Today I’m so excited to introduce you to Rebecca Foster Hamilton, the heroine of my most recent Harlequin Love Inspired romance out on August 20th, Her Forgotten Cowboy. Rebecca was a real challenge for me to write because I’d chosen to tackle a popular trope but one in which I’d not done before—
Amnesia.
When I turned in my proposal, I hadn’t really thought all that much about what writing a character with amnesia would require. Just Google amnesia, right?
Yeah, not so much. While I discovered there were several distinct kinds of amnesia, I also discovered no one person’s experience was the same as another’s.
So, basically, I’ve got nothing.
I had to make it up as I went. I knew she was pregnant but didn’t remember the father (Tanner, her husband and the hero of the story). I decided it would be relatively short-term memory loss caused by a car accident. She remembered her past, like her maiden name and her childhood friend, but nothing about Tanner. She had been told she’d left him but didn’t know why, so she returns to Serendipity to discover if seeing Tanner again will jolt her memory.
Easy in theory, painful in execution, though in other ways rather fun. I had to make up my own rules as I went and then make sure I was following those rules. I struggled. I sweated. But at the end of the day, I really believe this is one of my favorite stories of all the books I’ve written.
I hope you’ll grab your own copy and enjoy an end-of-the-summer read.
She can’t remember the past
He can’t imagine a future without her in Cowboy Country
Suffering amnesia after a car accident, Rebecca Hamilton arrives back in Serendipity, Texas, pregnant and seeking the baby’s father—her estranged husband, Tanner. Returning to the ranch house they once shared is her best chance at regaining her memories. But will recalling the tragic reason they separated only drive a bigger wedge between Rebecca and the man she’s falling for all over again?
~~Love Courageously~~ Publisher's Weekly Bestselling, award-winning author of 30 novels, Deb Kastner enjoys writing contemporary inspirational western stories set in small communities. She feels especially blessed to be able to include faith as a natural and genuine part of her characters' lives. Deb lives in beautiful Colorado with her husband and a pack of miscreant mutts. She is blessed with three adult daughters and two grandchildren. Her favorite hobby is spoiling her grandchildren, but she also enjoys reading, watching movies, listening to music (The Texas Tenors are her fav), singing in the church choir, and exploring the Rocky Mountains on horseback.
Have read a few books with amnesia, they always get their memories back. Would be interesting to read one someday where they don’t get them back and have to start over totally. Especially if they had a difficult past and had issues trusting before but without those hard memories they get a fresh start to be a happier more trusting person.
This story sounds amazing! I look forward to reading it!
Hi Deb, thanks for sharing- this sounds like a fun story to read. I am struggling to think of any stories that feature the H or h with amnesia… I vaguely remember reading one as a teenager, but cannot recall the name or author. So, your story will be new for me:)
Blessings:)
A character with amnesia is always interesting to read.
Hi Deb! Thought provoking blog – no pun intended. While I can’t remember reading a story about amnesia (darn I am punny this morning with only 1/2 cup of coffee), Hallmark has two movies were a character suffered from amnesia. My favorite is the Christmas movie A Gift to Remember with the book store heroine who gives of herself to help the hero restore his memory and even cares for his dog. The second movie is Falling for Vermont – an author has a car accident and the local vet with his two children help her with her memory loss. Thanks for sharing. Best wishes.
Congrats on your new book release Deb!
This cover is gorgeous and I want to read it based on that alone! I’ve read a number of amnesia stories, but then I read what Her Forgotten Cowboy is about and I really want to know why she left him in the first place, you hooked me :)
You are a new author to me and I really want to read your new book! It sounds so interesting. I just finished a book where the main character had amnesia for four years and the husband thought she had left him for someone else until she returns years later.
What a sweet cover :) I don’t know anyone personally who has dealt with amnesia but have heard about it on the news.
Sounds like a fun book
This sounds good!! I’ve not read too many books dealing with amnesia, but I’ve seen a few tv shows and movies with it!!
Would enjoy reading. Thank you for sharing.
Oooh, sounds like a fun twist! Amnesia stories aren’t that common, or maybe I’ve just forgotten them. (Sorry, joining Renate on the punny bench this morning!)
JoAnn Durgin has one… Second Time Around, I think. I know I’ve read at least one more in the past year or two, but its title and author escape me.
Congrats on your book, Deb. This sounds like my kind of book. Being an an avid reader, I plan to read it!
Sounds like a good story.
That would be a super interesting twist!
Valerie! With amnesia – you just can’t remember. Get’s more sympathy than blaming on being busy, having read to many book or in my case – age. LOL
Sounds truly wonderful <3 and this cover AWW
Thanks! I hope you enjoy it.
It’s really quite different. I thought amnesia would be one of those things you look up research, and it turned out to be much more than that. It was definitely a challenge, but I believe it was well worth it in the end.
I like the premise of this story. I have read a couple of them but not one with a pregnant heroine. I want to know what the rift was. I know a few people who have suffered concussion and still have no memory of the incident. One was playing sport and she remember going to the ground and stepping on to play but everything after that til waking up in emergency is still a blank.
Sounds interesting!
Hi Deb,
I like your choice of using amnesia as the subject for one of your books. I have read several books using this topic and it’s fun to see how the authors made use of it. I’m an avid fan of Harlequin books and receive their newsletter I love looking up new authors when ordering from Harlequin. I will put you on my list for when I order again. I’d also like to say I love reading physical books when I can get them but I also read digital files but holding a real book in my hands is the best.
Thanks
Pat
This sounds great!
I loved this idea. How engaging. Thanks for sharing and going through all the trouble to create something new.
I don’t think I have read a book with a character that suffers from amnesia. I have seen the movie The Vow, but that’s it. This sounds fascinating. Are there different types of amnesia?
Ooh, this book sounds awesome! I love amnesia stories, and have read several books that feature that trope, though I think all the ones I’ve read have been in the Christian romantic suspense genre, so it’s super neat to see that trope in a contemporary romance! 🙂
Sounds like an amazing book!