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Forgotten
After a traumatic car accident, Ava Durant wakes up in hospital not remembering how she got there. However, that's not all she's forgotten. The last ten years of her memory are gone and she's not a thirty-year-old woman anymore, she's forty. Struggling to come to terms with everything she's lost, she tries to live in her new reality but everything is foreign and unfamiliar. Her husband has gone, her friends are different and life is unrecognisable. In order to move forward she has to go backwards to unearth her forgotten past and the secrets that have shaped her. A sharp examination of what it looks like to be a woman in today's society, this book is for anyone who's woken up at forty and wondered what has happened to their life.
251 pages, Paperback
Published July 26, 2024
2 people are currently reading
90 people want to read
About the author
Casey Nott
2 books16 followersCasey Nott is a contemporary fiction author.
Her stories celebrate women and explore the challenges they face in modern society.
Her debut novel, Forgotten, was long listed in the 2022 Hawkeye Manuscript Development Competition and is due for release on 26th July 2024, with Hawkeye Publishing.
When she’s not writing (or reading) she enjoys keeping active by practicing yoga and playing pickle ball. She is happiest when she’s creating and making things.
She lives in Melbourne with her husband and three children, of whom she’s quite fond.
Her stories celebrate women and explore the challenges they face in modern society.
Her debut novel, Forgotten, was long listed in the 2022 Hawkeye Manuscript Development Competition and is due for release on 26th July 2024, with Hawkeye Publishing.
When she’s not writing (or reading) she enjoys keeping active by practicing yoga and playing pickle ball. She is happiest when she’s creating and making things.
She lives in Melbourne with her husband and three children, of whom she’s quite fond.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
April 30, 2025
This was a compelling look into the legal world, and a woman's personal struggle after suffering an accident and the resulting amnesia she is experiencing.
She's lost ten years in her memory, taking her back to her first marriage, completely unaware of the resolution of that union, to where she is now currently. So different, so jarring.
So much has transpired, she's struggling with the massive life changes which include her messy family dynamic, friendships and employment.
I found portions to be neat, but all in all it was a compelling story where I was interested in following the protagonist to the end, hoping the best for her.
A well written debut, I can imagine more legal based stories to come.
3.5 stars.
She's lost ten years in her memory, taking her back to her first marriage, completely unaware of the resolution of that union, to where she is now currently. So different, so jarring.
So much has transpired, she's struggling with the massive life changes which include her messy family dynamic, friendships and employment.
I found portions to be neat, but all in all it was a compelling story where I was interested in following the protagonist to the end, hoping the best for her.
A well written debut, I can imagine more legal based stories to come.
3.5 stars.
July 26, 2024
⭐️4.5 Stars⭐️
Forgotten by Casey Nott is a fabulous debut! I found the story really intriguing and addictive, seriously you’re in for a treat!
Imagine waking up in hospital after a traumatic accident and you’ve lost ten years of your memory! Your husband is no longer your husband, your friends have changed and this new world is foreign to you.
Ava Durant is suddenly aged forty and no longer thirty, a decade lost!
This story is very clever in the way Ava had to come to terms with her new life, new body ……..new everything. The supporting characters are realistic and played out so authentically.
Casey has delivered an enjoyable, thought provoking and suspenseful read. Highly recommended. Watch out for this talented new author!
Publication Date 26 July 2024
Publisher Hawkeye Publishing
Thank you so much to Casey & Hawkeye Publishing for a copy of the book.
Forgotten by Casey Nott is a fabulous debut! I found the story really intriguing and addictive, seriously you’re in for a treat!
Imagine waking up in hospital after a traumatic accident and you’ve lost ten years of your memory! Your husband is no longer your husband, your friends have changed and this new world is foreign to you.
Ava Durant is suddenly aged forty and no longer thirty, a decade lost!
This story is very clever in the way Ava had to come to terms with her new life, new body ……..new everything. The supporting characters are realistic and played out so authentically.
Casey has delivered an enjoyable, thought provoking and suspenseful read. Highly recommended. Watch out for this talented new author!
Publication Date 26 July 2024
Publisher Hawkeye Publishing
Thank you so much to Casey & Hawkeye Publishing for a copy of the book.
January 9, 2025
Waking up in hospital after being involved in a serious car accident, Ava finds she has no memory of the past 10 years of her life.
Like something out of a horrible dream, years have been lost and she has a new life she knows nothing about.
Ava is now forty, married with a young son.. how did she get here? A very different path from the successful career driven lawyer she once was (and can remember being)
Now navigating her new life, trying to piece together lost memories and create new ones. Is this new life really going to fulfil her the way her past life did?
Wow, what a captivating debut. I was absolutely enthralled in Ava’s story. Loosing a decade of her life would be unimaginable, and Casey delicately guides Ava through her new life as she navigates new friends, heartbreak, loss of family and new beginnings
I loved everything about this story and couldn’t put it down, finishing it in one day
I am really excited to see what’s next for Casey!
