at all informative glimpse we are given.
If you are wanting a thriller with lots of intrigue and excitement, then this isn't the book for you. This is more of a multi-generational family drama complete with long held secrets, and lies perpetuated over the years.
⭐⭐⭐.7
#TheDaySheCantForget #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: Meg is an advisory board member for Women in Journalism and has spent more than two decades working as a freelance features writer.
DISCOSURE: Thank you to Canelo via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The Day She Can't Forget by Meg Carter for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
January 1, 2017
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel, received in exchange for an honest review.
(Please note I always give an extra star bonus rating to electronic novels, because I deplore electronic reading and my E-reader, as I find the structure awkward and the experience less than enjoyable. But this is not always the fault of the publisher or the novel itself).
Meg Carter’s novel, “The Day She Can’t Forget”, starts with a young woman who is found wandering down a deserted road. When she is finally picked up and taken to hospital, she begins the quest for the missing hours she can’t remember, and along the way discovers family secrets that leave her questioning who to trust.
This novel had a great cover and a great description. As mentioned above, I dislike reading on my E-reader as I find the novels aren’t formatted properly and sometimes require a bit of extra effort to follow along. The plot of this novel, however, was awkward and choppy, and I do not blame my E-reader for this. The novel has two protagonists and spans two generations- Alma, whose storyline falls in the 70s, and Elizabeth, telling her story from modern day. Initially, the inclusion of Alma was disjointed and confusing. I had no idea why I was reading about her and how she tied in to the story. About halfway through the author finally gives the reader some idea as to who Alma is and why she is important. The novel’s storyline is difficult to follow as well, not because it jumps between two storylines, but because the storylines seem disconnected. I found that when reading, I felt like I had missed massive parts of the plot and was tempted to go back and re-read for the missing pieces. It seemed as if parts of the novel had been left out, or that I was supposed to know who characters were that had not been introduced.
The description of the novel is misleading as well. True, Zeb (Elizabeth) is found wandering down a road, rescued and taken to hospital, but we never find out what happened during the memory gaps. So these questions remain unanswered, which leads to more confusion.
This novel is more of a “search for answers amidst family secrets” novel than anything else. The true identities of the characters of the novel are finally revealed toward the end of the story, so there are no unanswered questions when it’s all over. The ending itself is happy and satisfying, however by the time the ending comes I was finally just figuring out who the characters were.
I enjoyed the novel’s setting (Scotland…yes please!) and some characters (like Fraser) were completely lovable! I did enjoy the character of Zeb, although it took some time to warm up to her and develop any kind of kinship with her. Although confusing, the novel was enjoyable to read and it intrigued me enough that I wanted to discover how it ended.
I would recommend this novel to those readers who are fans of novels like “The Nest” and other “family secret” stories, although do not be misled by the cover. This novel is less psychological thriller than the cover and description would lead you to believe. Not entirely a bad read, and definitely something worth exploring if you are nearing the end of your “to-read” pile.
(Please note I always give an extra star bonus rating to electronic novels, because I deplore electronic reading and my E-reader, as I find the structure awkward and the experience less than enjoyable. But this is not always the fault of the publisher or the novel itself).
Meg Carter’s novel, “The Day She Can’t Forget”, starts with a young woman who is found wandering down a deserted road. When she is finally picked up and taken to hospital, she begins the quest for the missing hours she can’t remember, and along the way discovers family secrets that leave her questioning who to trust.
This novel had a great cover and a great description. As mentioned above, I dislike reading on my E-reader as I find the novels aren’t formatted properly and sometimes require a bit of extra effort to follow along. The plot of this novel, however, was awkward and choppy, and I do not blame my E-reader for this. The novel has two protagonists and spans two generations- Alma, whose storyline falls in the 70s, and Elizabeth, telling her story from modern day. Initially, the inclusion of Alma was disjointed and confusing. I had no idea why I was reading about her and how she tied in to the story. About halfway through the author finally gives the reader some idea as to who Alma is and why she is important. The novel’s storyline is difficult to follow as well, not because it jumps between two storylines, but because the storylines seem disconnected. I found that when reading, I felt like I had missed massive parts of the plot and was tempted to go back and re-read for the missing pieces. It seemed as if parts of the novel had been left out, or that I was supposed to know who characters were that had not been introduced.
