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Shattered Sisters #2
Forgotten Vows
?This fast-paced romantic suspense is sure to keep readers up all night with spines that tingle, hearts that race, and spirits that soar. A definite winner.? ~The Gothic Journal Ash is a slightly claustrophobic investigative reporter on the trail of a serial killer, who thinks his Ms. Right is Suzy Homemaker. As part of his investigation, he's pretending to have amnesia. Joey is a Harley-riding psychic with a penchant for caves and a vested interest in catching the same killer. As part of her investigation, she's pretending to be Ash's wife. Neither can admit the truth, nor deny the passion that flares with every touch, and might just cost them their lives. This 1994 Maggie Shayne Classic was her first serial killer story, (featuring the dreaded Syracuse Slasher) and one that holds up every bit as well today as it did when it was first released. Be sure to check out the other books in the Maggie Shayne Classics Miranda's Viking, Dr. Duffy's Close Encounter, Annie's Hero, Fairytale and Forever Enchanted.
251 pages, Paperback
First published August 25, 1994
435 people are currently reading
1423 people want to read
About the author
Maggie Shayne
289 books2,561 followersI live in the teeny, tiny town of Taylor, NY, (Alliteration Alert!) though my mailing address is Cincinnatus, my telephone exchange is Truxton and I pay taxes and vote in Cuyler. All of these are at least in the same rural county in the southern hills of New York State; Cortland County. There are more cattle than people here. The nearest “big” cities are Syracuse and Binghamton and they are an hour away, in different directions, and not really all that big by most standards, though they both seem humongous to me. I look out my window to see rolling, green, thickly forested hills, wildflower laden meadows and wide open blue, blue skies. My road is barely paved. The nearest neighboring place is a 700 acre dairy farm.
My house is a big, century old farmhouse. I moved in here after my divorce in 2006. Just a little over a year later, the house, which I had named, SERENITY, burned. It was 99% gutted, and I lost my two dogs, Sally, an 11-year-old great Dane, and Wrinkles, my 14-year-old, blind bulldog. This was the culmination of my Dark Night of the soul, which had seemed to hit me all at once in 2006-2007. My mother died that year, after a 14 month battle with pancreatic cancer. She was only 60. The youngest of my five daughters had left home that same year, and while that’s not a tragedy at all, it felt like one to me. Then came the divorce. And finally there was the fire--it seemed my darkest night wasn’t quite finished with me after all. I had lost almost everything before that point, and as I poked through the wet ashes and soot the next day, I realized that I had now been stripped all the way to the bone.
No better time to start over. (And no, I didn’t come to that realization that day--there were a few days of wallowing in pity first, particularly the day after the fire, when I hit a deer and smashed up my car, which I was practically living in!)
That’s when I started to laugh. Just sat on the side of the road as the deer bounded, uninjured and carefree, out of sight, and laughed. It was just too ridiculous at that point, to do anything else!
And from there, I picked myself up, and brushed myself off, and said, okay, there’s only one way to go from here. Forward. And that’s what I did. There I was at the age of harrurmphemmph, living in my one, mostly undamaged remaining room, with a dorm-sized mini-fridge, a futon, a TV, my cat (nine lives!) and a laptop. And not much else. (Though thank goodness the room that survived the fire, was a room that had its own attached bathroom!)
Since then I have rebuilt my beloved home, which really has become my haven, my “Serenity.” I share it now with my fiancé, Lance, and we have accumulated quite the little family together. “Little” being a relative term. We have a pair of English Mastiffs, Dozer and Daisy, who weigh 203 pounds and 208 pounds respectively, and a little pudgy English Bulldog named Niblet, who is bigger than both of them, inside her mind. We also have the aforementioned cat, Glorificus (“Glory” for short,) who adores her canine pups and keeps them firmly in line. And we've acquired a pair of stray cats as well, a mother and son, Luna (Lulu for short) and Butters aka Buddy. Lulu showed up pregnant during a lunar eclipse, had a litter, and vanished again. We found homes for all the kittens except one. Butters. We got him fixed and kept him. A few months later, Lulu returned, again expecting. This litter was born on the "Monster Moon." Again, all the kittens were spayed and neutered and placed in homes, and this time we got Lulu to the vet in time to spay her before the cycle could repeat.
Glory is not amused.
She has a story of her own, my old Glory cat, having been with me before the Dark Times descended, she went through it all with me, moved with me, survived the fire, and remains with me still. She's tolerating the newcomers. Barely.