Like something out of a horrible dream, years have been lost and she has a new life she knows nothing about.
Ava is now forty, married with a young son.. how did she get here? A very different path from the successful career driven lawyer she once was (and can remember being)
Now navigating her new life, trying to piece together lost memories and create new ones. Is this new life really going to fulfil her the way her past life did?
Wow, what a captivating debut. I was absolutely enthralled in Ava’s story. Loosing a decade of her life would be unimaginable, and Casey delicately guides Ava through her new life as she navigates new friends, heartbreak, loss of family and new beginnings
I loved everything about this story and couldn’t put it down, finishing it in one day
I am really excited to see what’s next for Casey!
August 7, 2024
I cannot stop thinking about FORGOTTEN. An absolutely superb debut from Casey Nott.
Imagine waking from a coma to discover you have no memory of the past decade. This is the reality Ava Durant finds herself in. She has the shock of her life when a car accident wipes her memories & she discovers she’s no longer a happily married, career-driven 30-year-old. Instead, she’s 40, in an unfamiliar body which apparently enjoys gentle yoga workouts, married to a different man & a stay-at-home-mum with a son. Ava’s life doesn’t make sense anymore & how she ended up here is a mystery. She must now work to reconcile the Ava she thought she was while discovering the woman she is now.
FORGOTTEN is simply unputdownable. It will grip you from the very start & even when that last page is done, you’ll still be thinking about it.
Casey Nott goes deep with this story. The aspects of life, motherhood & womanhood she explores through the eyes of someone who no longer knows herself were thoughtful, realistic & incredibly touching. FORGOTTEN goes beyond a story of memory loss and really focuses on how reality & perception shape our understanding & identity.
Casey has packed a lot into 250 pages & it makes for a pacey, compelling read. Be prepared to ride a wave of emotions throughout this novel. Some parts made me very sad, some parts made me swoon, others really moved me & at times I was laughing too (Adore your sense of humour, Casey!).
The premise of FORGOTTEN is clever & the characters all well-developed, but it’s Casey Nott’s thoughtful & snappy storytelling that really makes this book something very special. A truly exceptional debut, utterly absorbing & unforgettable.
I received a gifted copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Imagine waking from a coma to discover you have no memory of the past decade. This is the reality Ava Durant finds herself in. She has the shock of her life when a car accident wipes her memories & she discovers she’s no longer a happily married, career-driven 30-year-old. Instead, she’s 40, in an unfamiliar body which apparently enjoys gentle yoga workouts, married to a different man & a stay-at-home-mum with a son. Ava’s life doesn’t make sense anymore & how she ended up here is a mystery. She must now work to reconcile the Ava she thought she was while discovering the woman she is now.
FORGOTTEN is simply unputdownable. It will grip you from the very start & even when that last page is done, you’ll still be thinking about it.
Casey Nott goes deep with this story. The aspects of life, motherhood & womanhood she explores through the eyes of someone who no longer knows herself were thoughtful, realistic & incredibly touching. FORGOTTEN goes beyond a story of memory loss and really focuses on how reality & perception shape our understanding & identity.
Casey has packed a lot into 250 pages & it makes for a pacey, compelling read. Be prepared to ride a wave of emotions throughout this novel. Some parts made me very sad, some parts made me swoon, others really moved me & at times I was laughing too (Adore your sense of humour, Casey!).
The premise of FORGOTTEN is clever & the characters all well-developed, but it’s Casey Nott’s thoughtful & snappy storytelling that really makes this book something very special. A truly exceptional debut, utterly absorbing & unforgettable.
I received a gifted copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 23, 2025
5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Vibes: Self-Discovery, Compelling, Memory Loss
- - -
It’s rare to see a debut with such a sky high Goodreads average, so I had a good feeling heading into Forgotten and wow did it deliver!
I was absolutely glued to the pages and read it in one day.
This is one of those stories that lingers long after you close the book. There’s romance, drama and a beautiful, raw thread of personal rediscovery of a woman, a career girl, a wife and a mother that felt so authentic and powerful (the motherhood sections hit me right in the feels especially!)
It’s hard to share much without spoilers but the plot really could’ve gone in a few directions and Casey chose the perfect one. It was all about looking forward to the future while trying to understand the past and struck a delicate balance between emotional depth and page turning drama. Plus throw in some unexpected twists that added a great extra layer to an already fantastic story.
Forgotten is a heartfelt, layered exploration of what it means to rebuild, reimagine, and reclaim your life. I’m calling it already that this is one of my top reads this year and I can’t wait to see what Casey writes next.
