Official Review: Nothing Forgotten by Jessica Levine

[Stephanie Elizabeth]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Nothing Forgotten" by Jessica Levine.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Upon learning of her aunt Dorris's passing, Anna Stark is shocked to notice that she is the sole inheritor of her aunt's apartment in Rome, Italy. Before she has a chance to decide what she will do with the property, her husband, Michael, demands that she sell it and use the money for their daughter's college fund. Anna isn't convinced that she wants to part with the beloved apartment that floods her with memories of her life in Rome.

When Anna receives an email from Sergio Buria, an Italian lover from her younger years, she is quickly transported back to a time in her life that was both passionate and heart-wrenching. They begin corresponding back and forth, and Anna is flooded with memories, reminding her of their tumultuous love affair many years ago.

She must choose between selling the apartment, which would mean severing all ties with her past or running back to Rome.

Nothing Forgotten by Jessica Levine is an emotionally charged story that dissects the inner workings of love and relationships. Is it possible to love and be faithful to one person for your entire life? The book challenges the notion of monogamy by relying heavily on flashbacks of Anna's past with a married man and then fast-forwarding to her marriage with Michael.

The book will remind readers of their first love—the unbridled lust, the intensity of feelings, and willingness to make foolish decisions. Anna's desperation to be with Sergio was thoroughly depicted through the ability to ignore her moral compass. By befriending his soon-to-be-wife, she was being deceptive and putting herself in a dangerous position where she would likely end up heartbroken. By continuing this deplorable behavior and agreeing to be the other woman, she was devaluing her worth. She confessed, "I was doing something morally indefensible—having an affair during the workweek and spending weekends with my lover's fiancée."

While Anna was an excellent choice for a female protagonist, there were a handful of other characters that left a lasting impression on me. Sergio was a complex character—one that I loved to hate. While he had an undeniable charm that was difficult to ignore, he also tended to be reckless with the feelings of those he loved. Olivia was Anna's best friend and Sergio's fiancée; her selflessness and trust in Anna made me adore her and feel sorry for her all at once. Nathan was Anna's goofy roommate, who liked to push her buttons, but when push came to shove, he was the one person who would do anything for her.

Another thing that I loved about the book was Anna's inclination to follow Buddhism to gain clarity in her life. The author expertly weaved in the teachings of Buddha and meditation as a way for Anna to deal with heartbreak.

For the most part, I adored everything about the book. Still, I would have liked to have seen Michael and their daughter play a more significant role in the story. Perhaps, this could have been accomplished by flip-flopping between the past and the present, rather than focusing on the past for the majority of the book.

Nothing Forgotten was professionally edited with no apparent errors in spelling or grammar. The writing was immersive and the characters were captivating, and I have chosen to give it a rating of four out of four stars.

If you are looking for a conventional love story, you will not find it within this book's pages. Never Forgotten uncovers the complexities of relationships—the good, the bad, and the ugly. For mature readers who like books with flawed characters and dysfunctional relationships, this book is for you. The book has several erotic scenes that are thoroughly described and profanity, so I would not recommend it to young readers.

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Nothing Forgotten
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[Honest-reviewer]

The plot seems interesting. I wish to read this book someday. Thanks for your wonderful review!

[Stephanie Elizabeth]

The plot seems interesting. I wish to read this book someday. Thanks for your wonderful review!

Thank you for reading and commenting!

[Priyanka2304]

Anna's story is quite intriguing. Would definitely want to know how things in her life turn out for her . Thanks for your wonderful review.

[Vivian Umunakwe]

Based on your review, I would classify myself as one who is into books where dysfunctional relationships and flawed characters exist. Therefore, I would love to read this book. Thanks for a wonderful review

[jollyangel81]

This is a picture of what happens in most cases of a strained relationship. The author has created something interesting to read. The characters are also on point.

[rahilshajahan]

I was all up for reading the book until your review said that Anna relied on Buddhism to gain clarity on her dysfunctional lifestyle. I hope there's no bombardment of philosophy. Thanks for an insightful review!

[Dayodiola]

The review left me urging for more, thanks for the insightful review.

[Christabel Uzoamaka]

It seems like Anna is caught between a rock and a hard place. When push comes to shove, what will she budge out of the way, the rock or the hard place? Hmm
I’m almost sure that I would totally love this storyline!

Thank you for the great review!

[LinaJan]

What a praise! Really makes me want to pick this up. I must say, I was surprised about Buddhism coming into the picture. It will be interesting to see how it fits into the plot. Seems like this book touches up on many things that I, myself, privately wonder about every now and again. It also seems that I just completed talking myself into placing this one high up on my list

Thank you for such a thorough, beautifully-written, and alluring review!

[Njoxs-19]

Quite an intriguing review. Would love to read this book.

[Wy_Bertram]

I'm not a big fan, of romance novels but I do like the question posed by the plot. Good job on the review.

[Teele]

Great review. It is realistic too since no one is free of flaws.

[Adrianna Melillo]

Best friends with your lover’s fiancé ... yikes! This sounds like a good one to get lost in. Thank you for the thorough review!

[Stephanie Elizabeth]

Best friends with your lover’s fiancé ... yikes! This sounds like a good one to get lost in. Thank you for the thorough review!

Yes, there was no shortage of cringe-worthy moments in the book! Thanks for your response.