The description of the novel is misleading as well. True, Zeb (Elizabeth) is found wandering down a road, rescued and taken to hospital, but we never find out what happened during the memory gaps. So these questions remain unanswered, which leads to more confusion.
This novel is more of a “search for answers amidst family secrets” novel than anything else. The true identities of the characters of the novel are finally revealed toward the end of the story, so there are no unanswered questions when it’s all over. The ending itself is happy and satisfying, however by the time the ending comes I was finally just figuring out who the characters were.
I enjoyed the novel’s setting (Scotland…yes please!) and some characters (like Fraser) were completely lovable! I did enjoy the character of Zeb, although it took some time to warm up to her and develop any kind of kinship with her. Although confusing, the novel was enjoyable to read and it intrigued me enough that I wanted to discover how it ended.
I would recommend this novel to those readers who are fans of novels like “The Nest” and other “family secret” stories, although do not be misled by the cover. This novel is less psychological thriller than the cover and description would lead you to believe. Not entirely a bad read, and definitely something worth exploring if you are nearing the end of your “to-read” pile.
October 28, 2016
In 2016, a woman is found wondering down a street in freezing weather without a coat and with no memory. She also has blood all over her. As she slowly regains memories, her fear intensifies. In 1974, a young woman has just began school at an exclusive music academy. It is her first chance at freedom, society, and love. How do these two stories intertwine? What happened then and now?
This is told in two timelines, past and present. It is very confusing. The past timeline was pretty interesting and if that would have been the whole story, the book would have been okay. The current storyline is a mess. We have a woman with holes in her memory, who was a wreck before that happened, and who seems like a pity-party for one. Yes, she has excuses, but she was just so annoying.
I did not care for this book, but I encourage others to read it and make up their own minds.
*I voluntarily read an Advance Reader's Copy of this book and have given an honest review *
This is told in two timelines, past and present. It is very confusing. The past timeline was pretty interesting and if that would have been the whole story, the book would have been okay. The current storyline is a mess. We have a woman with holes in her memory, who was a wreck before that happened, and who seems like a pity-party for one. Yes, she has excuses, but she was just so annoying.
I did not care for this book, but I encourage others to read it and make up their own minds.
*I voluntarily read an Advance Reader's Copy of this book and have given an honest review *
October 24, 2016
Zeb (Elizabeth) is found wandering on a back road, covered in blood, and disoriented. Whose blood is it? Where has she been? What has she done?
This is as mysterious or suspenseful as it gets. Without inadvertently leaking a spoiler or two, I will say that the book seemed to amble back and forth between present day and 30 or so years ago .. before she was born.
Zeb has had a few issues lately ... her father died, she went through a divorce, and her ex is spending more time time with their young son than she is. In his defense, she also had a drinking problem.
Bouncing back and forth with so many characters to keep track of and how everyone related to someone else left me with little interest in any of them.
I did enjoy her new romantic interest, but not much else. I had to work to get through this one.
Many thanks to the author / Canelo /Netgalley. I chose to read an ARC of The Day She Can't Forget and all opinions are my own.
This is as mysterious or suspenseful as it gets. Without inadvertently leaking a spoiler or two, I will say that the book seemed to amble back and forth between present day and 30 or so years ago .. before she was born.
Zeb has had a few issues lately ... her father died, she went through a divorce, and her ex is spending more time time with their young son than she is. In his defense, she also had a drinking problem.
Bouncing back and forth with so many characters to keep track of and how everyone related to someone else left me with little interest in any of them.
I did enjoy her new romantic interest, but not much else. I had to work to get through this one.
Many thanks to the author / Canelo /Netgalley. I chose to read an ARC of The Day She Can't Forget and all opinions are my own.