My partner is an artist, a mechanic, a welder and an inventor, and the rumors are true, he is much younger than I
My house is a big, century old farmhouse. I moved in here after my divorce in 2006. Just a little over a year later, the house, which I had named, SERENITY, burned. It was 99% gutted, and I lost my two dogs, Sally, an 11-year-old great Dane, and Wrinkles, my 14-year-old, blind bulldog. This was the culmination of my Dark Night of the soul, which had seemed to hit me all at once in 2006-2007. My mother died that year, after a 14 month battle with pancreatic cancer. She was only 60. The youngest of my five daughters had left home that same year, and while that’s not a tragedy at all, it felt like one to me. Then came the divorce. And finally there was the fire--it seemed my darkest night wasn’t quite finished with me after all. I had lost almost everything before that point, and as I poked through the wet ashes and soot the next day, I realized that I had now been stripped all the way to the bone.
No better time to start over. (And no, I didn’t come to that realization that day--there were a few days of wallowing in pity first, particularly the day after the fire, when I hit a deer and smashed up my car, which I was practically living in!)
That’s when I started to laugh. Just sat on the side of the road as the deer bounded, uninjured and carefree, out of sight, and laughed. It was just too ridiculous at that point, to do anything else!
And from there, I picked myself up, and brushed myself off, and said, okay, there’s only one way to go from here. Forward. And that’s what I did. There I was at the age of harrurmphemmph, living in my one, mostly undamaged remaining room, with a dorm-sized mini-fridge, a futon, a TV, my cat (nine lives!) and a laptop. And not much else. (Though thank goodness the room that survived the fire, was a room that had its own attached bathroom!)
Since then I have rebuilt my beloved home, which really has become my haven, my “Serenity.” I share it now with my fiancé, Lance, and we have accumulated quite the little family together. “Little” being a relative term. We have a pair of English Mastiffs, Dozer and Daisy, who weigh 203 pounds and 208 pounds respectively, and a little pudgy English Bulldog named Niblet, who is bigger than both of them, inside her mind. We also have the aforementioned cat, Glorificus (“Glory” for short,) who adores her canine pups and keeps them firmly in line. And we've acquired a pair of stray cats as well, a mother and son, Luna (Lulu for short) and Butters aka Buddy. Lulu showed up pregnant during a lunar eclipse, had a litter, and vanished again. We found homes for all the kittens except one. Butters. We got him fixed and kept him. A few months later, Lulu returned, again expecting. This litter was born on the "Monster Moon." Again, all the kittens were spayed and neutered and placed in homes, and this time we got Lulu to the vet in time to spay her before the cycle could repeat.
Glory is not amused.
She has a story of her own, my old Glory cat, having been with me before the Dark Times descended, she went through it all with me, moved with me, survived the fire, and remains with me still. She's tolerating the newcomers. Barely.
My partner is an artist, a mechanic, a welder and an inventor, and the rumors are true, he is much younger than I
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
July 31, 2011
One of my favorite themes is psychic heroines and Forgotten Vows has that one.
Joey is a psychic, she calls it intuition but she knows things and can sometimes even tell what one is feeling, so to save her sister and another "Slasher" victim she goes to the hospital to claim that she is the wife of amnesiac investigative reporter Ash. She tells him they had a whirlwind romance but what she doesn't know is that Ash is pretending that he has lost his memory. He goes along with the charade to find out what Joey is playing at and if she is the killer.
Ash is someone who is a womanizer and he seems to be on the quest for a perfect woman, someone who is not promiscuous or puts out on a first date, someone traditional but Joey is the complete opposite of conservative. She drives a Harley, loves adventure. He was raised by a sex-crazy mother and he wants a normal life and wife, he is also curious to know how far would Joey go. She refuses to sleep with him, he finds that she has a gun in the house and a sister and nieces she loves and she seems to act weird sometimes.
His editor tells him that she is a psychic which he doesn't really believe at first, then he sees how she knows when he is having nightmares and more, he also finds himself sticking out for her and lying for her. Their marriage kind of turns real, they are there for each other, laugh and more.
I enjoyed the book a lot, especially seeing both of these struggle in their fake marriage as it turned more and more real.
Joey is a psychic, she calls it intuition but she knows things and can sometimes even tell what one is feeling, so to save her sister and another "Slasher" victim she goes to the hospital to claim that she is the wife of amnesiac investigative reporter Ash. She tells him they had a whirlwind romance but what she doesn't know is that Ash is pretending that he has lost his memory. He goes along with the charade to find out what Joey is playing at and if she is the killer.
Ash is someone who is a womanizer and he seems to be on the quest for a perfect woman, someone who is not promiscuous or puts out on a first date, someone traditional but Joey is the complete opposite of conservative. She drives a Harley, loves adventure. He was raised by a sex-crazy mother and he wants a normal life and wife, he is also curious to know how far would Joey go. She refuses to sleep with him, he finds that she has a gun in the house and a sister and nieces she loves and she seems to act weird sometimes.
