With Every Memory by Janine Rosche

 

With Every Memory by Janine Rosche

Let’s begin with the summary:

Is the life she can't remember one she'd rather forget?

One year after her family was in a tragic car accident that killed her teenage son, Lori Mendenhall returns home with a traumatic brain injury that has stolen the last eight years of memories from her. She is shocked to find that the life she was leading before the accident is unrecognizable. Her once-loving husband, Michael, is a distant workaholic she isn't sure she can trust and her once-bubbly daughter, Avery, has spent the last year hidden away in her room.

For Avery, life stopped when she lost her twin. Now, if she wants to graduate high school, she'll have to accept help from Xander Dixon, her brother's best friend and the boy who relentlessly teased her for years. And if Lori wants to reconnect with her husband, she'll have to grapple with information her brain is trying to keep secret. With every memory that returns, she can't help but wonder if the life she can't remember is one she'd rather forget.

And now, my review:

Our heroine is in a season of recovery: recovering her memories, her life, her opinions about her life, and her place in her own world. This idea of reevaluating every area of one’s life was fascinating. Most adults don’t take/get this opportunity. Of course, hers was forced due to her amnesia, but I loved how the author gets readers thinking.

We have a few different POVs in this story. Janine did a fantastic job giving us the adult POV and her teen’s perspective as well, especially. Our main character’s teen daughter knew her mother before the accident to have become someone strong and independent. This amnesia situation seems to have forced her backward. But has it?

Between the various characters, we get a muti-faceted sense of the MC’s actual world. This was very interesting—an effective hook.

My inner scientist loved the mention of neuroscience and brain recovery. Great research on the author’s part.

Another impactful theme is the heroine’s/MC’s career goals and aspirations have taken a backseat and she grieves them, not knowing the full story. Her dreams are a deep, meaningful part of her identity (as with all of us). For people to not support them, especially her closest “person,” sends a message that not only are her dreams not prioritized, but she isn't as well. This well-layered element struck a chord with me and made me grateful for the support of those closest to me where my aspirations are concerned.

Another theme was grieving the loss of a child/brother, which included themes of healing and moving forward.

You’ll see coming-of-age scenarios as well, and I was glad Janine gave us some plot twists there. The mother’s recovery resonated with me. She fought for her restoration in every way, and I cheered her on.

There are some moments of brilliant prose, and interestingly, these usually come in the teen’s voice. It’s clear the author champions women at every age, another resonating element.

Modern readers may relish these ingredients: each of us matters, our dreams matter, our griefs matter, our pasts matter, and our futures matter. I loved watching the MC regain her memories and with them her strength, independence, and relationships. Changes are difficult for everyone around us. It either forces growth or a reckoning.

This book would make an excellent book club selection.

Highly recommended!