Scan barcode
A review by randikaye
With Every Memory by Janine Rosche
5.0
There are many books that--- though perhaps entertaining to read at the time--- tend to be forgotten fairly quickly once you've moved on to the next. Then there are others that absolutely take hold of your heart and your emotions, and those are the ones that you know will stick with you long after the final pages. With Every Memory most certainly falls into that second category for me.
The story opens with Lori preparing to leave the hospital after a tragic accident that took her son and the last eight years of her memory. As readers, we are drawn into her life as she adjusts to her new life--- a life that looks nothing like the life that she remembers. It alternates between her POV and that of her teenage daughter Avery as she struggles with her own grief and anger over the loss of her twin brother. Throughout the story, the author takes on some really tough topics to include grief, infidelity, sexual assault and betrayal. With topics such as these, this book definitely could have gone to a much darker place. Admittedly, there were definitely several times throughout that I found myself reaching for the tissues... but at the same time, the author handled these topics with sensitivity and grace, and I walked away with a sense of healing and hope rather than sadness. I do think part of that might have been the romance between Avery and Xander, which I absolutely adored! I thought that offered a nice light not just among the heavier topics, but also in comparison to the strained marriage between her parents too.
This is not a story with perfect characters. Their story was in many ways broken and messy and heartbreaking. Yet it was a story that reminds us that there is forgiveness and second chances too. Overall, I thought this was a fantastic read, and one that I would highly recommend!
**I received a complimentary copy for consideration. All opinions are my own.
The story opens with Lori preparing to leave the hospital after a tragic accident that took her son and the last eight years of her memory. As readers, we are drawn into her life as she adjusts to her new life--- a life that looks nothing like the life that she remembers. It alternates between her POV and that of her teenage daughter Avery as she struggles with her own grief and anger over the loss of her twin brother. Throughout the story, the author takes on some really tough topics to include grief, infidelity, sexual assault and betrayal. With topics such as these, this book definitely could have gone to a much darker place. Admittedly, there were definitely several times throughout that I found myself reaching for the tissues... but at the same time, the author handled these topics with sensitivity and grace, and I walked away with a sense of healing and hope rather than sadness. I do think part of that might have been the romance between Avery and Xander, which I absolutely adored! I thought that offered a nice light not just among the heavier topics, but also in comparison to the strained marriage between her parents too.
This is not a story with perfect characters. Their story was in many ways broken and messy and heartbreaking. Yet it was a story that reminds us that there is forgiveness and second chances too. Overall, I thought this was a fantastic read, and one that I would highly recommend!
**I received a complimentary copy for consideration. All opinions are my own.