His editor tells him that she is a psychic which he doesn't really believe at first, then he sees how she knows when he is having nightmares and more, he also finds himself sticking out for her and lying for her. Their marriage kind of turns real, they are there for each other, laugh and more.
I enjoyed the book a lot, especially seeing both of these struggle in their fake marriage as it turned more and more real.
November 10, 2018
3.5 stars.
Have you ever read a book that left you so hype you couldn't wait to jump into the sequel then when you finally do you're disappointed? That was me with this book.
It wasn't terrible but I found myself skim reading more than once.
Have you ever read a book that left you so hype you couldn't wait to jump into the sequel then when you finally do you're disappointed? That was me with this book.
It wasn't terrible but I found myself skim reading more than once.
September 2, 2016
Am I wrong to laugh at the thought of "The Syracuse Slasher"???
This book is complete cheese, but it's reasonably entertaining, and it was FREE on Kindle. Joey's transformation from man-hating feminist to dependent child is trite and insulting. Ash's transformations from suspicious sexist bozo to loving and considerate guy is more interesting. Joey's (over)reaction to her father is ridiculous. The murder mystery is ludicrously transparent. Despite all that, I was all set to give 3 stars, but the overwrought denouement did me in - 2 stars it is! A fun, fluffy book, but it was only okay.
Chapter 1 and I have misgivings ... yeah okay, there really is a Gaskin Rd in Clay, so that's nice, but the area described is actually a bit north of where Gaskin is (maybe she meant Maider Rd?) - but only someone who lives here would notice that, so okay, moving on ... already we have the hero musing on how no woman who has sex on the first date is worth more than a one night stand (he doesn't like his women to be promiscuous, you see ....) and then, AND THEN, we have "peaks their interest.". Le sad sigh. Am I really expecting too much when I expect authors to use the right words? They are WRITERS after all ... (and mea culpa, I'm sure I make mistakes all over my Goodreads account, but (a) I am not a published author, and (b) I NEVER write "peaks their interest," because I know it's "piques." )
This book is complete cheese, but it's reasonably entertaining, and it was FREE on Kindle. Joey's transformation from man-hating feminist to dependent child is trite and insulting. Ash's transformations from suspicious sexist bozo to loving and considerate guy is more interesting. Joey's (over)reaction to her father is ridiculous. The murder mystery is ludicrously transparent. Despite all that, I was all set to give 3 stars, but the overwrought denouement did me in - 2 stars it is! A fun, fluffy book, but it was only okay.
Chapter 1 and I have misgivings ... yeah okay, there really is a Gaskin Rd in Clay, so that's nice, but the area described is actually a bit north of where Gaskin is (maybe she meant Maider Rd?) - but only someone who lives here would notice that, so okay, moving on ... already we have the hero musing on how no woman who has sex on the first date is worth more than a one night stand (he doesn't like his women to be promiscuous, you see ....) and then, AND THEN, we have "peaks their interest.". Le sad sigh. Am I really expecting too much when I expect authors to use the right words? They are WRITERS after all ... (and mea culpa, I'm sure I make mistakes all over my Goodreads account, but (a) I am not a published author, and (b) I NEVER write "peaks their interest," because I know it's "piques." )
April 25, 2022
A serial killer brought them together…Joey rides a Harley, packs a cannon, has two nieces that are cute as a button and Ash, who wants Suzy Homemaker make an unlikely couple, so I found the characters added to the pacing and suspense that kept me flipping the pages.
December 31, 2015
A man pretending to have amnesia, a woman pretending to be his wife. He knows she's lying, she knows she's lying, will either of them own up and tell the truth?
This is a great story which throws the reader into the action right from the first line. It is like nothing I've read before, and I loved it.
Why is Ash claiming to have amnesia?
Why is Joey claiming to be his wife?
What are they both scared of?
I recommend this book to anyone wanting to be kept guessing almost till the end. I am a fan of mysteries, and I'm pretty good at figuring things out early on. This one? Didn't get it until the writer revealed all! That is what makes it such a good story for me.
This is a great story which throws the reader into the action right from the first line. It is like nothing I've read before, and I loved it.
Why is Ash claiming to have amnesia?
Why is Joey claiming to be his wife?
What are they both scared of?
I recommend this book to anyone wanting to be kept guessing almost till the end. I am a fan of mysteries, and I'm pretty good at figuring things out early on. This one? Didn't get it until the writer revealed all! That is what makes it such a good story for me.
May 26, 2015
I was looking for some fluff, fun, romantic suspense. And it was free on Amazon. Best kind of free fluff. But the characters just did me in. Couldn't finish.
Misogynist hero who sleeps around but doesn't respect his partners? Check.
