About the Book

Book: Never Forgotten

Author: Hannah Linder

Genre: Christian Fiction / Historical / Regency Romance

Release date: November, 2024

All He Wanted was Justice. All She Wanted was His Heart.

Georgina Whitmore, not accustomed to any man being unaffected by her charms, is plagued with the disappearance and rejection of Simon Fancourt. Twelve years later, Mr. Fancourt returns to British society with two children and a mad hunger for justice.

Racing against time, Simon works to uncover the men responsible for his wife’s horrific murder, protect his children, and fulfill his father’s unexpected will by marrying Georgina—the last thing in the world he wants to do.

Though her heart throbs to accept, she would rather lose him again than have his name without his love. She denies his proposal of matrimony, knowing it will cost them both. But as tragedies unravel and secret enemies narrow their sights on Simon, Georgina risks her life—and her reputation—to protect him and the children. Will the danger scorch them alive? Or will it, for the first time, open his heart to her?

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My Thoughts:

I really do enjoy a story with a good old feeling of gothicness. This was an interesting one, the violence was very harsh, and the story itself seemed so much deeper. This might actually require a reread in the near future.

Betrothed at birth, Georgina Whitmore and Simon Fancourt have their destines planned out by their fathers. Simon, the second son, is not happy nor content with those plans. He has his own desires and being married to a silly, debutante, is not how he pictures his life going. So, he leaves, not realizing the devastation that choice has made to Georgina, even his own family.

Georgina wants most of all to be seen. Her once betrothed left without a goodbye. In fact, he left without even really getting to know her, to see her, even though they knew one another all their lives. Now a decade or so later, Georgina still pines for the life she thought she would have with Simon, but he apparently has forgotten her.

This story takes Simon from England to America and back again after tragedy has struck his young family. Now a widower with two young children he has come home again for vengeance. But the home he has come home to is nothing like the one he had left. Filled with doubt and questions, continuing to do things his own way, Simon is now faced with an ultimatum. Marry Georgina or lose everything.

This was such an atmospheric read. Danger lurking around every corner, mysterious happenings, rough dealings, and shady characters abounded. Everyone apparently was keeping secrets. On a deeper level is the lesson on seeing people for their character. Not outward appearances or the trappings of their life. A very good read indeed.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the publisher I was not required to post a positive review, and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Hannah Linder resides in the beautiful mountains of central West Virginia. Represented by Books & Such, she writes Regency romantic suspense novels filled with passion, secrets, and danger. She is a four-time Selah Award winner, a 2023 Carol Award semi-finalist, a 2023 Angel Book Award third place winner, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Also, Hannah is an international and multi-award-winning graphic designer who specializes in professional book cover design. She designs for both traditional publishing houses and individual authors, including New York Times, USA Today, and international bestsellers. She is also a self-portrait photographer of historical fashion. When Hannah is not writing, she enjoys playing her instruments—piano, guitar, ukulele, and banjolele—songwriting, painting still life, walking in the rain, square dancing, and sitting on the front porch of her 1800s farmhouse.

More from Hannah

We seldom know anyone. I mean, really know them. We brush hands with people, laugh with them, tell them our stories, listen to theirs, and think we know them.

But we don’t.

We have no idea what thrums in their heart, late at night, when they burrow their face into a wet pillow. We have no idea what they fear. We have no idea what beautiful thoughts dance in their mind, or what ugly mysteries harden like lava in the pit of their chest.

“We all have secrets,” Georgina Whitmore, our heroine in Never Forgotten, once said to Mr. Simon Fancourt. He didn’t understand. He didn’t even suspect.

Because he’d sat beside her a hundred times.

Played whist with her.

Rode alongside her in summer carriage rides.

Smiled at her—emptily—and cringed a little when she smiled back.

If you had asked him, at seventeen years old, if he knew Georgina Whitmore, he would have been earnest in his answer. “Yes.” Lovely. Soft. Teasing. Ridiculous. Shallow. All attributes he professed to know only by their brief, passionless courtship.

She was more than he had ever noticed.

Deeper than he had imagined.

Perhaps if he had looked longer, prodded harder, he might have seen a glimpse of what dwelled in the heart of the woman he was betrothed to marry. How long is too long? How many years may blindness, ignorance, and prejudice be forgiven? Even if Simon finally discovers the loveliness of her heart, will it be too late?

If you walk away from Never Forgotten with nothing else, I hope you feel challenged to look deeper. As you’re brushing hands, laughing, telling stories—I hope you stare into people’s eyes and search for a bit of their soul.

We’re all more than what we seem.

We all have secrets.

Like Simon, you may discover the people around you are more beloved, dear, and wonderful than you ever imagined.