Vibes: Self-Discovery, Compelling, Memory Loss
- - -
It’s rare to see a debut with such a sky high Goodreads average, so I had a good feeling heading into Forgotten and wow did it deliver!
I was absolutely glued to the pages and read it in one day.
This is one of those stories that lingers long after you close the book. There’s romance, drama and a beautiful, raw thread of personal rediscovery of a woman, a career girl, a wife and a mother that felt so authentic and powerful (the motherhood sections hit me right in the feels especially!)
It’s hard to share much without spoilers but the plot really could’ve gone in a few directions and Casey chose the perfect one. It was all about looking forward to the future while trying to understand the past and struck a delicate balance between emotional depth and page turning drama. Plus throw in some unexpected twists that added a great extra layer to an already fantastic story.
Forgotten is a heartfelt, layered exploration of what it means to rebuild, reimagine, and reclaim your life. I’m calling it already that this is one of my top reads this year and I can’t wait to see what Casey writes next.
April 17, 2025
What a whip smart debut that delicately pieces together the twisty turny love story of a woman with retrograde amnesia, against the slick and seedy backdrop of Melbourne’s legal fraternity. So much talent in these pages! Highly recommend and I’m looking for to whatever Casey writes next.
July 13, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
This book had me invested from start to finish. I read this in a day. I started this mid afternoon and finished it at about 1030pm that night.
We follow Ava whose been in a tragic care accident and has sustained a brain injury effecting her memory. She cannot recall the last ten years of her life.
We wakes to learn she is not married to the man she was ten years ago, in fact she’s married to his best friend.
She’s woken up in a life that she never wanted. Or at least the person she was ten years ago didn’t want. This leaves her questioning what she actually wants.
Does she even know who she is anymore. Her family and friends are all different. Her life is upside down and she cannot reconcile who she is told she is to who she feels she is.
She must rediscover herself and either find her way back or create a new way forward.
When I tell you I loved this. I loved it. The feminist touches and the touching on the roles of women where done so well. I loved our FMC and I felt for her. I did get frustrated and want to shake her but that’s how her family and friends must feel during that time.
This book had me invested from start to finish. I read this in a day. I started this mid afternoon and finished it at about 1030pm that night.
We follow Ava whose been in a tragic care accident and has sustained a brain injury effecting her memory. She cannot recall the last ten years of her life.
We wakes to learn she is not married to the man she was ten years ago, in fact she’s married to his best friend.
She’s woken up in a life that she never wanted. Or at least the person she was ten years ago didn’t want. This leaves her questioning what she actually wants.
Does she even know who she is anymore. Her family and friends are all different. Her life is upside down and she cannot reconcile who she is told she is to who she feels she is.
She must rediscover herself and either find her way back or create a new way forward.
When I tell you I loved this. I loved it. The feminist touches and the touching on the roles of women where done so well. I loved our FMC and I felt for her. I did get frustrated and want to shake her but that’s how her family and friends must feel during that time.
July 26, 2024
Happy Publication Day to Casey Nott’s emotional debut novel, Forgotten. It was a warm-hearted and compelling read that I struggled to tear my eyes away from.
Following a car accident, Ava Durant wakes in hospital and doesn’t remember what has happened to her. She also doesn’t remember anything from the past ten years of her life. As she struggles to recover her memories and match this new reality to the life she remembers, Ava experiences the very relatable feeling of waking up at forty and wondering how you actually got to this point.
I loved Ava’s character and felt very invested in her life. Imagining what it would be like if I couldn’t remember anything of my life between 30 and 40 was kind of terrifying.
It’s a powerful story dealing with love and loss, family and grief and I challenge anyone not to feel all the emotions while reading.
An absolutely amazing book Casey!
Following a car accident, Ava Durant wakes in hospital and doesn’t remember what has happened to her. She also doesn’t remember anything from the past ten years of her life. As she struggles to recover her memories and match this new reality to the life she remembers, Ava experiences the very relatable feeling of waking up at forty and wondering how you actually got to this point.
I loved Ava’s character and felt very invested in her life. Imagining what it would be like if I couldn’t remember anything of my life between 30 and 40 was kind of terrifying.
It’s a powerful story dealing with love and loss, family and grief and I challenge anyone not to feel all the emotions while reading.
An absolutely amazing book Casey!
December 18, 2025
How would you handle it if you woke up from a car accident and you have forgotten the last ten years of your life……..
Casey Nott’s debut answers this question and brings to light a beautiful, moving, heartfelt, honest and tender story that will capture your attention, inspire your spirit and touch your heart.
Forgotten is a book that everyone should read.
Ava Durant wakes in the hospital and doesn’t remember how she got there.
After being told she was in a car accident, her memory is bruised and believes she is thirty years old.
But she is not…..
Ava is forty and can’t recall the last ten years.
Everything is strange to her and she needs to navigate a new life.
