Before I Forget - Melissa Hill

Rating: 6/10

Review:

I went into this book looking for a light, fun read and while it was fun in places and had a light feel mostly, I ended up with the feeling that this book had the scope to be much better than just an average read.

The plot is interesting - Abby Ryan meets with a freak accident that means she could lose all her memories. Though shocked, Abby is determined to live it up and draws a list of things she's always wanted to do. She's getting ready to have fun and enjoy her life to the fullest possible.

Abby, as a character, is supremely annoying at first. She is permanently worried about the pathetic boyfriend who broke up with her after quite a long relationship. As the book goes on, you learn how much she depended on him. Almost spinelessly, her opinions and tastes, regardless of what they were before she met him, mirrored his. But she does redeems herself in several places.

Abby's family members, on the other hand, are wonderful characters. Though they seem too good to be true at times, they come off as funny, caring, loving and wonderfully supportive in view of Abby's memory loss. The romance in the book is oh-so-cute and predictable, but enjoyable.  

Abby's determination to have a good life in the face of great tragedy, without seeming too unrealistic, is beautifully captured by Melissa Hill. She writes in a very simple style and drafts in some excellent, unexpected twists in the end.

I expected the whole 'drawing up the list of things she's always wanted to do and enjoying life' to be much more interesting than it was in the book, though. And that's basically the problem I have with the book. It offered so much promise, but does not really fulfill its potential. 

Probably because I went in with high expectations after reading some good reviews about the book and the basic plot line itself, I was definitely underwhelmed. But I certainly would recommend you give it a try if you are in need of an easy, good book!