[ARC Review] Forget Me Not by Julie Soto
Once upon a time, they collaborated on events by day, and by night, Ama traced the intricate flower tattoos etched along his body. Then Ama shattered his heart and never spoke to Elliot again.
Now they’re working on an event that could make or break both of their careers—except neither of them has gotten over what happened two years ago. Things are not helped by the two brides, who see the obvious chemistry between Ama and Elliot and are determined to set them up, not knowing their complicated history. But as the wedding takes on a life of its own, Ama and Elliot are about to discover that some things can survive a complete catastrophe . . .
My thoughts: I love Julie Soto's stories, and Forget Me Not is no exception. Like a rose, there was layer after layer to go through with both Ama and Elliot, but both of their story arcs became that much sweeter with each petal that was examined.
Professionally put together and on the path she always wanted for herself, Ama is, quite frankly, a total mess when it comes to her personal life. That juxtaposition between a calm exterior and a chaotic, self-doubting interior is, really, a goal for anyone in their mid-twenties, and Ama carries it so well. Ama is a blur of contradictions: she loves weddings, but doesn't believe in marriage; she remains close to her former step-siblings, but not to her former step-fathers; she wanted Elliot in her life long-term, but didn't want any commitments between them. Ama's surety in what she wanted - even to her own detriment - made her an entertaining, if a bit predictable, character.
This story has the grumpy/sunshine dichotomy twofold: once between people-pleasing Ama and the gloomy Elliot, and again within Elliot himself. It's rare for me to love the male perspective more than the female in a m/f romance, but Elliot's chapters truly shined bright in regards to temperament, thoughts, and feelings about the world (and people) around him. Elliot was such a complex character, and it took both his and Ama's perspectives to really see that and highlight who he was as a character. It's hard not to love a grumpy, tattooed main character who falls first.
Soto made a great choice in making this story both dual POV and dual timeline. I loved getting both perspectives and watching the events of the past slowly collide with the present. Both Ama and Elliot brought so much to the story that it was hard to say whose perspective I looked forward to reading more. I thought the story flowed nicely, even by alternating past and present and both points of view.
Forget Me Not was an easy five star read from me. Even when main characters aren't ready to commit to each other, it was easy to commit to reading, and falling for, this romance.
[A huge thank you to Forever for providing a review copy of this title. All opinions are my own.]
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Release date: 7/11/23
Format: eARC
eARC provided via: NetGalley
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