Said hero also has mommy issues? Check.
Heroine who is "independent" yet has a drawer full of lingerie with the tags still on because she is sexy, but not TOO sexy? Check.
Heroine has every color hair? Check. Seriously "Her hair was a mixture of pale brown and honey gold and strawberry blonde." It's ok to pick one. Not a deal breaker for me.
Heroine has daddy issues? Check.
Both have bad dreams, except when in each other's arms? Check.
Flimsy amnesia plot? Check.
Flimsy murder plot? Check.
Neither H/h can use their words? Check.
And all of that would be ok. But our independent heroine, aka paragon of purity, just turns into a dependent barnacle. The hero's journey is a bit better but his outmoded views of sex and femininity and marriage and just honestly everything is a bit much for me.
And the plot, I couldn't suspend disbelief any more. I kept thinking "wait... why didn't she just explain...", "wait, why didn't they just ask....", "wait... ". I can only do that so many times in a story before I start losing any kind of respect for the integrity of the story and characters.
So anyway. It was ok. I just gave up.
Misogynist hero who sleeps around but doesn't respect his partners? Check.
Said hero also has mommy issues? Check.
Heroine who is "independent" yet has a drawer full of lingerie with the tags still on because she is sexy, but not TOO sexy? Check.
Heroine has every color hair? Check. Seriously "Her hair was a mixture of pale brown and honey gold and strawberry blonde." It's ok to pick one. Not a deal breaker for me.
Heroine has daddy issues? Check.
Both have bad dreams, except when in each other's arms? Check.
Flimsy amnesia plot? Check.
Flimsy murder plot? Check.
Neither H/h can use their words? Check.
And all of that would be ok. But our independent heroine, aka paragon of purity, just turns into a dependent barnacle. The hero's journey is a bit better but his outmoded views of sex and femininity and marriage and just honestly everything is a bit much for me.
And the plot, I couldn't suspend disbelief any more. I kept thinking "wait... why didn't she just explain...", "wait, why didn't they just ask....", "wait... ". I can only do that so many times in a story before I start losing any kind of respect for the integrity of the story and characters.
So anyway. It was ok. I just gave up.
June 28, 2012
This book lived up to my expections, I loved the hero and heroine, I was still reeling when I found out who the Syracuse Slasher was. Forgotten Vows is in my opinion one of Maggie's best books out.
June 28, 2015
Poor editing.
Read
August 25, 2015I love romances that involve two people who think they are ill suited for one another. I know that that’s not just me. There’s so much fun that happens before they do realize that their ultimate partner lies in one another. Add to that a twist paranormal, as in the heroine being a psychic, well that’s just the icing on the cake for me.
It’s being a long time since I read and re-read Linda Howard’s Dream Man. Ever since, I’ve always looked out for any other stories that would bring forth as much emotion as that particular tale did for me. Forgotten by Maggie Shayne filled that need somewhat, and for that and more, I enjoyed the story that unfolded, so very much.
Ashville Allan Coye (Ash), is lying on a hospital bed, pretending that an accident he’d met with had resulted in him landing with a bout of amnesia, when Josephine Belinda Bradshaw (Joey) walks into his hospital room and announces that she’s his somewhat newly wedded wife.
Ash had been pursuing the story behind The Syracuse Slasher when the accident happened and when Joey walks in and drops the obviously false news of his marital status, Ash is hard pressed to find out what it is exactly that this woman who drives a Harley and is as far removed from every condition he has jotted down for the future missus to meet is up to.
Joey’s psychic abilities are more of a pain to her than something she rejoices in. For one thing, it gets her labeled as a crackpot or worse. For another, her ability at times is not the most cooperative, especially when she wants to help people who could be in mortal danger. With Ash, Joey is determined to stick by his side and hopefully save him from becoming another victim of The Syracuse Slasher together with a different agenda of her own that involves her own family.
Ash and Joey’s connection to one another stems from the sizzling attraction that flares between them from the get go. Ash who deals with issues stemming from growing up with a drunken whore of a mother, his inability to trust a woman to do right by him makes him question his attraction towards Joey. Joey has her own issues to deal with, her lack of trust when it comes to the opposite sex, given the philandering ways of her father. Or so she believes it to be.
Amidst increasing danger to both their selves, Ash and Joey find in each other, a partner they’d be willing to spend their life with, if only the ramifications of coming clean with the whole charade on both sides would give them a fighting chance at what they have between them. Added to the mix, is a killer whose mad enough to go on a rampage, just to feed the delusion that keeps the hunger for the kills at bay.
Maggie Shayne does a splendid job of bringing to life Ash & Joey, two characters whom you fall in love with & root for from the onset. Ash is the journalist, who sees everything in provable facts and figures. And Joey is the woman who shakes up everything he believes in, even what he had perceived as would be the best fit for him when it comes to a life partner.