November 28, 2016
On a cold night a woman is stumbling down a road, disoriented, unsure of what is happening to her and covered in blood, her name is Zeb. Someone passing by sees her and takes her to the local hospital. As she lays in a the hospital bed some of her memories begin to return, she is aware she is a mother, knows that she is no longer with her husband, but how did she end up in Scotland? There is a second story-line, a character named Alma who has a boyfriend Pete. At this point I was unable to see what all this has to do with Zeb but gradually as Zeb recovers her memory, we find out what connects these two story-lines and finally the pieces fall into place. I enjoyed this book and if you like psychological thrillers I would definitely recommend it, thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 25, 2016
One night a woman is found wandering alone covered in blood with no memory of who she is or how she ended up out on the side of the road. After being taken to the hospital Zeb begins to recall some of her memories, she knows her name and that she is a single mom in the thirties but still doesn't know how she got where she was but wants nothing more than to return home.
The Day She Can't Forget is told by alternating timelines and stories. Zeb's story is being told in the current time but there is also alternating chapters that introduce us to a character named Alma in the early 70's. Sometimes this is a format that I absolutely love and sometimes no so much so. In this particular case it was a not so much so.
As the book went on I kind of felt like alternating was reading two different books with nothing in common. Don't fret though in the end they do tie together but it was getting there that seemed a bit tedious at times. The book's main character is Zeb when she's found wandering but quite honestly I think I enjoyed reading about Alma more, Zeb seemed a bit lacking in personality at times.
In the end this one turned out to be just an OK read for me. It seemed to be one that just needs some tightening up as it tended to drag and bit and for a thriller you want excitement and intrigue which I found a bit lacking. The story also seemed to wrap up just the way I expected it might so I also wasn't blown away with the ending.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
The Day She Can't Forget is told by alternating timelines and stories. Zeb's story is being told in the current time but there is also alternating chapters that introduce us to a character named Alma in the early 70's. Sometimes this is a format that I absolutely love and sometimes no so much so. In this particular case it was a not so much so.
As the book went on I kind of felt like alternating was reading two different books with nothing in common. Don't fret though in the end they do tie together but it was getting there that seemed a bit tedious at times. The book's main character is Zeb when she's found wandering but quite honestly I think I enjoyed reading about Alma more, Zeb seemed a bit lacking in personality at times.
In the end this one turned out to be just an OK read for me. It seemed to be one that just needs some tightening up as it tended to drag and bit and for a thriller you want excitement and intrigue which I found a bit lacking. The story also seemed to wrap up just the way I expected it might so I also wasn't blown away with the ending.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
November 8, 2016
Oh dear.
Although I found the premises and plot good in this book, the opening chapters superb I really struggled keeping up.
It wasn't the plot or anything to do with the authors style, more the way it was written.
So many backwards and forwards, so many characters to keep abreast of just made it hard work for me to keep up without pausing and taking it in or flicking back and forth to remind myself who was who.
Elizebeth (Zeb) was the best chapters in this read. We were taken back in time to see how she developed and then the next chapter would throw me back into the confusion of Zebs life and predicament she was facing now.
Yes it all did come together.......in the end.
I personally found it a struggling read though.
My thanks to Canelo via Net Galley for my copy
Although I found the premises and plot good in this book, the opening chapters superb I really struggled keeping up.
It wasn't the plot or anything to do with the authors style, more the way it was written.
So many backwards and forwards, so many characters to keep abreast of just made it hard work for me to keep up without pausing and taking it in or flicking back and forth to remind myself who was who.
Elizebeth (Zeb) was the best chapters in this read. We were taken back in time to see how she developed and then the next chapter would throw me back into the confusion of Zebs life and predicament she was facing now.
Yes it all did come together.......in the end.
I personally found it a struggling read though.