To fill in the gaps Ava will need to unravel her world…..secrets included.
I loved my time with this book.
It’s thought provoking, topical, appropriate and totally interesting.
I was so invested in Ava’s universe, I had to know how this was going to conclude that I read in two sittings.
It packs an emotional slap and gives off all the feels and vibes.
A book that will stay with you long after closing the back cover.
Casey Nott’s debut answers this question and brings to light a beautiful, moving, heartfelt, honest and tender story that will capture your attention, inspire your spirit and touch your heart.
Forgotten is a book that everyone should read.
Ava Durant wakes in the hospital and doesn’t remember how she got there.
After being told she was in a car accident, her memory is bruised and believes she is thirty years old.
But she is not…..
Ava is forty and can’t recall the last ten years.
Everything is strange to her and she needs to navigate a new life.
To fill in the gaps Ava will need to unravel her world…..secrets included.
I loved my time with this book.
It’s thought provoking, topical, appropriate and totally interesting.
I was so invested in Ava’s universe, I had to know how this was going to conclude that I read in two sittings.
It packs an emotional slap and gives off all the feels and vibes.
A book that will stay with you long after closing the back cover.
July 3, 2024
Un-put-down-able! An amazing debut novel that had me completely invested in Ava's journey as she navigated her way through the life she didn't remember creating. Made me think about what 'past me' would make of where I am now... and it gets bonus points for fun dinosaur facts! Can't wait to read more from this talented author.
June 19, 2024
A wonderfully written heartfelt debut novel. Such engaging characters. Even the not so likeable ones.
June 26, 2024
Forgotten had me from the first sentence. Casey Nott has written a wonderful debut novel, with a contemporary feel, and an unexpectedly relatable subject.
An original and compelling read, this book was hard to put down. My husband kept complaining about the lamp being on.
The story twists and turns, and the enormity of the impact of memory loss surprised me, in a good way. I empathised with Ava, the protagonist, but found myself invested in all the characters. The relationships are complex, but realistic and well written.
I jumped around the room in one part, but can't say when...spoilers.
Read Forgotten, it's great.
An original and compelling read, this book was hard to put down. My husband kept complaining about the lamp being on.
The story twists and turns, and the enormity of the impact of memory loss surprised me, in a good way. I empathised with Ava, the protagonist, but found myself invested in all the characters. The relationships are complex, but realistic and well written.
I jumped around the room in one part, but can't say when...spoilers.
Read Forgotten, it's great.
August 20, 2024
An amazing debut from Casey Nott, Forgotten is a novel you won't be able to put down. Carefully crafted to keep you wondering what will happen next Forgotten is one of my favourite reads for the year. I'm already looking forward to Casey's next novel and will be recommending this one to all my friends.
August 12, 2024
Nott's debut is a damned solid domestic fiction effort that will make you question everything about your own life and the choices you've made. I was intrigued by the premise and absolutely hooked by the story which surprised me as I'm not usually a devotee of this genre.
Our protagonist Ava loses 10 years of her memory in a car accident and we are deep in the emotional trenches with her when she wakes up in the hospital to find that not only has she divorced her husband (whom she loved); she has married his best friend AND had a baby with him. She goes home to her new, unfamiliar house completely disoriented and trying to work through what has happened. With her memories not returning any time soon, Ava has to figure out who she can trust in her new life - her family of course, but what about her new partner and new friends versus her old partner and old friends?
I loved the very Australian setting and the slice of life we get as Ava discovers she's become basically a Sydney Yoga Mum after giving up a lucrative legal career. The pacing of the story is perfect and I just kept turning pages to see what was going to happen.
As Ava seeks to fill the gaps in her life, the last 10 years of events slowly unfold and we learn that not everything is as it seems. There are lies and betrayal beneath the surface of her very different but supposedly perfect life and she has to come to terms with the choices she has made.
Thanks to the author for providing me with an ARC!
Our protagonist Ava loses 10 years of her memory in a car accident and we are deep in the emotional trenches with her when she wakes up in the hospital to find that not only has she divorced her husband (whom she loved); she has married his best friend AND had a baby with him. She goes home to her new, unfamiliar house completely disoriented and trying to work through what has happened. With her memories not returning any time soon, Ava has to figure out who she can trust in her new life - her family of course, but what about her new partner and new friends versus her old partner and old friends?
I loved the very Australian setting and the slice of life we get as Ava discovers she's become basically a Sydney Yoga Mum after giving up a lucrative legal career. The pacing of the story is perfect and I just kept turning pages to see what was going to happen.
As Ava seeks to fill the gaps in her life, the last 10 years of events slowly unfold and we learn that not everything is as it seems. There are lies and betrayal beneath the surface of her very different but supposedly perfect life and she has to come to terms with the choices she has made.
Thanks to the author for providing me with an ARC!
