Mhairi McFarlane

You always remember your first love. Don’t you...? ’I loved it! So funny and warm. A delicious read’ Marian Keyes ’Hilarious, warm and life affirming’ Jenny Colgan

Don’t You Forget About Me

You always remember your first love... don’t you?

If there’s anything worse than being fired from the lousiest restaurant in town, it’s coming home early to find your boyfriend in bed with someone else. Reeling from the humiliation of a double dumping in one day, Georgina takes the next job that comes her way—bartender in a newly opened pub. There’s only one problem: it’s run by the guy she fell in love with years ago. And—make that two problems—he doesn’t remember her. At all. But she has fabulous friends and her signature hot pink fur coat... what more could a girl really need?

Lucas McCarthy has not only grown into a broodingly handsome man, but he’s also turned into an actual grown-up, with a thriving business and a dog along the way. Crossing paths with him again throws Georgina’s rocky present into sharp relief—and brings a secret from her past bubbling to the surface. Only she knows what happened twelve years ago, and why she’s allowed the memories to chase her ever since. But maybe it’s not too late for the truth... or a second chance with the one that got away?

A Novel

Don't You Forget About Me

Lizzy Jensen

I’ve come too far to say the easy thing, rather than the honest thing.

How DARE YOU Mhairi?!? This was one of those books that made my eyes swell with tears throughout the last hundred pages and left a slight ache once I closed it. I loved the richness with which she created her characters, giving Georgina not only depth and humor, but vindication as well. All of it just felt like a sweet celebration of people and how they can make us all the better. I only waffle between 4-5 stars because I wanted so much more between Georgina and Lucas, but I loved so dearly what she did for Georgie’s character that I DON’T CARE!!!! Give me a second as I go buy every single thing McFarlane has ever written <3

Joana da Silva

I had high hopes for this book, given the title is one of my favourite songs ever, but this was just ok. I couldn't really relate to the characters, and the story was a bit dull. I enjoyed the humour and the jokes, but that was about it.

Jess LeBlanc

Overall I liked this book! At times I couldn’t put it down and there were also times where I just wanted the book to end.

Shareca

There is a trigger warning for sexual assault and slight verbal abuse as well. It can be trigger for some who don't want to read about how that happens. Don't You Forget About Me by Mhairi McFarlane was a half-decent book. I went in expecting a romance with the "one who got away" but that didn't really happen until about 80% in. Georgina met Lucas about 40-50% in. It did take a while for things to get started -- such as the "romance" aspect -- but when it happened it was great. Nonetheless, overall, the book was decent. 

The voice and tone were high, it kept with the narrative it began with. I felt there was too much of Georgina's day-to-day life and by the time I got to the romantic aspect I was slightly over reading about Georgina's life. She was a great character, I have to say, and she was bold. I just didn't want to be in her PoV all the time and it felt like I was. Her ex, Robin, was the worst -- I felt like the story could have left him when he was caught cheating. There is a lot of UK jargon that might be off-putting for some if you don't understand it. I didn't mind it. I have to say, overall, the novel was good. It was a good read, quite slow. I did enjoy Lucas A LOT. 

His character redeemed the story for me. He had depth and wonderful personality traits and his speech at the end was beautiful. I want to read a book with just Lucas in it. He was special. Again, there is nothing hard to complain about -- but the book was just slow for me as a reader. I felt -- and wished moments happened earlier -- and it just didn't. I wanted more romance. I wanted more of the "one who got away." That aspect of more of that plot. However, it was decent for what it was. I can say that.

Rachel Kanyid

I really enjoy how easy Mhairi's books are to follow and how real the characters feel!

Nicole

I decided to read a little before bed to relax, so I started this book around midnight. Fast-forward to 4 AM and find me wide awake crying my eyes out and holding on to my Kindle for dear life. 

To sum up: SOOOOO GOOOD!!!

"I was scared my expectations were never going to be met. But I've learned it's better to have unrealistic expectations than none at all." 

This book surprised me a little. In the beginning it felt so much like a cringey romance book (which it is) that I didn't expect any real depth or good people/communication to come along. I should have known better, as it was shared with me by someone with amazing taste in books, so really, why doubt it. Well, anyways, I was pulled into the story. At times aggravating, yes, cringey, and emotional, it really turned out unexpectedly well. I do wish there was more dog content though. 

"Everything feels temporary now. Because it always was, I just didn't know it." 

Inga Kühn 

"I was scared my expectations were never going to be met. But I've learned it's better to have unrealistic expectations than none at all." 

This book surprised me a little. In the beginning it felt so much like a cringey romance book (which it is) that I didn't expect any real depth or good people/communication to come along. I should have known better, as it was shared with me by someone with amazing taste in books, so really, why doubt it. Well, anyways, I was pulled into the story. At times aggravating, yes, cringey, and emotional, it really turned out unexpectedly well. I do wish there was more dog content though. 

"Everything feels temporary now. Because it always was, I just didn't know it." 

Hanna peterson

Ugh!! Honestly was about to sue when I got to the last chapter but it was so good!!