With a couple of twists thrown in for good measure, Maggie Shayne delivers a story worth sinking into. Loved it.
Rating = 4/5
For more reviews & quotes, please visit, www.maldivianbookreviewer.com
It’s being a long time since I read and re-read Linda Howard’s Dream Man. Ever since, I’ve always looked out for any other stories that would bring forth as much emotion as that particular tale did for me. Forgotten by Maggie Shayne filled that need somewhat, and for that and more, I enjoyed the story that unfolded, so very much.
Ashville Allan Coye (Ash), is lying on a hospital bed, pretending that an accident he’d met with had resulted in him landing with a bout of amnesia, when Josephine Belinda Bradshaw (Joey) walks into his hospital room and announces that she’s his somewhat newly wedded wife.
Ash had been pursuing the story behind The Syracuse Slasher when the accident happened and when Joey walks in and drops the obviously false news of his marital status, Ash is hard pressed to find out what it is exactly that this woman who drives a Harley and is as far removed from every condition he has jotted down for the future missus to meet is up to.
Joey’s psychic abilities are more of a pain to her than something she rejoices in. For one thing, it gets her labeled as a crackpot or worse. For another, her ability at times is not the most cooperative, especially when she wants to help people who could be in mortal danger. With Ash, Joey is determined to stick by his side and hopefully save him from becoming another victim of The Syracuse Slasher together with a different agenda of her own that involves her own family.
Ash and Joey’s connection to one another stems from the sizzling attraction that flares between them from the get go. Ash who deals with issues stemming from growing up with a drunken whore of a mother, his inability to trust a woman to do right by him makes him question his attraction towards Joey. Joey has her own issues to deal with, her lack of trust when it comes to the opposite sex, given the philandering ways of her father. Or so she believes it to be.
Amidst increasing danger to both their selves, Ash and Joey find in each other, a partner they’d be willing to spend their life with, if only the ramifications of coming clean with the whole charade on both sides would give them a fighting chance at what they have between them. Added to the mix, is a killer whose mad enough to go on a rampage, just to feed the delusion that keeps the hunger for the kills at bay.
Maggie Shayne does a splendid job of bringing to life Ash & Joey, two characters whom you fall in love with & root for from the onset. Ash is the journalist, who sees everything in provable facts and figures. And Joey is the woman who shakes up everything he believes in, even what he had perceived as would be the best fit for him when it comes to a life partner.
With a couple of twists thrown in for good measure, Maggie Shayne delivers a story worth sinking into. Loved it.
Rating = 4/5
For more reviews & quotes, please visit, www.maldivianbookreviewer.com
January 3, 2013
What a treat this book was.
Josephine (Joey) Bradshaw has visions and she's seen Ash Coye and her sister murdered by the Syracuse Slasher. When Ash ends up in the hospital with a concussion after a car accident Joey things he has amnesia based on what the paper said. She goes there with the purpose of pretending to be Ash's wife to make sure nothing happens to him so she can also prevent her sister death since he was to die right before her. What she doesn't know is Ash isnt suffering from amnesia it was just a ploy to try and make the person that cut his brake lines think he was backing off his story about the Syracuse Slasher.
Ash didn't know what to think when this strange woman just barges in and pretends to be his wife but his journalist instincts says she knows something about the Syracuse Slasher so he continues to pretend to have amnesia even when he leaves the hospital and she take him home to her place.
These two are on such opposite side of thinking when it comes to relationship - she's anti men and marriage and he wants a June Cleaver wife. Both are them are tainted by things there parents did to them.
There are a lot of secondary characters through out - Joey's sister and her kids which Ash become close to. Her brother in law who has been acting strange, Ash's boss at the paper and a female police officer that Ash one had a one nighter with. Everyone seems to think that Joey's the killer but as Ash gets to know her he realizes that just cant be true even though she still hasnt told him the truth.
Great suspense book that keeps you guessing right up till the end on who the killer is.
Josephine (Joey) Bradshaw has visions and she's seen Ash Coye and her sister murdered by the Syracuse Slasher. When Ash ends up in the hospital with a concussion after a car accident Joey things he has amnesia based on what the paper said. She goes there with the purpose of pretending to be Ash's wife to make sure nothing happens to him so she can also prevent her sister death since he was to die right before her. What she doesn't know is Ash isnt suffering from amnesia it was just a ploy to try and make the person that cut his brake lines think he was backing off his story about the Syracuse Slasher.
Ash didn't know what to think when this strange woman just barges in and pretends to be his wife but his journalist instincts says she knows something about the Syracuse Slasher so he continues to pretend to have amnesia even when he leaves the hospital and she take him home to her place.