June 27, 2025
Such a clever premise, delivered with heart and humour.
Ava wakes from a car accident and has forgotten the past 10 years. Imagine missing all of your thirties! She's now living a life she can't recognise with unexpected people in it, and some she expected to be in it... gone.
Casey Nott's debut novel is so clever and engaging.
Ava wakes from a car accident and has forgotten the past 10 years. Imagine missing all of your thirties! She's now living a life she can't recognise with unexpected people in it, and some she expected to be in it... gone.
Casey Nott's debut novel is so clever and engaging.
July 26, 2024
5 stars, all the stars!! What an amazing debut novel. I got so swept up in the story that I didn’t want to put the book down. At only 245 pages this story leaves you thinking about it long after you’ve finished.
Ava wakes up after a car accident thinking she’s still in her 30’s not 40 and still a successful lawyer. Instead, she’s married to a different man, a mum and no longer working. The story follows her as she discovers who she is now and the journey to find herself.
Thank you @hawkeyepublishing and @caseywritesstories for the gifted copy.
Forgotten is available from today so pick up this amazing Australian story!!
Ava wakes up after a car accident thinking she’s still in her 30’s not 40 and still a successful lawyer. Instead, she’s married to a different man, a mum and no longer working. The story follows her as she discovers who she is now and the journey to find herself.
Thank you @hawkeyepublishing and @caseywritesstories for the gifted copy.
Forgotten is available from today so pick up this amazing Australian story!!
July 23, 2024
4.5 stars
Imagine waking up after a car accident and finding that you have forgotten the last ten years of life. This is Ava's story. Her life is so different now to how she remembers it and Ava wonders how she will adjusts.
Wow, this book was absolutely amazing! From the first page I was instantly hooked into Ava's life and was stunned at all the changes she had to come to terms with. And the shocks just kept on coming. One after the other, the bombs dropped and I found myself loving just how addictive this book was. If I haven't sold you yet, the book also has strong writing and fantastic character development. Definitely get yourself a copy! Huge congratulations to Casey Nott for this fabulous debut! I am so excited to see what you write next.
Imagine waking up after a car accident and finding that you have forgotten the last ten years of life. This is Ava's story. Her life is so different now to how she remembers it and Ava wonders how she will adjusts.
Wow, this book was absolutely amazing! From the first page I was instantly hooked into Ava's life and was stunned at all the changes she had to come to terms with. And the shocks just kept on coming. One after the other, the bombs dropped and I found myself loving just how addictive this book was. If I haven't sold you yet, the book also has strong writing and fantastic character development. Definitely get yourself a copy! Huge congratulations to Casey Nott for this fabulous debut! I am so excited to see what you write next.
January 22, 2025
An original story, full of brilliant characters and big questions. Once I started reading, I found it so hard to put this book down.
August 25, 2024
I was fascinated by the premise of this story about a woman who loses ten years worth of memories after surviving a car crash. She wakes to discover her life has changed beyond recognition and that there has been a seismic shift in her priorities. As Ava begins to piece together the missing parts of her life, she must face devastating revelations and make some hard decisions about her future.
A fantastic debut from this exciting new author that I am sure we will be hearing from more.
A fantastic debut from this exciting new author that I am sure we will be hearing from more.
September 22, 2024
✧✧✧ SPOILER-FREE ✧✧✧
3.8
For a 250-page read, I was impressed by the journey packed inside. It touched on some beautifully deep themes of self-discovery, pursuing your dreams, and navigating womanhood. I believe women of all ages, from young adults to middle-aged mothers, will find value and enjoyment in this story.
≻ PACE & WRITING
I'll be honest—at first, the pacing felt a bit slow. I was a little worried it might turn into a predictable story, but after a few chapters, the pace picked up, and I really got into it. The writing is concise and straightforward, making it an easy read. A part of me apreciated the concise writing style but another part also craved more complexity?
≻ CHARACTERS
The main character? I absolutely loved her! She's incredibly relatable, especially in how she navigates the big questions around womanhood, voicing thoughts we often keep to ourselves. While the other characters weren't as deeply developed, I could see how they played important roles in shaping the story and supporting its progression.
≻ PLOT
I definitely didn't see the plot twist in this coming! I love it when a book surprises me like that, especially since I was a bit worried at first that it might turn out to be cliché—but it totally wasn't. The story covered everything from heartbreak to happiness, packing a lot of emotion into such a short book.
✧✧✧ SPOILER COMMENTS ✧✧✧
3.8
For a 250-page read, I was impressed by the journey packed inside. It touched on some beautifully deep themes of self-discovery, pursuing your dreams, and navigating womanhood. I believe women of all ages, from young adults to middle-aged mothers, will find value and enjoyment in this story.
