Don't You Forget About Me by Mhairi McFarlane is a second chance love story. Georgina and Lucas have a high school romance, but when they meet again as adults, it seems like Lucas doesn't remember Georgina at all. Will their love rekindle?
Before I get started, I just want to say that I adore the cover of this book. I love the dog holding his own leash. I love him. I always dreamed of a dog who would fetch and do agility work and lots of tricks. Hannah is way too timid for most of those types of things, so while she's very, very good at obedience (sit, stay, come, heel, dancing, etc.) and nosework, she's definitely not ever going to put something like a leash in her precious mouth. I digress. I was predisposed to like this book because of the cover.
Interesting characters:
Georgina is turning thirty and still working as a waitress. She's feeling bad about some of her life choices and it doesn't help that this guy she was madly in love with in high school seems to have forgotten all about her. She's funny and witty and I kind of thought she was boring.
Lucas is barely even in the book. Georgina and Lucas don't have a scene together until more than 150 pages into the book. He's just a grumpy man with a cute dog and while that is absolutely my type, they aren't together enough on page for any real relationship to build.
There is a nice set of side characters - Georgina's mom, sister, and friends are all great and I think I'd really like to be one of her friends. I also like Georgina's roommate and tortoise. I almost feel like there's a better non-romance story in this book, which I sort of thought was going to be the case for most of the book since the two main leads were rarely together, but then nothing happened with the side characters, either.
So that's my big complaint about this book. The pacing was just so weird and it's a romance novel, but the main couple is almost like an afterthought in the writing. Maybe it was originally written as literary fiction? I don't know.
Believable conflict:
Sure, in these second chance romance novels there's always a deep misunderstanding that happens when they are teenagers. This is no exception. Should they have talked it out? Probably, but I completely understand why they didn't because they were young and silly.
Emotional tension:
It's practically non-existent outside of the teenage scenes. I think there are more scenes of Georgina with Lucas's brother than with Lucas himself in the current timeline. It's really a strange thing to have to say when talking about a romance novel, but there you have it.
Happily ever after:
Hm. This book could have used an epilogue. How are they going to work this out? I'm unsure about all of it and since their communication skills are lackluster because they never actually were together, this ending felt abrupt.
Lines of notes:
I realized Lucas wasn't quiet because he was dull. He watched and listened instead. He was like opening a plain wooden box and finding a stash of valuables inside. (page 6)
The reason I wanted to write a full post about this book is that the McFarlane's characterizations of people were just so wonderful. In two or three sentences, she'd really get at the heart of a person and I just really liked the writing in this book, even if the plot itself wasn't my cup of tea.
Mark is lovely - witness his job-giving generosity with me. He wears hand-stitched moccasin slippers around the house and yet I would lay down my life for him. (page 106)
Just...I want to know Mark, too, right?
He's flip and humorous and light and then he'll slide in some articulate, devastating insight that you find yourself turning over when you're lying in bed trying to sleep at night. (page 121)
I have a friend who is a therapist and she's exactly like this. She's funny and quippy and all of a sudden for five minutes it seems like you're in the middle of a therapy session and you're crawling into bed wondering what she really thinks about you when you're not around.
I'm clutching a bottle of Rioja from Tesco Express, wondering if it's now surplus to requirements. Actually no, sod that, if Jo's expecting a tiny Shagger Phil then I'll need a stiffener. (page 192)
I tried reading this in context, but the slang differences between Brits and Americans is too great for to overcome. This might as well be written in Russian for all I know what it means.
I learned after Dad died that rushing in with denials when someone says: "This is a pile of shit, and it hurts," however well meant, can be stifling. (page 195)
It's hard to know what to say when people die, isn't it? You don't want to lie, but being honest frequently feels mean.
"Your perfect woman, Rav, is Prince," Clem says. "If only he weren't dead and male."
"This is true. They are obstacles. But every romance needs them." (page 199)
I really did love the side characters in this book.
"Piss off, you chippy little herbert." (page 311)
Herbert is an undistinguished or foolish man. Looking up British slang became sort of a part-time job for me while I was reading this book.
Things I looked up:
Spoddy (page 155) - Obsessively studious and unstylish.
I don't know, man. I kind of like the writing and some of the side characters. I thought the romance was lackluster. 2.5/5 stars
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