I Will Remember You

 Book 29 of my 2021 Reading Challenge

I Will Remember You

by Lisa Cardiff

Summary (via Goodreads)

published 2021

After her life crumbles, young widow Emma Clayton escapes Atlanta to create a new life on the estate gifted to her by her deceased husband's mother. In this estate filled with history and secrets, she hopes to come to terms with her grief and learn how to pick up the pieces of her life. 

But instead doing the soul searching she desires, she finds her mind torn between the haunting images of the world of Elizabeth, a young woman who lived there during the Civil War, and her unwanted fascination with the estate's caretaker, a brilliant yet reclusive artist, Caleb Anderson. 

Each time Emma is transported into the past, she becomes more confused as to why she keeps returning to Elizabeth’s life. She finds an unexpected confidant in Caleb, and for reasons she doesn’t understand, he’s hellbent on helping her navigate of the implausible. 

With her life hovering between the past a she doesn’t understand and an uncertain future, she realizes the only way forward is to embrace the impossible. 

First Impressions/Judging a Book by Its Cover

I chose this book from NetGalley (full disclaimer below).  It was categorized as historical fiction and romance; historical fiction is my favorite genre and adding romance could make it a lighter read.   The cover art is light and airy, not quite a "bodice ripper" but definitely a romance feel.  The description was interesting even if it's not reinventing the wheel (it appears to cover two different women living in the same place in different time periods).  

My Opinion

4 stars

**I received an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley and would like to thank the author and/or publisher for the opportunity to read and honestly review it.**

Looking at my first impression, I actually think it did reinvent the wheel a little bit.  Instead of alternating viewpoints between two women as I expected, there was a supernatural aspect when Emma began having visions of Elizabeth's life.  Channeling isn't exactly the right word and I can't say more because of spoilers but my point is that the book stays in one timeline and the stories from the past are given in an unexpected way.

The pages passed quickly.  Other than the supernatural/paranormal stuff, everything else happens organically.  It's mentioned that the house hasn't been lived in and the mother saved everything which would explain certain objects remaining.  The conversations that move the plot along, such as when Emma ran into Lainey, happen naturally.  It was also nice that there was no subplot of anger about the inheritance or between the widow and the in-laws...there was no unnecessary drama or secret keeping.

The ending was good too with just the right amount of sappiness.  I sighed with a warm feeling without rolling my eyes.

I'm not using "fluff" as a bad word here when I say this was just a fluffy, quick read.  I would definitely read this author again.