≻ PACE & WRITING
I'll be honest—at first, the pacing felt a bit slow. I was a little worried it might turn into a predictable story, but after a few chapters, the pace picked up, and I really got into it. The writing is concise and straightforward, making it an easy read. A part of me apreciated the concise writing style but another part also craved more complexity?
≻ CHARACTERS
The main character? I absolutely loved her! She's incredibly relatable, especially in how she navigates the big questions around womanhood, voicing thoughts we often keep to ourselves. While the other characters weren't as deeply developed, I could see how they played important roles in shaping the story and supporting its progression.
≻ PLOT
I definitely didn't see the plot twist in this coming! I love it when a book surprises me like that, especially since I was a bit worried at first that it might turn out to be cliché—but it totally wasn't. The story covered everything from heartbreak to happiness, packing a lot of emotion into such a short book.
✧✧✧ SPOILER COMMENTS ✧✧✧
August 27, 2024
The premise for this book is one that you can’t help but ponder how it would apply in your own life - What if you had a car accident and when you woke up you could not recall the last ten years of your life…
And not only are you now 40 years old rather than 30, but your life looks impossibly different to the one you remember. There has been serious loss you cannot recall and the way people speak of you feels unlike who you know yourself to be. Can you imagine what a mind fuck that would be?
This is the case for the main character of FORGOTTEN, Ava Durant, who has to try and fit herself into the life she has now or decide whether to blow it up for something else. And even if she did do that, what would that life look like - the old life she remembers, or something completely new?
There are many things I loved about this book but one that I couldn’t stop thinking about was identity and how fragile and malleable it is. The person I used to be, is she more or less real than the person I am now? And how do you really know who you are and what is right for you anyway - especially when your memories and what people tell you don’t quite fit? Do you trust your feelings because how do you even know if they are they yours anymore or if they belong to the person you used to be?
As you can see, this book raised many questions that had me thinking about how much I have changed over the past decade or two. I am not even sure I could adequately explain why some changes were made or how some events/choices in life can completely remake us, leaving us adrift in a world that doesn’t make sense. We can’t go back but we don’t know how to go forward. I know this reality very well.
Casey handles these big life questions with a confidence I found astounding for a debut author. Her characters raised such strong feelings in me and I was desperately rooting for Ava. I felt her confusion and her desires and struggles and this story kept me riveted to the very last page.
It’s 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me. Highly recommend.
Thank you to @hawkeyepublishing for the ARC
And not only are you now 40 years old rather than 30, but your life looks impossibly different to the one you remember. There has been serious loss you cannot recall and the way people speak of you feels unlike who you know yourself to be. Can you imagine what a mind fuck that would be?
This is the case for the main character of FORGOTTEN, Ava Durant, who has to try and fit herself into the life she has now or decide whether to blow it up for something else. And even if she did do that, what would that life look like - the old life she remembers, or something completely new?
There are many things I loved about this book but one that I couldn’t stop thinking about was identity and how fragile and malleable it is. The person I used to be, is she more or less real than the person I am now? And how do you really know who you are and what is right for you anyway - especially when your memories and what people tell you don’t quite fit? Do you trust your feelings because how do you even know if they are they yours anymore or if they belong to the person you used to be?
As you can see, this book raised many questions that had me thinking about how much I have changed over the past decade or two. I am not even sure I could adequately explain why some changes were made or how some events/choices in life can completely remake us, leaving us adrift in a world that doesn’t make sense. We can’t go back but we don’t know how to go forward. I know this reality very well.
Casey handles these big life questions with a confidence I found astounding for a debut author. Her characters raised such strong feelings in me and I was desperately rooting for Ava. I felt her confusion and her desires and struggles and this story kept me riveted to the very last page.
It’s 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me. Highly recommend.
Thank you to @hawkeyepublishing for the ARC
November 10, 2024
A story that had me intrigued from start to finish, with incredibly developed characters and a complex plot.
Ava wakes up in Hospital, following a car accident, with no memory of the last 10 years of her life - we watch as she navigates this new reality, not knowing who she is. There are huge changes that occurred in her life during this lost time, that she has to come to terms with and it was all things heartbreaking and heartwarming as we go through this journey with her and many times found myself relating to things, not through losing my memory, but just feeling lost after becoming a mum and navigating my own changes in my world and who I am.
This really captured the true essence of human nature and while at the beginning we saw Ava’s husband trying to keep things calm and understanding, soon enough cracks started to show and this help to keep the story very realistic on the emotional side of things and how such an event has an impact on those around you as well.
Thanks @sarahknowsthestory for sharing your review this one, which had me adding it to my TBR and being so glad I did!
Ava wakes up in Hospital, following a car accident, with no memory of the last 10 years of her life - we watch as she navigates this new reality, not knowing who she is. There are huge changes that occurred in her life during this lost time, that she has to come to terms with and it was all things heartbreaking and heartwarming as we go through this journey with her and many times found myself relating to things, not through losing my memory, but just feeling lost after becoming a mum and navigating my own changes in my world and who I am.