These two are on such opposite side of thinking when it comes to relationship - she's anti men and marriage and he wants a June Cleaver wife. Both are them are tainted by things there parents did to them.
There are a lot of secondary characters through out - Joey's sister and her kids which Ash become close to. Her brother in law who has been acting strange, Ash's boss at the paper and a female police officer that Ash one had a one nighter with. Everyone seems to think that Joey's the killer but as Ash gets to know her he realizes that just cant be true even though she still hasnt told him the truth.
Great suspense book that keeps you guessing right up till the end on who the killer is.
July 2, 2015
After reading the first few chapters I was sure this book was going to get a 2 star rating because the male lead Ash was such a judgmental sexist asshole.
But thankfully he got better here's a quote:
"There was an instant when he was disgusted with himself and his endless search for the perfect woman. Who did he think he was, anyway, that the perfect woman would be interested in him? And where did he get off, listing the standards she had to meet? What did he know?"
So once my major problem with the book was fixed I was able to enjoy it.
It was an interesting read, not great but entertaining and also an Amazon freebie! YAY!
But thankfully he got better here's a quote:
"There was an instant when he was disgusted with himself and his endless search for the perfect woman. Who did he think he was, anyway, that the perfect woman would be interested in him? And where did he get off, listing the standards she had to meet? What did he know?"
So once my major problem with the book was fixed I was able to enjoy it.
It was an interesting read, not great but entertaining and also an Amazon freebie! YAY!
November 9, 2008
This was very good! Reading the plot on the back cover of the book did not excite me to read this. I was just getting around to finally reading one of Maggie Shyane’s books that have been on my “to be read” shelf for the past several years. I’m glad I finally read it! The hero and heroine are both keeping secrets from the other. Mainly that she isn’t really married to him, and he is hiding that his amnesia isn’t genuine. Throw in a little paranormal stuff- that the heroine is also psychic makes this book a real page turner!
January 18, 2013
This one took a little while to grow on me, but I ended up really enjoying it. I couldn't quite get into it at first, but somewhere around the 50 page mark I started getting invested in the story. And I do love a mystery that keeps me guessing right down to the end. I was surprised when the killer's identity was revealed, and that doesn't happen all that often.
May 21, 2012
Of course, you really can't go wrong with Maggie Shayne. I loved "Forgotten Vows". It's everything I adore about romantic suspense - a pulse-pounding thrill ride with lots of suspects. Ash and Joey are made for each other! The premise of the amnesia/pretend wife, and the psychic vibes, really rocked this story to well above average. I missed this book the first time around, so I'm glad this got published again. Thanks, Maggie!
July 23, 2012
This is the perfect book for those that like mysteries with a bit of romance thrown in. I was a little sceptical at first about the whole fake amnesia/fake marriage thing but this book was so much more than that. Its not a on the edge of your seat type mystery but it will definately keep you guessing for quite awhile.....This is definately a book I would read again.
January 26, 2013
Fun read in the romance category. Shayne is always a hoot, and as this is book 1 of the BADASS Brides Collection, how can I go wrong.
April 7, 2013
didnt like the quick ending but overall really enjoyed this book and i figured out pretty early who the killer was
February 23, 2013
Good read. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I'm not one into the whole serial killer mystery type story but did enjoy this one.
November 13, 2017
This was a really good story. Totally loved it. The h was a psychic who pretended to be married to the H so she could save him from being killed. He supposedly had amnesia but didn't. I liked that he faked his amnesia to see what she was up to but I was seriously invested in the mystery. It had a couple of people you suspected but around the 50% mark I figured it out. There was an ex of the H that annoyed me but it was safe. I will definitely re-read this and put it in my permanent library.
April 6, 2022
Edge-of-the-seat serial killer thriller. Wow! Joey has her hands full being able to "see" what is going to happen without enough information to prevent it. Ash starts out as a pig and gradually grows on you. I could hardly put the book down, not knowing what was going to happen next and being afraid it would be something terrible. There was only one illogical part of the book, but there would have been no story if there hadn't have been. See if you can spot it for yourself.
December 25, 2017
While this book has long languished on my Kindle-to-be-read list, indeed forgotten by me it is also somewhat easily forgettable once read.
I enjoy reading romantic suspense as it has a bit more bite to the genre than other romances do, this one was okay but not the best by author that have read in the past.
I enjoy reading romantic suspense as it has a bit more bite to the genre than other romances do, this one was okay but not the best by author that have read in the past.
July 7, 2008
FORGOTTEN VOWS...? - Good
Shayne, Maggie
It was no secret that reporter Ashville Coye was hot on the trail of the Syracuse Slasher. But only Josephine Bradshaw knew that he was destined to become the killer's next victim. And when Ash landed in the hospital with amnesia, she was struck by a brilliant idea ....
