Bloggin' 'bout Books: 05/16/18

2023 Literary Escapes Challenge

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International:

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New Romantic Suspense Novel Too Meh For Me (With a Giveaway!)

1:00 AM

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Haley Wyatt is preparing to say goodbye to Grisa, her beloved 100-year-old great-grandmother, when a phone call from Germany rocks both of their worlds. A relative informs them that a body has been found in an old, walled-in room in Baumdorf. The remains have been identified as those of Ulrich Krauss, Haley's great-grandfather. Grisa, who thought her husband abandoned her, has always told her family he died in World War II. Both Haley and Grisa are shocked by the truth—Ulrich Krauss was murdered. Desperate to honor the man she has been decrying for almost a century, Grisa begs Haley to travel to Germany in her stead and find out what really happened to Ulrich.

Almost from the moment she steps on German soil, Haley feels as if someone is watching her. Even with handsome Joshua Davison—an old friend of her brother's—by her side, she can't shake the sinister feeling. The more she learns about Ulrich Krauss' disappearance, the more certain Haley feels. Someone doesn't want her digging into the past. That someone will go to great lengths to stop her from finding out who killed her great-grandfather. The closer she comes to discovering the reason behind his death, the more dangerous her trip to Germany becomes. Can Haley find what she's looking for before it's too late? Or will she be the next victim of a killer determined to keep the secrets of the past from ever coming to light?

Romantic suspense has never been my favorite, but there are definitely things I appreciate about the genre. Like many of its fellows, Unforgettable by Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen is a quick, clean read that shies away from graphic violence, language, and sensuality. Although it deals with some disturbing subjects, overall its themes of hope, redemption, and love are what really shine through. I also find the subject of Nazi-stolen art interesting, so I enjoyed that aspect of the story. Unfortunately, Unforgettable also falls back on some of my least favorite genre staples—flat characters, insta-love, a far-fetched plot line, melodramatic prose, and contrived plot devices. I didn't feel much of a connection with Haley or any real sparks between her and Joshua. Also, because we already know "whodunit," there's not a whole lot of suspense to keep the novel interesting. These elements took away from the story for me, making it pretty meh for me overall. Still, Unforgettable is an entertaining enough tale, as long as you don't expect too much of it. If you dig this genre, you might want to give it a chance.

(Readalikes: I don't read this genre very often, so I'm not sure what would be an apt comparison. Suggestions?)

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