I have a young teen daughter. I am the primary caretaker for my grandmother, who has dementia. I recently lost my mother. These are three major themes in The Sweetness of Forgetting which made it resonate so strongly with me. Reading a novel that contains hard and serious issues in your current circumstances is sometimes no picnic. But Kristin Harmel somehow made it seem as if a friend who is experiencing what I am is just conversing with me — not heavy, not depressing, not preachy, just a chat (read more about these similarities at my blog in “Art is Imitating my Life“).
And if you don’t have a teen daughter, you certainly were once a teen daughter (assuming you’re a woman). If you’ve never quit law school to support your husband, as protagonist Hope McKenna-Smith did, to support her husband whom she’s recently divorced, and then moves back to her hometown to run her family’s bakery, you’ve likely had some sort of career or personal identity confusion, be it a major change in college or the transition from working woman to stay-at-home mom.
I haven’t read any of Kristin Harmel’s novels, so I don’t know if she seeks to connect with her reader, but that’s the way I read this novel.
BUT aside from all that, this novel is a wonderful suspenseful romance that spans a generation. As her grandmother’s memory and health declines, she begins calling Hope’s daughter Annie “Lenore.” No one knows who Lenore is, and Rose isn’t saying. On a rare crystal-clear day, Mamie gives Hope a list of her family members, and tells her to go to France to find them. Hope doesn’t know anything about her grandmother’s life at this time, only that she met her husband in Europe during the war, and came to America with him at that time.
The second half of the novel is full of family secrets revealed, first love and lasting love, in wonderful settings, and I couldn’t turn the pages quickly enough to finish.
I am so happy to offer up a copy of The Sweetness of Forgetting to one of you. Please leave a comment if you are interested (U.S. residents only). We’ll announce the winner in our giveaway column on October 17.
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I would love to read this one!!
A wonderful novel which sounds fabulous and memorable. Many thanks.
I would enjoy and savor this novel which is a treasure to remember. Thanks.
This sounds like such a poignant, heartfelt book. I would love to read it!
I would love to read about this! When I was a teenager about 14 or so, my grandmother who had dementia came to live with us. I gave up my bedroom for her and slept in the kitchen. She got lost in my bedroom closet. And she got very mad at my brother for not eating his peas. I thought that she thought my brother was one of her sons.
Carol Wong
I’m also the primary caregiver for my mom who is in the early stages of dementia and I will also soon be taking care of my new baby grandson when my d-i-l goes back to work. I would very much like to read this book
This sounds like a wonderful book. I can relate to a lot of it and would love to read it!
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net
Sounds like a great read! Hope you pick me!
I did pick you, Amy! Please reply to this email with your shipping info.
I have been wanting to read this book and haven’t purchased it yet. Thanks for the great giveaway.
seasidebooknook at yahoo
This sounds like a very good book.
[email protected]
A captivating story which is unique. Thanks.
Situations that many of us have to deal with. I would love to read this. Thanks.
I adore reading books that center around
a family’s life…
Many thanks to you!
Cindi
Sounds like a great story! Thanks for the giveaway.
This looks like an intriguing story. While, I’m not the primary caregiver for an older relative, I do help out quite often. I’d love to read this!
Sounds wonderful! looking forward to reading it!
This sounds great! Count me in!
I would love to win a copy of this book.
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
That sounds like a womderfully sweet book. 🙂
Wow! Not many novels, it seems, that deal with those life realities we face in the sandwich generation. I especially like the positive twist in the title, i.e. dementia’s silver lining.
Looks like an interesting book. I would love to win it. 🙂
This sounds like a wonderful book! The story line is so intriguing, and with a Grandmother suffering from dementia it strikes close to home.
wmmahaney(at)att(dot)net
It sounds like a very touching book. I would love to read it. Thanks for having the giveaway.
Would like to win & read this book.
This book sounds so good to me.
What a great story line.
My wife want’s to read this one!