Ash thought he'd seen everything, until a complete stranger waltzed up to his bedside, claiming to be his wife. She even produced a marriage certificate as evidence. Obviously the document was as phony as his own memory loss. Still, Ash went along with her charade. After all, there were worse fates than playing the newlywed game with a gorgeous murder suspect-he hoped.
A physic, reporter, serial killer and faked amnesia - this was a good read
Shayne, Maggie
It was no secret that reporter Ashville Coye was hot on the trail of the Syracuse Slasher. But only Josephine Bradshaw knew that he was destined to become the killer's next victim. And when Ash landed in the hospital with amnesia, she was struck by a brilliant idea ....
Ash thought he'd seen everything, until a complete stranger waltzed up to his bedside, claiming to be his wife. She even produced a marriage certificate as evidence. Obviously the document was as phony as his own memory loss. Still, Ash went along with her charade. After all, there were worse fates than playing the newlywed game with a gorgeous murder suspect-he hoped.
A physic, reporter, serial killer and faked amnesia - this was a good read
September 11, 2015
'Forgotten' pulled me in from the beginning. I literally didn't want to put it down. The storyline might sound common, but the way it played out was anything but. Full of suspense, action, unexpected romance, deceit and surprises. The characters were great. Joey is such a strong independent woman whose views on men in general are quite skewed. I can understand the reasoning behind her feelings, and I loved watching her slowly lower her guard towards to potential to trust men. Ash is an amazing and compassionate man who has his own trust issues. The paranormal aspect was great. This is definitely a series I'll read more of. A great add to your tbr list. Recommended read.
February 9, 2019
The story reads like a Lifetime movie but, here's the thing about that, I actually really like Lifetime movies. The story got kind of cheesy and corny in spots but if the characters weren't so likable, I probably wouldn't have finished it. However, I really liked Joey from the first book and still really like her. Will definitely continue the series but I hope Toni and Joey show up in the book at some point.
January 8, 2016
Oh my goodness! I always enjoy Maggie Shayne's stories and this is no exception. A great page turner and wonderfully written. I loved the dynamics of the main characters. A little mystery, ESP, and romance, a great combination.
April 25, 2012
Very good who done it, I was three quarters of the way through the book before I figured it out. Very good
July 14, 2015
Poor writing, shallow characters and laughable dialog. Story line was interesting but fell way short of the mark
July 19, 2015
Great read.
Maggie's books always has an interesting twist. I've read several of her books and have enjoyed every one of them.
Maggie's books always has an interesting twist. I've read several of her books and have enjoyed every one of them.
June 13, 2017
(This review may contain spoilers).
I think the Fairies of Rush was probably one of my favourite duologies when I first started reading books on my Kindle. I've had this book on my device for a while, but only recently had a reason to read it.
I did really enjoy reading this book, although I did find Ash to be a sexist jerk for part of the book. Well, most of the beginning. Then again, Joey felt exactly the same way, so it was good to see that at least he didn't get away with the sexist beliefs. And even though it wasn't an excuse, there were at least reasons behind his way of thinking. And the more I learned about his past, the more sympathy I felt for him.
I liked seeing Joey and glimpses of her relationship with her sister, but I would have liked to see a bit more of them interacting before she came to Ash in the hospital. I felt there was a bit too much information dumping in the book, in particular when it came to Joey's relationship with her family members.
It was good to see the way the relationship formed between Joey and Ash. I liked the recurring theme of the frog and there were some really sweet moments between them. Plus, I really liked the fact that Joey didn't change anything about herself to be with Ash. In fact, I had the feeling they both had to compromise. Their relationship felt real and I cared about whether they sorted out the conflicts or not.
I liked the fact that Joey's psychic abilities were so easy and natural for her, but I would have liked to see more details about who apart from her father knew about her powers. While it was interesting to see the links with the murderer, there were times I felt that part of the storyline dragged. And I didn't think the twists worked so well. I figured out the identity before the main characters did because of a comment I felt Ash, at least, should have picked up on. And I didn't think the red herrings worked as well as they could have done.
I think the romantic aspect of the book worked better than the thriller aspects and I would have liked the serial killer aspect to either have been dropped into lower focus, or to be a bigger part of the book, as I didn't feel it quite lived up to my expectations.
I did, however, enjoy reading this book and I would read more books by this author in the future.
I think the Fairies of Rush was probably one of my favourite duologies when I first started reading books on my Kindle. I've had this book on my device for a while, but only recently had a reason to read it.
