Would you lie to someone if they begged you too? Would you be able to carry the burden of the lie if your partner would never be able to remember that again?

That is the life facing Ava and her partner Will after they found out he had a deadly brain tumor, he has simply two choices, give in to the tumor and die or have a life-saving operation but lose all your memories for the past several years and forget a painful memory. So in order to keep Will alive, Ava agrees, but that also means that he forgets Ava too, can they rebuild their life together? Or will the secret be too much?

The Girl You Forgot is such a heartbreaking tale, that will reduce you to a complete emotional mess, but it’s totally worth it! Will and Ava’s characters were very well written and you can’t help but have compassion for them both and honestly become heavily invested in their story from the prologue.

Giselle Green is a new to me author, but one that I will read again. I found her book to be refreshing, the “out of the ordinary” love story that I have never read before and is honestly a very welcome change.

In The Girl You Forgot, you meet Ava and Will. Will has a brain tumor and will die without an operation. Ava is able to convince him to go through with the surgery, even knowing that his memory of recent years might be wiped. Will he remember her and her love. Does love reside in the heart or the brain? When Will comes out of his surgery, he has lost the last seven years of his life. He doesn't remember Ava, his new job, any problems he had with friends or the fact that Ava is expecting.

When I read the premise of this story, I was immediately intrigued. I know that memories and love reside in the brain, but are there memories elsewhere? I wanted to find out what happened with Ava and Will. What was the secret she was keeping? This was an enjoyable story, but I did have a niggle here and there. The middle of the story dragged a bit, but keep with it, you will be glad you did. Ava loved Will and was willing to give up everything she wanted to keep him alive. When I found out her secret, I was angry with her though, but as we find out more, my heart went out to her. I can't imagine how Will must have felt, dealing with so many things he had forgotten as well as finding out how much his life had changed and he no longer remembered. Giselle Green's writing did a great job conveying emotions. I loved the growth the characters show as the story progressed and the ending was wonderful. This is the first book I have read by Giselle Green, but I will be checking out some of her others.

In this book we meet Ava and Will
Will has just woken up from brain surgery and has lost the last 7 years. When Ava, his girlfriend of 3 years enters the room he has no recollection of her.
Eventually agreeing to return to hers after leaving the hospital he begins to fall in love with her all over again, but feels there is something she’s not telling him. What secrets is she keeping and why?
Told in alternative paragraphs from both Ava and Will’s perspectives we get to know more about this couple and their lives.
There were a few times where I felt the story was a little slow but on the whole I enjoyed this book and getting to know the characters
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review

The description of this book sounded so good but sadly I just couldn't get into it. Sorry this one isn't for me

4.5 Stars

A heart-wrenching love story that will haunt readers long after the last page is turned, Giselle Green’s The Girl You Forgot is a must-read for fans of Jojo Moyes’ Me Before You.

Ava and Will are a couple who are madly in love with another who have the world at their feet – until the rug is pulled out from under them when Will gets an earth-shattering diagnosis that he is suffering from a terminal brain illness. The future they had always taken for granted is now in jeopardy and the future is bleak, scary and uncertain. The only hope which the doctors can give them is that there is a chance of survival if Will has a risky operation – however, if he goes through with it, all of his most recent memories will be wiped away forever. Forgetting Ava is the last thing Will wants, but Ava is not prepared to lose him just yet. Ava is ready for Will to forget her if it means that he stays alive and that his health and his future are no longer in jeopardy. But is she aware of just what sacrifice she is making? Or is Ava so determined to do whatever it takes to save Will from certain death that she is willing to give up everything – even their relationship?

Will and Ava are a couple who have a secret. A secret that is so powerful that they daren’t reveal it to anyone because the repercussions are simply unbearable. But if Will goes ahead with this operation, he will no longer be burdened by this shocking secret and the weight of responsibility will fall squarely onto Ava’s shoulders. Worse, will Ava end up losing Will anyway as there is a chance that going through with this operation will wipe out his memories and everything which he felt for her. Is Ava ready and willing to take the risk? Whatever the outcome, it seems that she will be mourning the loss of her current relationship anyway. But what can she do?
Can she trust that she and Will can rebuild the love they have for one another? Does the heart ever forget? Or will their relationship end up being fractured beyond all repair?

Giselle Green is a fantastic writer who always writes with such sensitivity and compassion about thought-provoking issues and dilemmas that strike a chord with all of her readers. The Girl You Forgot is a poignant and beguiling tale about the power of love, courage and hope that is absolutely impossible not to be moved by. A superbly written love story that will break readers’ hearts on many an occasion and have them reaching for their box of tissues, The Girl You Forgot explores the lengths people go to for the ones they love with depth, heart and candour.