This really captured the true essence of human nature and while at the beginning we saw Ava’s husband trying to keep things calm and understanding, soon enough cracks started to show and this help to keep the story very realistic on the emotional side of things and how such an event has an impact on those around you as well.
Thanks @sarahknowsthestory for sharing your review this one, which had me adding it to my TBR and being so glad I did!
August 14, 2024
This book! I finished it yesterday and I still have so many thoughts flitting around in my brain about the story and different elements within it that resonated with me strongly. For me, that's the sign of a great read.
If you've read the blurb you know that the book opens with Ava Durant waking up in hospital after a major car accident, unable to remember the last 10 years of her life. Suddenly 40 years old, Ava is now a mother...and she's married to the wrong man.
I mean, what a premise!
I'm six years older than Ava and feel like I've metamorphosed several times over since the age of 30, so this story intrigued me right off the bat. How Casey Nott has explored these critical growth years in a woman's life through Ava's sudden loss of self is masterful.
The novel hangs on the puzzle pieces that all of the supporting characters represent, and I loved that as a reader we get to try to put them into place right along with Ava. I fell for Tom and loved Noah, I worried about Freya, I laughed with Rachel, and I was totally unsure about Seb!
This is a twisty-turny, thought-provoking, witty, delicious read and a stunning debut.
More please, Casey.
If you've read the blurb you know that the book opens with Ava Durant waking up in hospital after a major car accident, unable to remember the last 10 years of her life. Suddenly 40 years old, Ava is now a mother...and she's married to the wrong man.
I mean, what a premise!
I'm six years older than Ava and feel like I've metamorphosed several times over since the age of 30, so this story intrigued me right off the bat. How Casey Nott has explored these critical growth years in a woman's life through Ava's sudden loss of self is masterful.
The novel hangs on the puzzle pieces that all of the supporting characters represent, and I loved that as a reader we get to try to put them into place right along with Ava. I fell for Tom and loved Noah, I worried about Freya, I laughed with Rachel, and I was totally unsure about Seb!
This is a twisty-turny, thought-provoking, witty, delicious read and a stunning debut.
More please, Casey.
July 6, 2024
Nott’s protagonist, Ava finds herself in the horrifying situation of waking up after an accident and learning she has lost ten years of her memory. The reader experiences every loss and every milestone of Ava’s former life as she is forced to reach into her past remembering the person she was at thirty while learning who she has become at forty.
Despite some serious themes, the novel has many light hearted moments that really made me smile. I found myself engrossed as Ava finds herself married to her husband’s best friend and the mother of a preschooler while learning some unpleasant truths about the person she once was.
This debut is clever and at times heartbreaking yet so relatable and is impossible to put down. How often do we look back ten years as our children grow up, old friends disappear and past dreams evaporate thinking; what happened to my life?
Despite some serious themes, the novel has many light hearted moments that really made me smile. I found myself engrossed as Ava finds herself married to her husband’s best friend and the mother of a preschooler while learning some unpleasant truths about the person she once was.
This debut is clever and at times heartbreaking yet so relatable and is impossible to put down. How often do we look back ten years as our children grow up, old friends disappear and past dreams evaporate thinking; what happened to my life?
September 15, 2024
C is for Casey.. Remember the name as you are going to be adding Casey Nott to your must read authors from the minute you finish her debut novel forgotten.
Packed with feeling and such genuine writing, Forgotton enveloped me like a warm hug. The thought of losing ten years of your life is completely overwhelming, and to read Ava’s struggle handled with such care and yet packed with substance was such a joy to read.
I put myself in this book on so many occasions, how would I deal with this situation if it happened to me? It was thought provoking and one I discussed with many friends over my reading journey.
I love, love, loved this book and I know you will too, Forgotten is out now and is one I highly recommend. Thanks to Hawkeye and Casey Nott for this gifted copy it will now take pride of place on my shelf forever. A big five stars from me 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Packed with feeling and such genuine writing, Forgotton enveloped me like a warm hug. The thought of losing ten years of your life is completely overwhelming, and to read Ava’s struggle handled with such care and yet packed with substance was such a joy to read.
I put myself in this book on so many occasions, how would I deal with this situation if it happened to me? It was thought provoking and one I discussed with many friends over my reading journey.