My thanks to Canelo via Net Galley for my copy
December 22, 2016
The Day She Can't Forget by Meg Carter
The Day She Can't Forget is written in two different time intervals and alternates between Elizabeth who goes by the name Zeb and Alma whose time frame is from the 1970's. This device of storytelling is all too common in these psychological thrillers. Personally, I think that I have read too many of these. That fault lies with me for picking so many, the authors work tremendously hard to write a good story. I really wanted to like this one more, but must warn the reader that this one can be a bit confusing.
Zeb our main character is a mother who is discovered along the side of the road alone covered in blood with no memory to how she got there. She is taken to the hospital and while being treated she gets flashes of her memory back. As I read further she regains parts of her memory of that horrific day. Alma is introduced in the 1970's timeline who is 18 years old, living in London and attending University. Alma has a boyfriend named Pete. I have to admit that it is very confusing trying to figure out how Alma and Zeb are connected. AT the end of the book it is revealed how these totally different characters are connected together.
Thank You to Net Galley, Meg Carter and Canello Publishing for providing me with my digital copy for a fair and honest review.
The Day She Can't Forget is written in two different time intervals and alternates between Elizabeth who goes by the name Zeb and Alma whose time frame is from the 1970's. This device of storytelling is all too common in these psychological thrillers. Personally, I think that I have read too many of these. That fault lies with me for picking so many, the authors work tremendously hard to write a good story. I really wanted to like this one more, but must warn the reader that this one can be a bit confusing.
Zeb our main character is a mother who is discovered along the side of the road alone covered in blood with no memory to how she got there. She is taken to the hospital and while being treated she gets flashes of her memory back. As I read further she regains parts of her memory of that horrific day. Alma is introduced in the 1970's timeline who is 18 years old, living in London and attending University. Alma has a boyfriend named Pete. I have to admit that it is very confusing trying to figure out how Alma and Zeb are connected. AT the end of the book it is revealed how these totally different characters are connected together.
Thank You to Net Galley, Meg Carter and Canello Publishing for providing me with my digital copy for a fair and honest review.
August 23, 2018
"To move forward you need to know where you are going. But how can you know where you want to go if you're still fighting against where you are now?"
Because of the cover I expected something totally different from what I actually read.
We have two storylines.
The first one with Alma, a young girl coming to London, seeking live and freedom.
The second - the mistery - one with Zeb, a woman found alone on a deserted road, her memory lost. This is also where it gets messy.
While trying to figure out what happened to her, she has a lot to deal with. Her recent divorce, trying to be a good mother and her fathers death. She also is reminiscing about her childhood and youth and tries to fight her drinking problem. And then she discovers hidden family secrets.
It took some unexpected turns and surprised me, while dropping a few hints through the entire book, the linking doesn't happen until shortly before the end.
There are still a few question left unanswered. And all of this has a very slow build, so it is not a fast a read but still a good story.
I thought about giving this 4 stars but while actually recalling, I think I have read a lot of better stuff ... so 3,5 Stars
Because of the cover I expected something totally different from what I actually read.
We have two storylines.
The first one with Alma, a young girl coming to London, seeking live and freedom.
The second - the mistery - one with Zeb, a woman found alone on a deserted road, her memory lost. This is also where it gets messy.
While trying to figure out what happened to her, she has a lot to deal with. Her recent divorce, trying to be a good mother and her fathers death. She also is reminiscing about her childhood and youth and tries to fight her drinking problem. And then she discovers hidden family secrets.
It took some unexpected turns and surprised me, while dropping a few hints through the entire book, the linking doesn't happen until shortly before the end.
There are still a few question left unanswered. And all of this has a very slow build, so it is not a fast a read but still a good story.
I thought about giving this 4 stars but while actually recalling, I think I have read a lot of better stuff ... so 3,5 Stars
February 22, 2017
This story is told from two women's perspective, Zeb in present day and Alma in the 1970's. I found Alma's story to be more interesting than Zeb purely because I felt this character was much more developed. Zeb's character seemed like it jumped all over the place, maybe that was intentional as she was suffering from memory loss. I also found myself wishing the character of Zeb was a touch less skittish. She seemed to run at her shadow and had she not, she may have found out the truth more timely and she could have avoided some undue stress.