A compulsively readable contemporary tale from a brilliant writer, The Girl You Forgot is a gripping love story readers will want to tell their friends and family about.

A heart-wrenching moral dilemma lies at the heart of The Girl You Forgot: should we lie to protect those we love, even if they have asked us to? Giselle Green has written such a powerful, emotive and thought-provoking book with completely relatable characters that you can't help but wonder what you would do in the same circumstances.

Ava has just found out that she's pregnant when Will is diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour. Will has the hardest decision to make: should he have the operation at the risk of losing his memory or enjoy what time he has left? Will decides to go in for surgery but only after he makes Ava promise to withhold something from him when he wakes up. Will's surgery is successful but he has lost all of his memories from the last 7 years; understandably confused to wake up with a girlfriend he doesn't recognise by his side, he asks Ava to promise to always tell him the truth. What a double whammy! Poor Ava.

My heart really went out to both Will and Ava. As lovely as it was to see Will fall in love with Ava all over again, it was heartbreaking when he admits that wasn't able to experience the simplest of emotions: happiness. Ava is torn between keeping her promise to Will before the op and keeping her promise to Will after the op. I certainly didn't envy her that moral dilemma! I loved how Ava confides in gardener, Harry, who has memory loss issues of his own. Harry has some amazing words of wisdom for Ava, which is food for thought for her and the reader.

The Girl You Forgot is a beautiful story, beautifully written by Giselle Green. It's full of heart being heartbreaking, heart-wrenching and heartwarming in equal measure.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

Oh this book really was heartbreaking and emotional. One that really pulls on your heartstrings with some lovely characters. I loved it.

I thought Will and Ava together seemed like a great couple, clearly with so much love between them. Until a mistake cost them both so much sadness. Following this mistake, they received some awful news about Will. Could it get any worse for them as a couple?!

I was truly heartbroken for them both. For Will for having to have the operation that risked so much for him and also risk losing his memory. Maybe having to start again. Then for Ava, a decision she had to make knowing how much hurt it could cause if Will found out. What a hard positon to be in for her. You could literally feel her pain through the pages. The torture she felt on having to make these choices on her own, feeling like she couldnt talk to anyone. Yet with a promise she kept, that left her torn.

I love how they both were strong characters and really went for what they believed in. Even if they were a little lost along the way.

I loved how the story was told from both their points of views so you got to know how they were both feeling.

I loved Harry too, what a little delight he was. How special was Ava’s relationship with him.

This is a story based on love, secrets, lies and doing the right thing. Its a book that you feel invested in from the start and really wish they sort their issues out and both be ok. Not just with each other but with life. The sadness and heartbreak for them both was so emotional. Such a brilliant book.

This book is an absolute pleasure to read.

Straight away the characters appealed to me, and I was instantly drawn into the intriguing plot by the first chapter.

The setting and imagery are very vivid, with the cottage on the beach, and the tranquility of the butterfly gardens.

Ava is in such a difficult position, she’s keeping such a big secret, one which she feels could destroy them, whatever she chooses to do.

I really liked the alternating points of view, it was good to see things from Will’s side too.

This very readable book has it all, such real characters, a fascinating plot, beautiful and very descriptive imagery, and a storyline that will stir up so many emotions. I was totally absorbed by this book, and sorry when it was finished. Gorgeous.

Waking up from a life-saving operation, Will is grateful to be alive. However, he's lost seven years of his memory and therefore no memory of how he met his partner, Ava. As they become close again, Will wants to know about their life before his operation. However, will the secret Ava is keeping, destroy the relationship they are rebuilding?

Ava is a woman in an unenviable situation. The man she loves needs a lifesaving operation which will erase his memory. She's promised to keep the other devastating news they found out before Will's operation a secret. After his successful surgery, they begin to re-build their relationship, but the burden of keeping the secret could tear them apart.

Will is a musician, a successful one, not that he remembers that part of his life post-op. When he's re-introduced to Toby, his American song-writing collaborator, music is something he remembers playing and creating. It's a connect to his past which makes sense however, he's unaware of how successful his musical career was or of the burden he placed on Ava.

Ava and Will's story is both heartfelt and heartbreaking. They're both dealing with unknown emotions; Will can't remember the woman he loved and Ava's hoping the man she loves will fall in love with her again. Their emotional journey's complemented by secondary characters as the protagonists try to make sense of the situation they are in. The extras highlight events from the past, bringing issues to the surface which should have remained buried. It's a thought-provoking scenario for both the protagonists and the reader. What would you do in a similar situation?

