Book Review: Forgotten by Catherine McKenzie

Title: Forgotten
Author: Catherine McKenzie
448 pages, Published by William Morrow Paperbacks
Catherine’s Info: Facebook | Twitter
Buy The Book: Amazon

Summary:
Emma Tupper is a dedicated lawyer with a bright future. But when she takes a month-long leave of absence to go on an African vacation, she ends up facing unexpected consequences. After she falls ill and spends six months trapped in a remote village thanks to a devastating earthquake, Emma returns home to discover that her friends, boyfriend, and colleagues thought she was dead—and that her life has moved on without her.

As she struggles to re-create her old life, throwing herself into solving a big case for a client and trying to reclaim her beloved apartment from the handsome photographer who assumed her lease, everyone around her thinks she should take the opportunity to change. But is she willing to sacrifice her job, her relationships, and everything else she worked so hard to build?

In Forgotten, Catherine McKenzie tweaks a classic tale of discovering who we really are when everything that brings meaning to our lives is lost. (Summary provided by William Morrow Paperbacks.)

My Thoughts:

With Forgotten, Catherine McKenzie (author of Spin and Arranged) creates a novel that asks the question, What would you do if you had the opportunity to start over? When Emma Tupper returns home from Africa after an earthquake kept her there for an extended stay and unable to contact her friends at home, she is stunned to realize she has been presumed dead. Emma went to Africa at the request of her dying mother. It was her mother’s lifelong dream to go to Africa. She was never able to make it there, so Emma went instead with the trip her mother left her in her will. Emma’s time in Africa is revealed through a series of flashbacks interspersed throughout the story of what happens after she returns home. McKenzie’s tale keeps readers intrigued every step of the way.

Emma first realizes the gravity of her situation when she finds out her apartment has been rented to Dominic, a handsome photographer. (Hello possible love interest!) Emma must also make lots of decisions now that she’s “back from the dead.” First and foremost, does she want to stay with her boyfriend, Craig? Is that even an option after being gone for six months? Also, does Emma want to keep working at the law firm where she was on partner track before she disappeared? While reading, I found myself rooting for Emma, hoping she would have the courage to make changes in her life and not go back to her old routine.

I loved Catherine McKenzie’s two previous novels, Spin and Arranged, so it came as no surprise to me that I enjoyed Forgotten. You can see my reviews of Spin and Arranged for RT Book Reviews by clicking here and here. Fans of Helen Fielding, Jennifer Weiner, and Emily Giffin will love Forgotten by Catherine McKenzie!

Disclosure Statement: I received a complimentary copy of the book reviewed from the publisher. I also receive a small commission on any purchases made by clicking on the Amazon links throughout the site.

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