Forget Me Not by Vicki Hinze

Forget Me Not by Vicki Hinze Trade Paperback: 352 pages Publisher: WaterBrook Multnomah First Released: 2010 Author Website Publisher's Book Page

Source: This was book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.

Back Cover Description:
Crossroads Crisis Center owner Benjamin Brandt was a content man—in his faith, his work, and his family. Then in a flash, everything he loved was snatched away. His wife and son were murdered, and grief-stricken Ben lost faith. Determination to find their killers keeps him going, but after three years of dead ends and torment, his hope is dying too. Why had he survived? He’d failed to protect his family.

Now, a mysterious woman appears at Crossroads seeking answers and help—a victim who eerily resembles Ben’s deceased wife, Susan. A woman robbed of her identity, her life, of everything except her faith—and Susan’s necklace.

The connections between the two women mount, exceeding coincidence, and to keep the truth hidden, someone is willing to kill. Finding out who and why turns Ben and the mystery woman’s situation from dangerous to deadly. Their only hope for survival is to work together, trust each other, and face whatever they discover head on, no matter how painful. But will that be enough to save their lives and heal their tattered hearts?


Review:
Forget Me Not is an enjoyable romantic suspense novel. The romance was handled well, though I didn't really feel like Ben was (yet) someone wise for any woman to get involved with romantically. The world-building and pacing were very good, and the suspense was high throughout.

The plot was complex enough I had to read the whole book to understand what was going on. It was sometimes difficult to follow due to the relatively large number of people with competing goals and shifting allegiances combined with the author not clearly stating people's motives until near the end of the novel.

I really, really liked the Susan-look-alike character--how she dealt with the situation and how her deep, abiding trust in God was portrayed. The other characters were interesting, but we didn't learn much about most of them (or their motives) until near the end of the novel.

Many of the characters were Christians and their faith was a meaningful part of their lives and vital to how they dealt with a crisis. The novel wasn't preachy, and I don't think non-Christians would be offended by the faith elements.

There was no sex and no bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this novel as enjoyable, clean reading.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt from Chapter One
Friday, October 9

"It's a bad business decision."

Behind the wheel of the red Jaguar, she checked her rearview mirror, uneasy at being where she shouldn't be after dark. "Maybe"--she braked for a traffic light--"but it's a good heart decision."

The man on the phone grunted his true feelings; his words proved far more diplomatic. "I understand that position on some of your ventures, like your work building the children's center, but I don't understand it on this. We're talking about a run-down beach house three states away, with exorbitant taxes and insurance, that you never visit. Retaining it isn't logical."

Her aunt Beth had loved that run-down beach house, and they'd spent almost twenty wonderful summers together there. But maybe you had to grow up orphaned and denied the privilege of living with your last blood relative to understand the value of that.

"It's in hurricane country and eighty feet from the gulf," she told her financial advisor. "Of course the taxes and insurance premiums are outrageous."

Two blocks ahead, a jazz funeral ambled down St. Charles Avenue. Bluesy music floated on the night. Not wanting to intrude, she flicked her little finger, tapping on the blinker, then turned at the corner and headed out of the French Quarter.

Her uneasiness grew. There had been some police presence in the Quarter. Where she was headed, there wasn't apt to be any.


Read the prologue.