Mariam Mohsen

Well. I give it 2 stars because it really wasn't I've expected win I saw the book description. The progress in the story was extremely slow. Even though the end was nice. And also the sudden reterning love is a bit weird.

Lucy Howard

I found this such a quick and easy read. With a lovely story. I really like Mhairi McFarlane’s style of writing and her characters feel like old friends. I enjoy the supporting cast that she has around the main characters. They add to the story. But the reason I really like these stories is that they contain more serious topics alongside the romance and that just enhances the story. Another fabulous read from Mhairi McFarlane. 

Liz Carpenter

3.5 very enthusiastic stars, for making me cry at my desk.

Becky

I have read every release of Mhairi McFarlane's and each one has been utter brilliance and this one was no different.

I bought it pretty much as soon as it was released but I waited until I was in the mood for excellent friendships, a slow burn romance, and probably some emotional upheaval. Each of her books hits me in the feels and has me adoring each and every character and begging for more story at the end. 

This time the book centres on Georgina. She is a thirty-year-old woman who gets unceremoniously fired from her waitress job and somehow gets lucky and finds herself offered a job (and decent pay) as a barwoman at a new pub. The only problem is her ex-boyfriend (that no one knew about because they kept it on the DL as teens) is the part owner and he is pretending he has no idea who she is despite them having History (yep, it's so significant it is capitalised). She is fumbling through with the awkwardness of knowing he was her first love and also that something serious went down to break them apart at 18.

Anyway, the romantic trauma of youth is not the main focus of this book, it's actually Georgina's quest to figure herself out and make a path for her future. She is continually labelled an underachiever going nowhere as she has worked in the service industry since leaving school and dropped out of uni after less than a year. She feels like a disappointment to her mom and her sister like they feel like she is hardwork and always making a new drama of things. Especially as she feels like she continually needs to shine up and make a joke out of the lows of her life But I loved Georgina for trying to make light of things that would get people down. Yes, she could be too lighthearted, but she was such a brilliant character. I was there crying for her when things were bad and laughing with her at the funny bits. I was invested!

Just everything about this book worked for me. I had no doubt it would. I loved every page and am determined to buy a paperback version because I need this book on my shelf to read again and again.

Esther

i forgot the plot, but i remember there was a dog in this book

Kayla 

a generous 3 star). I was not a fan. I feel sad because I was really excited about this book that is blurbed as “wildly funny and wildly romantic”, it was not. I was incredibly confused about a lot of things in this book. The main one being, where is the romance? And why did he forget about her? So that last question may just be me as in the last 100 pages I was not really ‘reading’ but more like trying to find the romance this book was supposed to have. .
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There were so many things in this book that I felt took away from what I assumed to be the main story line. It led to a confusing plot that had you wondering if all these different plot points were supposed to be the main plot of the novel. I would have been totally fine if this novel turned into more of a self love/development with the addition of a romantic relationship but it never really felt that the character grew. I also never really figured out what her job ended up being. .
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In the last 20 pages, I was just skimming at this point, was the romance I was hoping for around page 200. This book was 420 pages and I think it was just too long. Okay let’s end on a positive point, I really enjoyed the first 150-200 pages of this book, it was funny! Georgina/Gog/George/Gina (yes she was referred to by 4 different names), was a wonderful character and I was excited for her to finally do something she’s always wanted to do. . .

Sam Kiszonka

I loved Don't You Forget About Me. 
Georgina is such a relatable character... mostly. 
She isn't always likeable, however, she is real, witty & funny. 
Lucas, of course, is the gorgeous, brooding man from her past. I adore him! 

This book was such a cute, enjoyable read that had me laughing out loud in parts. 
However, the story is all sunshine and roses. 
There are some serious issues addressed within the book. These are handled tactfully and with somehow manage not to detract from the overall light hearted vibe of the book. 
I think that this would make a fantastic rom-com movie!! 

I highly recommend this book to all contemporary, romance reader and will be picking up the authors other books asap!!

Thank you to William Morrow and Edelweiss for providing me with an e-ARC of this book. This has in no way, affected my thoughts && opinion of this book.

Sarah Herring

Took me a little bit longer to get into this one (partially due me being surprised by the UK English) but once it got going, I did not want to put this down. I didn't expect for this to hit me as hard as it did. Man, the revelation at the end definitely got me in my feels.

Lisa W.

Although the very end was cute, it didn’t make up for the other 97% of the book. The characters were horrible, the storyline was immature, the language was difficult for me to grasp and the plot was predictable.

Olivia Ager

The Celiac Disease discussion in this book was disgraceful! If you have celiac, please avoid this book. Not only is it joking about something serious, but it also downplays it as an intolerance or dislike. As someone who has this autoimmune disease, please look into what Celiac actually is. It dramatically affects people’s lives.

Southern Today Gone Tomorrow

Written by Mhairi McFarlane, Don’t You Forget About Me is a novel set in a small English town and follows Georgina as she looses her dead beat job, finds her boyfriend in bed with another woman, and has the true love of her life walk back in only to not remember her at all.

THIS IS NOT A STORY FOR CHILDREN

There, that disclaimer is out of the way.

