Lost in a Good Book

Published: 17 October 2023 (print)/17 October 2023 (audio)
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca/Dreamscape Media
Pages: 391/10 hrs and 10 mins
Narrator: Will Watt
Format: Audiobook
Genre: Romance
★   ★   ★   ★ – 4 Stars

Sam Becker loves—or, okay, likes—his job. Sure, managing a bed-and-bath retailer isn’t exactly glamorous, but it’s good work, and he gets on well with the band of misfits who keep the store running. He could see himself being content here for the long haul. Too bad, then, that the owner is an infuriating git.

Jonathan Forest should never have hired Sam. It was a sentimental decision, and Jonathan didn’t get where he is by following his heart. Determined to set things right, Jonathan orders Sam down to London for a difficult talk…only for a panicking Sam to trip, bump his head, and maybe accidentally imply he doesn’t remember anything?

Faking amnesia seemed like a good idea when Sam was afraid he was getting sacked, but now he has to deal with the reality of Jonathan’s guilt—as well as the unsettling fact that his surly boss might have a softer side to him. There’s an unexpected freedom in getting a second shot at a first impression…but as Sam and Jonathan grow closer, can Sam really bring himself to tell the truth, or will their future be built entirely on one impulsive lie? 

I spent a lot my time reading this book swinging between liking it and disliking it, or not even disliking it, but feeling uncomfortable with certain parts. I haven’t read any fake amnesia stories before so I have nothing to hold it up against but I’m not the biggest fan, but Hall manages to navigate it satisfactorily. There may be tiny spoilers but I loved some parts so much I have to address them.

I enjoyed the premise of how the relationship between Sam and Jonathan worked and the establishing connection they had through the store. The dynamic between his staff and upper management felt real and Hall makes it easy to understand the kind of rock and hard place Sam puts himself in.

The accident which kick starts this fake amnesia is great and we get a lot of Sam’s internal thoughts that guide so much of this book. His actions come from the worries and concerns he has, as well as balancing being professional and his inherent cheeky, pain in the arse, blunt and honest nature. This butts up against the uptight personality of Jonathan who is trying to do the right thing but also keep a store afloat and lawyers out of the situation.

The Jonathan/Sam dynamic is fun and while Sam pushes buttons it is often not always a bad thing as Jonathan is wound very tightly. Jonathan taking Sam in is believable from an own your own business/personal investment/guilt combo which we see reflected in Jonathan’s side of the story.

I love the humour throughout, the ongoing jokes about always referencing products by their full name and Sam’s easy attitude making quips – appropriate or not – are delightful. There are secrets too without it being dangled over our head that something is being withheld like a horrible unnecessary tease. What we aren’t told works for the narrative really well and is also a gut punch when you uncover it.

My main issue was feeling uneasy with the premise. Sam spends a lot of time worrying about the lying and how he is going to get out of this fake amnesia but there are ample opportunities for him to fake his way back into recover which he never takes.

I know the point is to have him put his foot in it and have it be a moment of crisis and tension between them, but I would have loved another route, maybe honesty, and have him cleverly bring back the reveal of his recovered memories. But I’m not the one who wrote the book.

And I suppose these big moments are the reason why people like the trope and not for cleverly avoiding tension – I think this is my issue, I had it in Take a Bow, Noah Mitchell and I have it in this. It’s the deception and the lying I am not a fan of and when I can see clear ways to stop that organically, albeit still deceptively, and not have it come into a moment of betrayal and trust from characters I wish the author took it. But again, not the point of the trope. At least there was a legit reason for the deception, not a made up thing about miscommunication or people assuming they’ve seen something without talking to anyone about it.

A part of me hates how invested and how much I adored the final part of the story because I spent a good chunk at the start unsure if I liked it or not. It’s amazing how much that good saving grace conversation rescued this book.

Hall was incredibly fortunate to recover by having Sam say all the things. Yes he didn’t tell Jonathan but when confronted he actually explains himself: he was scared, he was worried about his job, and he says the right things about seeing Jonathan as a boss and a person, and now knowing who he is.

I loved Sam, he is trying his best and trying to please everyone which is where all his troubles start. It was also brilliant how Sam’s life looks ok from the outside but we soon uncover he’s actually at his low point long before we see him realise he’s at his low point. It’s incredibly clever and it’s a great insight into how people perceive themselves and how others see you.

Watt does a great job with the audiobook. Each character has their own voice and you really got a grasp of who these characters were, their emotional state and their uncertainties. Which is no small feat when some scenes had Jonathan’s entire family talking over one another. Watt should be commended for keeping that distinguishable in an audio only setting.

Finishing this book had me repeating to myself I must not reread Boyfriend Material because I think I do love how Hall writes emotionally damaged, cocky British boys and I love seeing them crumble for emotionally uptight British boys. It’s not as fantastic as Boyfriend Material, but it is still a good story with real characters with real heart and foolishness which I will begrudgingly forgive (just).

You can purchase 10 Things That Never Happened via the following

QBD |  Dymocks | Booktopia

Wordery |  Blackwell’s | Angus & Robertson

Fishpond | Amazon | Amazon Aust | Audible