I did really enjoy reading this book, although I did find Ash to be a sexist jerk for part of the book. Well, most of the beginning. Then again, Joey felt exactly the same way, so it was good to see that at least he didn't get away with the sexist beliefs. And even though it wasn't an excuse, there were at least reasons behind his way of thinking. And the more I learned about his past, the more sympathy I felt for him.
I liked seeing Joey and glimpses of her relationship with her sister, but I would have liked to see a bit more of them interacting before she came to Ash in the hospital. I felt there was a bit too much information dumping in the book, in particular when it came to Joey's relationship with her family members.
It was good to see the way the relationship formed between Joey and Ash. I liked the recurring theme of the frog and there were some really sweet moments between them. Plus, I really liked the fact that Joey didn't change anything about herself to be with Ash. In fact, I had the feeling they both had to compromise. Their relationship felt real and I cared about whether they sorted out the conflicts or not.
I liked the fact that Joey's psychic abilities were so easy and natural for her, but I would have liked to see more details about who apart from her father knew about her powers. While it was interesting to see the links with the murderer, there were times I felt that part of the storyline dragged. And I didn't think the twists worked so well. I figured out the identity before the main characters did because of a comment I felt Ash, at least, should have picked up on. And I didn't think the red herrings worked as well as they could have done.
I think the romantic aspect of the book worked better than the thriller aspects and I would have liked the serial killer aspect to either have been dropped into lower focus, or to be a bigger part of the book, as I didn't feel it quite lived up to my expectations.
I did, however, enjoy reading this book and I would read more books by this author in the future.
September 28, 2017
Joey and Ash... both with their own baggage...
Joey (aka Josephine): she has 4 half siblings... 3 that she did not know about until recently... 1 she grew up with... her mom married when pregnant with her to another man, who raised her as if his own, but mom and 'dad' were just good friends, not romantic... mom passed, and she learned truth... and is devastated...
Ash: mother a prostitute, who locked him in a closet when she was entertaining... often not letting him out until the next day - nightmares of closed, dark places.
She's a psychic - with a consulting business for corporations where she 'finds' liars/embezzlers; she is 'seeing' Ash's death (blood/face down) and her sister's death (blood/face down/tshirt)..
He's a crime reporter, on track of The Slasher - 5 years ago 5 dead, and 3 more currently dead... when he was hit by a car, because he is getting close. He has a concussion and have let out that he has amnesia... and when Joey presents herself to be his wife, he goes along with it - trying to figure out what she's up to (is she the Slasher?)
Joey, compelled to keep her sister safe, decides to pretend to be Ash's wife (just married in Las Vegas), so she can stick by his side, stop his death, and catch the Slasher.
They are attracted to one another... they find comfort in each other... and she feels guilty about lying... he figures out how to tell when she is telling the truth or not, he accepts she is a psychic, as he has seen proof of it (she knew when her niece fell into the river, etc)
It ends up his editor boss is the guilty one... his wife is the Slasher - a psychopath... he tells all she is ill (cancer) and he keeps her drugged to keep her in control... but she figured it out, an is at it again... and he kills to protect her secret... knocking Ash out, going after Joey - who fights him tooth and nail... and is saved by Ash at the last moment...
Joey (aka Josephine): she has 4 half siblings... 3 that she did not know about until recently... 1 she grew up with... her mom married when pregnant with her to another man, who raised her as if his own, but mom and 'dad' were just good friends, not romantic... mom passed, and she learned truth... and is devastated...
Ash: mother a prostitute, who locked him in a closet when she was entertaining... often not letting him out until the next day - nightmares of closed, dark places.
She's a psychic - with a consulting business for corporations where she 'finds' liars/embezzlers; she is 'seeing' Ash's death (blood/face down) and her sister's death (blood/face down/tshirt)..
He's a crime reporter, on track of The Slasher - 5 years ago 5 dead, and 3 more currently dead... when he was hit by a car, because he is getting close. He has a concussion and have let out that he has amnesia... and when Joey presents herself to be his wife, he goes along with it - trying to figure out what she's up to (is she the Slasher?)
Joey, compelled to keep her sister safe, decides to pretend to be Ash's wife (just married in Las Vegas), so she can stick by his side, stop his death, and catch the Slasher.
They are attracted to one another... they find comfort in each other... and she feels guilty about lying... he figures out how to tell when she is telling the truth or not, he accepts she is a psychic, as he has seen proof of it (she knew when her niece fell into the river, etc)
It ends up his editor boss is the guilty one... his wife is the Slasher - a psychopath... he tells all she is ill (cancer) and he keeps her drugged to keep her in control... but she figured it out, an is at it again... and he kills to protect her secret... knocking Ash out, going after Joey - who fights him tooth and nail... and is saved by Ash at the last moment...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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