While I enjoyed the story, and loved Lucas the ex, the writing is what set this back for me. The first chapter was terrible and confusing. After that, it got much better and by the end was great, but the first chapter.

The characters were interesting and the main characters had a lot of depth and SO MUCH GROWTH. While this is a romance, it is really more about the growth of the main characters than it is them falling in love. The love bit is really only at the very end.

Georgina is a very real character that I think a lot of people can relate to. She knew what she wanted at one point, but after being broken she just… never really learned how to put her self back together. And couldn’t admit that she had been broken.

The plot is the other strong point for this novel. The writing might not be great, but it has strong characters and a strong plot.

This isn’t a novel for die-hard romance novels; this is a novel for someone who wants a novel about love, forgiveness, and what it really means to move on, find yourself, and find your people.

Amy Arthun Lorton 

Kourtney

I had to cleanse my Christmas reading palate, and I don't know what made me pick up Don't You Forget About Me, but I am so happy that I did! 

Georgina is 30 years old, has just lost her job as a waitress, and found her boyfriend caught in the act of cheating on her. She finds a new job working in a pub, only to find that the owner is none other than her high school sweetheart, Lucas. Things didn't end so well for them, and to top it all off, he doesn't seem to remember her.

I liked reading about Georgina, as she felt like someone I know, even across the pond. Not everyone has their lives figured out by 30. And some people do get by paycheck to paycheck. I am *cough cough* heading to 40 and there are many days I do not have it figured out. It's refreshing to read a story where not everything is so easy or solved right away.

I enjoyed reading the parts of the book where Georgina was at work and was interacting with Lucas. When Lucas was saying that he did not remember Georgina from school, I thought for sure the book was going to turn into amnesia-lit given the title. Spoiler: It was not amnesia-lit! I loved reading about the other girl that worked at the bar, Kitty. She made me laugh a few times!

I found myself rooting for Georgina throughout the story. Live your best life George! You don't need a man Gina! Ignore your family Gog! 

There were not only silly rom-com style parts to this book. There were also some serious plot lines about her family, her ex-boyfriend gaslighting her, and what happened in her past. Trigger warning: there are scenes of sexual assault in this book. Reading about Georgina balancing the troubling aspects of her life with her day to day obligations made her feel all the more real to me.

This book had quite a few storylines running at the same time. Georgina's ex-boyfriend had a vendetta against her. A stripper had a vendetta against her. A storyline about her therapy. About Lucas and his past. About Georgina's past. About her mom and stepfather. Coming to grips with her father dying and how they ended things. About her job. Connecting with her friends. Sometimes it felt as though some of these were rushed just to close out the storyline. I know people have complex lives, but it's hard to address so much in 300-400 pages.

The other thing that left me scratching my head was her best friend from school, Jo. She never told anyone about her relationship with Lucas, including Jo. I thought that was weird. Why was Lucas ok with that? And her best friend really never noticed how much time Georgina was disappearing and with who? There's only so much schoolwork you can blame it on, especially since she was in the same class. I would have wondered, but years later Jo was shocked when she found out about them. Ummm...did you not care enough to know what was going on with your "best friend"? It's one thing to not ask Georgina about it, but to be completely surprised? Hmmmm...

All in all, I found the story to be enjoyable, and a great escape from my life. I highly recommend this for fans of romance and women's fiction, and if you want to read a true-to-life story that doesn't always end with every storyline being wrapped in a nice little bow. 

 I received a digital copy of this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Grace

I loved Georgina and her story. It’s really more about her than it is a love story, but she charmed me so much that I loved going along this ride. I’m glad she finally got closure for a tumultuous time in her life and I’m so excited for her moving forward. I’m so ecstatic for her and her future happiness!

Alyssa Jacunski

Y'all this book was note what I wanted in the moment that I was reading it. I was hoping for a light, fluffy romance. While there was romance in this book, it was more heavily toward the standard fiction (I refuse to call it "women's fiction") than the type of romance that I enjoy reading.

We follow Georgina as she is fired from an awful restaurant, gets hired at a new bar and runs into someone she knew when she was younger. So in a way, it is a second chance romance. We also get to watch Georgina grow as a person and (view spoiler)[accept her past (hide spoiler)]. I found Georgina entertaining - her sense of humor made me laugh several times throughout the book.

Here's what I wasn't a huge fan of: it felt longer than it needed to and that McFarlane tried to fit a lot into the book that may not have necessarily been needed. A huge pro to this book is related to therapy and talking about it and making it normal to go to therapy (regardless of what may have happened in your past). 

Overall, this wasn't a bad book by anyways. It was not what I wanted at the time I picked it up. A solid three stars from this bookworm.

Trigger warnings: death of a parent; cheating; assault.

Joana Rodrigues

'Sometimes because the people we wanted to care for us, didn't care for us, we live in a deliberate lack of care for ourselves. A way of getting back at them, through self-neglect.'
'You're doing it as revenge?'
'Revenge, perhaps a buried desire to be rescued. And embracing a failure that you feel you're marked for anyway.'

Don’t You Forget About Me

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