Forget Me Not by Kris BryantForget Me Not by Kris Bryant is a lovely, spicy lesbian romance that takes us out of the usual America setting and all the way to Ireland.

Grace Danner is headed to Howth, a little town outside of Dublin, because her Great Aunt Nola died and left Grace everything—her flower shop, car, home, and everything in it. Because Grace is a workaholic who regularly spends 60 to 70 hours a week working on advertising campaigns, she doesn’t really have the time for a trip like this. That’s why she’s already called ahead to book time with a real estate agent who will help her sell the business and its attached flat (for all you North Americans, it’s the small apartment on top of the store).

On her first day in Howth, Grace steps out on the street to get a perfect photo. She’s forgotten that people in Ireland drive on the opposite side of the road to what she’s used to, so she unfortunately causes a driver to crash their car. Of course, the driver is none other than Kerry Mulligan, Grace’s new real estate agent, which is not the best way to start a relationship, professional or otherwise.

Despite Kerry’s initially icy demeanor, she turns out to be warm, funny, and just all around likeable, and Grace is quickly attracted to the gorgeous Irish redhead. But Grace is married to her career in Dallas and Kerry’s life is embedded in the rest of her family’s in Ireland, so can they  have anything more than a super hot, super intense fling?

The Characters

Because we follow the story through Grace, we get to know her best. And as much as she’s driven by her career, she isn’t cold and she genuinely cares about the people around her, whether it’s her best friend, her colleagues who depend on her, or the people she meets in Howth. I especially enjoyed seeing how Ireland and Kerry help Grace grow and change, forcing her to reevaluate her life and priorities.

Kerry is wonderful beyond words and it’s no surprise that Grace falls for her, even with their inauspicious first meeting. She doesn’t have as much of an arc as Grace, and that’s totally fine, because it’s Grace’s book. That said, we get to know Kerry quite well because she’s good at communicating her feelings and experiences, and I never felt like I was missing out by not getting her perspective.

The Writing Style

Like every other book I’ve read by Bryant, Forget Me Not has a smooth, inviting tone that sucked me in and kept me hooked until the end.

I was also surprised by the heat level of this book, which I’d give a 4 out of 5, or maybe even a 4.5. The cover makes it look like something tame that I could give to my mom, but it sure isn’t that kind of book! There’s a LOT of sex, it all works beautifully, and it isn’t ever repetitive because the sex scenes serve to help the romance and relationship development.

The Narration

As much as I adored Forget Me Not, only half of the narration worked for me. And I hate saying that because I normally love Brittni Pope’s performances through and through! While I enjoyed hearing Grace’s voice, the Irish accents are inconsistent and sometimes sound like Pope’s Aussie or New Zealand accents, and occasionally it even sounds like Kerry has Grace’s Texan accent. I found that distracting and it sometimes pulled me out of the story.

If you can only experience books via audio, then I’d encourage you to pick this up anyway because the story and characters are so good, but if you can read ebooks or paperbacks then I’d recommend you go that route.

The Pros

Oh goodness, I loved everything about this book. The characters, their chemistry (which seriously, goes BOOM when they get together), how the setting is so vividly drawn that it’s like a character too, and the most perfect happily ever after.

The Cons

The cover didn’t work for me at all and is one of the main reasons I’d never read Forget Me Not Before, even though it’s been out for 2 years and I’m a big fan of Kris Bryant. And I’m so mad that I didn’t read it sooner! Like, yes, the cover gets across the fact that it’s set in Ireland, but I’ve been looking for a nice, sexy read for a while, and it’s been under my nose all this time disguised as something much tamer.

So, seriously, if you’ve been holding back from reading Forget Me Not because of everything about the cover, just ignore that instinct and trust me when I say you need to read this book. 

taras favourite lesbian booksThe Conclusion

Forget Me Not is so delicious that I immediately read it again as soon as I finished listening to it, which I’ve never done before. It’s just that good. If you’re a fan of contemporary romance, I highly recommend you pick this one up, especially if you like your romances on the steamier side. I’m so glad I finally found it and I’ll definitely be reading it again in the future.

Excerpt from Forget Me Not by Kris Bryant

I look back at the docks and notice that the early morning sun is hitting the tips of the boats, giving the entire harbor a beautiful warm glow. I snap a few pictures, but I’m not quite at the angle I want to be so I step out into the street to get that perfect shot. That’s a mistake. I hear screeching tires and a loud crash beside me. I freeze and tense up, waiting for a giant truck to smash into me and send me a hundred yards down the street. I slowly turn to the side and see a Volkswagen Jetta crunched into a concrete and stone garbage can, the fender and part of the hood crumpled up. Holy shit! I forgot the Irish drive on the opposite side of the road here so I literally walked into traffic because I was looking the other way. Before I even fully cross the street, the driver’s side door flings open and a woman busts out yelling at me. She flings her arms at me, then points to the car, then back at me. I can’t keep up with what she is saying, so I just stand there and wait for her ranting to stop.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to jump out in front of you.” I’m about two feet in front of her and suddenly I forget I just caused her to crash her car. She’s gorgeous and every bit Irish. Long, red hair, alabaster skin, and emerald eyes. Morgan has green eyes, but this woman’s eyes are a dark green, a color I have never seen before. She’s still ranting at me and I still don’t understand her. Her brogue is too strong, or she’s speaking a dialect, or Gaelic. I pick up on a few words that aren’t entirely pleasant, but I don’t blame her.

“Why would you jump out in front of my car? Who does that? Why didn’t you look first?” Finally, words I understand. She stops talking, her chest rising and falling fast at the adrenaline coursing through her. She moves closer to me, her stunning eyes flashing with anger. She is waiting for me to say something.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?” She looks completely and justifiably perturbed. “I’m so sorry,” I say again. “I forgot that you drive on the opposite side of the road here. I will pay for all damages to your car.” She stares at me, looks back at the car, then back to me. I see her shoulders slump. I feel stupid standing there, looking at her and saying nothing. I have no idea who to call to fix her car. I’ve been here twelve hours and I’ve already managed to screw things up. Now I wish Morgan was here. She would take complete control of the situation.

“You’re American,” she says. There is no malice in her voice. As a matter of fact, she suddenly seems sad at that revelation. I’m thoroughly confused. “Let me guess, you’re Grace.”

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Bits and Bobs

  • ISBN number: 9781626398658
  • Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
  • Audiobook Publisher: Bold Strokes Books Inc
  • Narrator: Brittni Pope
  • Kris Bryant Online 

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