The originality of the narrative is noteworthy but missed a beat or two for me. I fell out of the plot intermittently, in contrast, was fully amerced within this roller-coaster of a ride story for the rest. For me, it's the timing of when the secret is revealed… I won't spoil anything by saying more.

Overall, I enjoyed this novel but not as much as I'd hoped. Ms Green is a new to me author and won't hesitate to pick up and read other books she's written.

3.5 stars

***arc generously received courtesy of Boldwood Books via NetGalley***l

I was given an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and independent review.
This story told by the two main characters Will and Ava, is very well told and quite emotional.
If I asked myself if it was credible at all times, then the answer would have to be no. Some of the actions did not match what realistically I felt people would do in the circumstances. No spoilers!
I enjoyed finding out the secrets that were being kept, but to be honest parts of the book were a bit tedious and repetitive, with the story not moving on.
Overall a good read that raised some moral issues.
3.5 stars

Memories make us who we are and create an anchor point for both the important and the mundane activities of our lives. To have those memories removed so that they are gone forever is the worrying situation facing Ava's partner, Will, who after surgery on a brain tumour, knows that a chunk of his recent memory will have gone. He no longer remembers his life with Ava and other than she is pretty and kind, Will has no knowledge of their three year relationship.

What then follows is a thoughtful story which puts into focus all those little nuances that go into the making of a relationship. That there are secrets in Ava and Will's life is obvious from the start, so it was interesting to see just how their individual dilemmas unfolded, as each have so much to lose, and so much to gain by being as honest as they can with each other. And that of course is where the difficulty lies, as how can you be honest when you can't or don't want to remember?

The story flows well and I enjoyed reading the chapters from both Ava and Will's point of view, I think that the author succeeds in bringing their different personalities alive. There were times when I struggled to like both of them but I think that is what makes this story so relatable, after all, we can't all be nice all the time! I enjoyed meeting the other characters who flit into and out of the story as they each add their own personalities, and different strengths, to the story as it unfolds.

I have now read several of this author's work, so I know that she does these relationship stories very well and The Girl You Forgot is another good example of taking a difficult subject, something this author doesn't shy away from, and delivering a story about life, love and loss in a relatable and meaningful way.

I have to admit that I wasn’t really a fan of this one, but I think part of that was because I went into expecting a very different book to what I actually got. From the synopsis, I expected an almost thriller-like book, and was very curious about what the secret could be. But instead, this book is actually more of a romantic drama style read.

The thing I didn’t really get is that you’re told the secret pretty much straight away. Ok, there’s a bit of a red herring in the way the secret is discussed, but it’s not hard to guess what actually happened. And because of that, there was nothing to really keep you invested in the book. You knew the secret, you knew sooner or later Will would find out, and you could guess what the end result would be. Because of that, I just really struggled to stay engaged with what was happening, and found it became quite repetitive and I’m sad to say a bit dull.

All in all, not my favourite. Don’t get me wrong, the writing was really strong, and I’d definitely try another of her books, but the plot of this one just didn’t work for me.

Disclaimer - I was fortunate enough to be provided with an advance reading copy of this book by NetGalley. This has not affected my review in any way, and all opinions are my own.

The idea behind this book is something really different – a moral dilemma of a kind I’ve never come across before. If an operation would save your life, but mean that you lose a slice of your recent memory, would you go ahead? Even if it meant that you might not recognise those you love? And supposing there was a particular issue making you feel that life might just not be worth living – if your memory loss wiped everything clean, would you want to know about it? When Will proceeds with the operation, Ava becomes the guardian of that immense secret – is it really feasible that their lives can just be started again?

I really enjoyed this book – the book’s central concept is quite wonderfully delivered through the voices of its two main characters. Ava carries her heavy burden while growing close to Will once more, and as the date draws closer for the birth of her child – and Will finds himself again, and what makes him happy, coming to terms with the loss of seven years of memories. It’s an enthralling read, with moments of discovery and sometimes sheer joy as, over time, they rekindle their earlier romance and find each other again. But there’s always that lurking shadow, the possibility that Will will uncover the secret – and the fact that Ava concealed the truth, however justified, might just blow their relationship apart.

The two main characters entirely won my heart (particularly Will – he’s so lovely!), but I loved some of the supporting characters too. Toby, Will’s American songwriting partner becomes a real friend he can count on – unlike Ava’s friend Ginny with the particular complexities affecting their relationship. I particularly liked Harry, a man with significant memory problems of his own, who tends the garden at the Butterfly Cafe where Ava works – some of their encounters, every time the first time for him, made me smile, as did his occasional unexpected insights and words of wisdom. There’s quite a focus on family too: Ava’s sister, the relationship with her parents, Will’s rather complicated family, and that whole question of parenthood highlighted by a range of meetings and interactions.