This book has a slow build to the end where it really gets interesting and is when the lives of the two characters intertwine. As I typically read a number of thriller type books, I found that this one just didn't measure up to other I have read. I am not saying it is a bad read, but if you are looking for an edge of your seat thriller, this one might not be for you.
I receive a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
This book has a slow build to the end where it really gets interesting and is when the lives of the two characters intertwine. As I typically read a number of thriller type books, I found that this one just didn't measure up to other I have read. I am not saying it is a bad read, but if you are looking for an edge of your seat thriller, this one might not be for you.
I receive a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
December 29, 2016
This book jumps around a lot I usually like dual time books but this book just wasn't for me...
I found myself skimming the pages to get to the end.
Thank you Netgalley the Author and Publisher for a chance to read this book
I found myself skimming the pages to get to the end.
Thank you Netgalley the Author and Publisher for a chance to read this book
February 5, 2020
This is written like a thriller, but it isn't really.. it's more like a family drama.
Read
March 1, 2019This story follows two protagonists - Zeb in 2016 and Alma in 1974 - switching between past and present. Zeb is found wandering along a street in freezing weather with no memory and blood al over her. As her memories slowly resurface, her fear intensives.
I found it difficult to continue reading about Alma, the other protagonist, as she was so boring and I couldn't tell for a long time what her relation to the book was or her tie to Zeb. However, when it did come together at the end it was a solid and enjoyable ending.
A difficult back-and-forth structure to follow, but an interesting premise and a solid ending.
I found it difficult to continue reading about Alma, the other protagonist, as she was so boring and I couldn't tell for a long time what her relation to the book was or her tie to Zeb. However, when it did come together at the end it was a solid and enjoyable ending.
A difficult back-and-forth structure to follow, but an interesting premise and a solid ending.
July 10, 2017
DNF - Sadly did not finish. The premise was OK and the flitting back and forth never bothered me. It was well written, but I think I just started this at the wrong time and it didn't grab me.
July 9, 2022
Took me a couple chapters to get into it. Was a good read!
January 7, 2022
An ok read. Lots of gaps in the story that were never explained and the ending was mediocre at best.
November 3, 2016
*Thank you to Netgalley for this book in exchange for my completely honest review*
A lost, confused woman, covered in blood, and stumbling through the Scottish countryside. Such a promising opening premise but, although the book started off at a fast pace, I found it difficult to get through.
The protagonist, Zeb, a divorced mother in her 30's seems scattered and panicky most of the time. She hides from her own shadow, which is in harsh contrast to a woman who followed a vague lead to another country after the death of her father. She is obsessed with her love for her child yet spends most of the book pasning him off to other people to pursue her 'mystery'.
The book at times is as confusing as both Zeb and our other protagonist Alma. The constant switching of perspectives made some things difficult to follow. The elaborate web of family members and their overly complex relationships was a conundrum worthy of a Mexican novela. But mostly I was disappointed that I had essentially unraveled the reality Zeb was searching for so early in the book. There was no real sense of suspense or thrill. Mostly, I felt impatient that this supposedly intelligent woman seemed so clueless.
Admittedly, I skimmed through some of it because I just wanted it to come to its climax. Then once it did all the scattered ends of a 30 year old mystery conveniently tied themselves up in a glitter wrapped package.
This book was not for me but fans of Carters work may find it intriguing.
A lost, confused woman, covered in blood, and stumbling through the Scottish countryside. Such a promising opening premise but, although the book started off at a fast pace, I found it difficult to get through.
The protagonist, Zeb, a divorced mother in her 30's seems scattered and panicky most of the time. She hides from her own shadow, which is in harsh contrast to a woman who followed a vague lead to another country after the death of her father. She is obsessed with her love for her child yet spends most of the book pasning him off to other people to pursue her 'mystery'.