I love, love, loved this book and I know you will too, Forgotten is out now and is one I highly recommend. Thanks to Hawkeye and Casey Nott for this gifted copy it will now take pride of place on my shelf forever. A big five stars from me 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
April 30, 2024
Forgotten is a heartfelt and intriguing read by new Melbourne author Casey Nott. Telling the story of Ava who after a car accident wakes from a coma with the last ten years of her memory gone. Ava is forced to step into an unfamiliar world and life she doesn't recognise. Not only does she have to adjust to being a mother and wife, but also grieve for what she feels she's lost. Forgotten is an intriguing look at identity, a woman's role in society and how quickly our lives can change in what seems like an instant. Forgotten will have you questioning what you'd do if thrown into Ava's situation. Relatable, heartfelt, witty, and empowering, I found it hard to put down. *4.5 stars
* I received an advanced reading copy for review purposes. All opinions are honest and unbiased.
* I received an advanced reading copy for review purposes. All opinions are honest and unbiased.
July 15, 2024
Casey Nott's debut novel Forgotten has many merits - it is fun, relatable, gipping, a page-turner. But the real value of this work lies in that it explores the depth of our relationship with ourselves. How well do we know who we are? How much trust do we have in our judgment and the choices we make? Is it possible to find happiness in loving others, without first learning or re-learning to accept and love oneself?
The protagonist suffers memory lapse which prompts her to deep dive into her past and examine her life through a lens of a stranger. But don’t we all lose ourselves along the way (with or without a medical diagnosis of amnesia) in the thick of a parenthood journey and don’t we all fumble in the dark, scratch, scream and fight our way back, hoping that who we ultimately find is someone we still recognise, who is still relevant and interesting and worth loving?
Ava used to be the main character in her own life story (aren’t we all - by default?), until that life changing decade, which made her a parent and taught her to put others first. As life happens, do we need to change back the settings? Put the oxygen mask on first, before helping others? What would it take to lose to find oneself again?
Read Forgotten, find your own answers.
The protagonist suffers memory lapse which prompts her to deep dive into her past and examine her life through a lens of a stranger. But don’t we all lose ourselves along the way (with or without a medical diagnosis of amnesia) in the thick of a parenthood journey and don’t we all fumble in the dark, scratch, scream and fight our way back, hoping that who we ultimately find is someone we still recognise, who is still relevant and interesting and worth loving?
Ava used to be the main character in her own life story (aren’t we all - by default?), until that life changing decade, which made her a parent and taught her to put others first. As life happens, do we need to change back the settings? Put the oxygen mask on first, before helping others? What would it take to lose to find oneself again?
Read Forgotten, find your own answers.
July 13, 2024
An utterly unputdownable debut! I had to binge read the book in one sitting and could easily see this adapted for the screen. I was completely enthralled by Ava's situation and firmly ensconced in the world Nott has created. The characters come alive on the page and the tension of unremembered events is taut and enticing. This is not a domestic thriller but there are elements of suspense due to Ava's memory loss. The reader almost knows more than she does at times. It's a fascinating approach to the examination of women's roles in society today, particularly women who have children. It is also a testament to the strength and importance of female friendships and sisters in the lives of all women.
Thanks to the author and publisher for sending me a review copy.
Thanks to the author and publisher for sending me a review copy.
July 22, 2024
Books with themes of motherhood, yes please! Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with an #ARC of this gorgeous novel.
This book gave me all the feels.
Forgotten is a high-concept read that will have you turning the pages, wanting to know what happens! I yearned to keep reading when life called me away from reading, I loved the characters, had a laugh-out-loud moment, and adored the themes of identity loss and the difficulties mothers face trying to find the right balance between career and motherhood. But wait there’s more. I also loved the exploration of adult friendships and marriage.
If you’re like me and love a contemporary read, you need to check out Forgotten by Casey Nott.
This book gave me all the feels.
Forgotten is a high-concept read that will have you turning the pages, wanting to know what happens! I yearned to keep reading when life called me away from reading, I loved the characters, had a laugh-out-loud moment, and adored the themes of identity loss and the difficulties mothers face trying to find the right balance between career and motherhood. But wait there’s more. I also loved the exploration of adult friendships and marriage.
If you’re like me and love a contemporary read, you need to check out Forgotten by Casey Nott.
January 18, 2025
After a car accident, Ava wakes up with 10 years of her memory missing to find out that she’s a mother to a preschooler, married to her husband’s best friend and has given up a high-profile career. Ava’s journey is one of introspection and self-discovery. As she struggles to regain her sense of self, the line between truth and falsehood blurs, especially with those actively trying to hide the truth, but is that for her own good or theirs?
Balanced with humour and heartfelt tenderness, Forgotten is a captivating blend of dramatic tension, romantic discovery and mysterious intrigue. Nott’s deserves major credit for her uproarious one-liners—
If you love Liane Moriarty’s works, then this is for you!
Balanced with humour and heartfelt tenderness, Forgotten is a captivating blend of dramatic tension, romantic discovery and mysterious intrigue. Nott’s deserves major credit for her uproarious one-liners—
If you love Liane Moriarty’s works, then this is for you!
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