Things do, of course, go seriously awry – as they were rather bound to – but the twists and turns that follow are handled quite superbly. This is one of those books that you read while wanting to cover your eyes – you can see devastation approaching, but there’s nothing you can do about it other than silently shout “stop” and “don’t do it”. The emotional touch around it all, as you watch that desperately uncomfortable unravelling, is damned near perfect – a whole situation that the author really makes you feel. And although I’ll tell you no more about it, I did think the way the ending was handled was pretty near perfect too.

This is a book full of hope, all around whether the heart remembers what the memory might have forgotten – and where love might just carry you through a situation that seems quite impossible to bear. And the author’s writing has really never been better – I loved this book.

(Review copied to Amazon UK, but link not yet available)

Why? Why would someone NOT want to know memories he will be losing when he gets life saving brain surgery?

Why? Why would the woman who loves him agree to NOT tell him?

Told from both points of view, Will's and Ava's, the book at times is heartwarming and then heartbreaking. I liked the fresh (different) story line, but I was not fond of the thought that these two were essentially lying to each other. Will when he asked Ava to not fill him in on the years he's missing, and Ava when she made promises post surgery that violated the pre-surgery promises. Gosh...

I think there were other ways for them to get through the memory loss, rather than just blocking those years out! Both characters had me wanting to grab them and talk some sense into them at times.

The writing was good, but there were issues in the story that just hit my WHAT?? buttons. But, I was engaged. Three stars because I just don't like the thought of someone having to lie to their partner about anything.

I love finding a new author to sample and the blurb had me hooked straight away.

A story written from the perspectives of Will & Ava, we meet them at a point where Will needs life saving surgery but stands to lose all of his recent memories.

This is an emotional story where you really feel for both Ava & Will who are caught in a hellish circle from which they don't appear to be finding any escape. During this story it touches on depression and heartbreak and you spend the entire story with your sympathy swinging between them.

A story that makes you think what would you do if you found yourselves in a scenario where you or a partner needed life saving surgery but would stand to lose their memories. A story full of complex emotions that makes you thankful for your family and friends and the memories that you create.

#TheGirlYouForgot#HerBalist
As the book opens Ava is BentonvIlle to have a life saving operation where he will loose his recent memory but it will save his life. There was a secret they were keeping and she will have to live with the secret alone if he doesn't remember. Will does remember Ava when he wakes up. Will they be able to find their way back to each other ? Will the secret be revealed ? Will they find their old connection and build on it ? Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to read and review this book.


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WOW! The Girl You Forgot is easily the best book I have read this year!
At the beginning of the book, you found out that the two main characters, Ava and Will, are about to be faced with a challenge of life changing surgery. Will has a mass on his brain that requires surgery to remove it, however, as a consequence of this surgery, Will will lose some of his memories. The mass on his brain was discovered when Will went to a fertility clinic to find out why they wasn't successful conceiving. At the same time as this, Ava is pregnant and they found out that Will wasn't able to have children. As a way to convince Will to have the surgery, Ava made him a promise to keep a secret.
My heart literally breaks for Ava, when she visits Will after the surgery to realise that he had lost seven years worth of memory. Will had forgotten all about Ava ... and the baby. Yes, that's right, Ava was pregnant! I couldn't image waking up from a dream to find out I am actually seven years older than I realised, living in a home with my girlfriend and about to have a baby!
The way Giselle brought across Will's and Ava's emotions of this extreme difficult time was absolutely extraordinary! Each chapter was in the view point of either Ava or Will, so you got to see and explore why they felt the way they did and why. With Ava's chapters, it was overwhelming how much emotion was going through her at that time; she was willing Will to live and carry on, hoping they could still be together, having a baby, but also the haunting guilt of the secret she had to keep to herself. Towards the end of the book, Ava tells Will the secret she had been holding in order to help him during his depression and low state.
It took me four hours straight to read this book ... WOW!! My review doesn't do this book justice, it was amazing!

Many thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. Giselle Green is one of my favourite authors and she didnt disappoint with her new book The Girl you Forgot. How important are our memories, do they make us the people we are today. In order to save his life Will must have brain surgery that will result in him losing 7 years worth of his memory. This is the time he met and fell in love with Ava. He wakes from the surgery with no recollection of his pregnant girlfriend, leaving her with a huge secret. Utterly inputtdownable. Giselle has an amazing talent of drawing you in , with likeable characters and well researched plot.

The Girl You Forgot is a very well written romance. Good plot and believable characters. I highly recommend this book. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.

This is my first book by this author. It was a great story but fell a little flat in the middle. I stuck with it and very glad I did. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review.