The book at times is as confusing as both Zeb and our other protagonist Alma. The constant switching of perspectives made some things difficult to follow. The elaborate web of family members and their overly complex relationships was a conundrum worthy of a Mexican novela. But mostly I was disappointed that I had essentially unraveled the reality Zeb was searching for so early in the book. There was no real sense of suspense or thrill. Mostly, I felt impatient that this supposedly intelligent woman seemed so clueless.
Admittedly, I skimmed through some of it because I just wanted it to come to its climax. Then once it did all the scattered ends of a 30 year old mystery conveniently tied themselves up in a glitter wrapped package.
This book was not for me but fans of Carters work may find it intriguing.
January 2, 2022
Again the synopsis on this book is not fitting. It sells the book as a huge mystery, thrilling, shocking book, but it is not. Something about this book just did not click for me. I had to reread the first 30 pages because it was quite confusing. The book is made up mostly of filler and lots of events that were not needed. For example, Davy, his whole character was unnecessary. The killing of his dog was beyond random and just seemed like a poor attempt at creating some kind of thriller aspect to the book. Zeb's whole journey seemed like the author was trying to create a big thriller novel out of some heartbreaking family fallout and it just didn't mix at all. All the random added small events to try to create suspense and thrill just made the book seem so phony. The ending was however, good and nicely tied up everything. A classic "happy" ending. After reading her first book, I said I would give another of her books a try before deciding her writing was or wasn't for me. I've decided it isn't for me, but that's mostly just because of my personal preference. I can definitely say I have read far worse books than this one, but I have also read far better books.
November 1, 2016
Not sure what I think about this book and where it was trying to lead the reader. The book starts with zeb wandering along a road with a period of time missing i am not sure about the relevance. You look into the lives of Alma and Zeb but people in the story are picked up and dropped with no further explanation. I did like the ending. It's not a bad book but I can't say anything particularly positive either
November 2, 2016
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. I really wanted to like this book because it sounded so good however, I found it to be very slow and the story alternates between the present and the past but it doesn't let you know when it is going to slip into the past and that made it confusing and downright annoying. It just wasn't a story for me.
January 21, 2017
Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo books for an e-arc of this title, in exchange for an honest review. I actually feel it was closer to 3.5 I liked the plot a lot, but it was a bit difficult to follow at times. That said, this is a relatively new author, and I liked it enough, I'll definitely pick up her next book.
October 28, 2016
Wow! What can I say to this book?? It was an amazing book ever! Lots of twists and turns!
January 14, 2018
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
It took me some time to get around to completing this book. On several occasions, I had picked it up and read to the exact same spot before I encountered the same feeling which had made me put the book down the previous time.
First off, there is no denying that this is a well written book. Meg Carter is a decent writer. However, my main problem with this story was the amount of characters which were being flung at the reader in such as short amount of time. We are taken back and forth through time and it's really not apparent initially to see how the two threads will link together.
Once this becomes clear, it's also obvious that there are several characters who make appearances only to disappear without another mention and we are left wondering exactly what their role was other than to simply confuse the hell out of the reader.
I am glad to have finally finished this book. It wasn't the worst book but the ending was disappointing and conveniently predictable.
It took me some time to get around to completing this book. On several occasions, I had picked it up and read to the exact same spot before I encountered the same feeling which had made me put the book down the previous time.
First off, there is no denying that this is a well written book. Meg Carter is a decent writer. However, my main problem with this story was the amount of characters which were being flung at the reader in such as short amount of time. We are taken back and forth through time and it's really not apparent initially to see how the two threads will link together.
Once this becomes clear, it's also obvious that there are several characters who make appearances only to disappear without another mention and we are left wondering exactly what their role was other than to simply confuse the hell out of the reader.
I am glad to have finally finished this book. It wasn't the worst book but the ending was disappointing and conveniently predictable.
January 19, 2018
Synopsis:
In 2016, a woman is found in Scotland, wandering about and her memory of recent events is lost. She doesn't even recall how and why she got there. In the 70s, the reverend's daughter, who has thus far led a sheltered life, moves to London to study music. How are both women connected and how do all the pieces add up?
The author was making an effort to use poetic language and to be very descriptive - I find she has an impressive eye for detail. To my mind though, an eye for unnecessary details. I usually love stories that gradually unravel and leave the reader guessing- like this one.
Everything just happened at a really slow pace, with detours and red herrings and all in all, it was as tedious as travelling from London to Scotland by foot. The author paints pictures with her words like no other, but for this genre it's just inadequate. Not to focus only on the negative points: the plotline was well-thought out, without too many inconsistencies. I suppose it boils down to the fact that you'll have to read the book yourself to form a judgement.
In 2016, a woman is found in Scotland, wandering about and her memory of recent events is lost. She doesn't even recall how and why she got there. In the 70s, the reverend's daughter, who has thus far led a sheltered life, moves to London to study music. How are both women connected and how do all the pieces add up?
The author was making an effort to use poetic language and to be very descriptive - I find she has an impressive eye for detail. To my mind though, an eye for unnecessary details. I usually love stories that gradually unravel and leave the reader guessing- like this one.
Everything just happened at a really slow pace, with detours and red herrings and all in all, it was as tedious as travelling from London to Scotland by foot. The author paints pictures with her words like no other, but for this genre it's just inadequate. Not to focus only on the negative points: the plotline was well-thought out, without too many inconsistencies. I suppose it boils down to the fact that you'll have to read the book yourself to form a judgement.
December 4, 2016
Reviewing for Netgalley.com
She was found wandering down a Scottish street, dirty and bloody. Zeb didn't remember what happened to her over the past 24 hours. She returns to the place where it all happened and slowly she unlocks all the secrets she didn't know her family hid from her. As she puts the bits and pieces into place, her life begins to make more sense.
Although an enjoyable story, for a while I didn't know what the plot was. It jumps between the 1970's and two characters: Pete and Alma to the present with Zeb. Linking the two stories didn't happen until almost the very end.
If you are looking for a fast read, this isn't it. But it is still a good story if you are looking for a good story to read.
She was found wandering down a Scottish street, dirty and bloody. Zeb didn't remember what happened to her over the past 24 hours. She returns to the place where it all happened and slowly she unlocks all the secrets she didn't know her family hid from her. As she puts the bits and pieces into place, her life begins to make more sense.
Although an enjoyable story, for a while I didn't know what the plot was. It jumps between the 1970's and two characters: Pete and Alma to the present with Zeb. Linking the two stories didn't happen until almost the very end.
If you are looking for a fast read, this isn't it. But it is still a good story if you are looking for a good story to read.
September 23, 2021
Desperately requires editing, both for length (so much is just filler) and inconsistencies. The author can't remember what her central characters are called (Zeb suddenly turns into Alma), whether she's writing in the past or the present tense, a cat owned by one character seems to be chiefly invisible and there's never any real explanation for her neighbour stealing her post. Add to that the innumerable typos, and it really wasn't worth bothering with. Shame I didn't recall reading another woefully bad book by the same author, or I would have avoided it like the plague!
February 5, 2018
I didn’t hate this book - but it was so hard to grasp the concept at what was happening at the beginning. Once I eventually got used to the writing style, it was easier to read but I just expected more from the story.
Read
January 17, 2020This is a 'Don't put me down book' - keep reading '
Twists and turns in every chapter.
Characters to identify with, you feel sadness, anger, despair but happiness.
A brilliant unusual story
Twists and turns in every chapter.
Characters to identify with, you feel sadness, anger, despair but happiness.
A brilliant unusual story
October 24, 2021
I couldn't get into this book. Told in two timelines, past and present, I just felt it didn't work. I was more interested in the past storyline, the present one I just didn't like the main character. That being said it was well written and the past story was great.
December 29, 2024
Full of plot holes and inconsistencies. The main character started off quite unlikable and did not grow on me - every decision she made throughout the book was baffling.
The main story did have some compelling elements so I did finish, but this is the closest I've come to DNF in a long time.
The main story did have some compelling elements so I did finish, but this is the closest I've come to DNF in a long time.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews