by Kate Walker, author of The Greek Tycoon’s Unwilling Wife
If I take a look at the ‘keepers’ books stacked up on my bookshelves, there are quite a number of them that so obviously are on a similar theme – Remember Me, My Love (Valerie Parv) The Devil’s Arms (Charlotte Lamb) The Second Mrs Adams (Sandra Marton), The Unforgettable Husband (Michelle Reid). . . All books about amnesia. About that intriguing idea that a blow to the head, or some terrible shock, can so affect the mind that large parts of the memory are just wiped away – or at least just buried under layers of problems - and the victim can remember nothing of events that happened before the accident.
I love amnesia stories – I love the mystery, the emotional appeal of them. Maybe it’s because when I was fourteen I was in a road accident and I know what it’s like to have some of those holes in my memory – moments that I just can’t remember. But I know that if I see the word ‘amnesia’ on a miniseries flash, or in the blurb on the back, then my hand is reaching out to grab that title before I’ve even registered who has written it, or where it’s set. I have a great fondness for amnesia stories in my own writing too. It was an amnesia story – Game of Hazard – that was my first ever paperback title (this was back in the days before every book went into paperback and my very first title, The Chalk Line had to wait  7 years before it appeared in America.)
It was the hero then who had crashed his car in the snow and turned up at the heroine’s cottage, not knowing who he was or why he was there. So it was an amnesia story that was my ‘breakthrough book’ into the American market. And my brand new novel, The Greek Tycoon’s Unwilling Wife is on this same theme too. It’s one I’ve used before – Game of Hazard, Rafael’s Love Child, Shattered Mirror, The Twelve Month Mistress – and it always fascinates me to write as well as to read.
What is the fascination of an amnesia story? Why does it grab both the author and the reader so strongly? Well, there’s the obvious theme of secrets. Things that are hidden from the amnesia victim and, in a different way, from the hero or heroine who doesn’t suffer from the memory loss, and are slowly revealed as both of them discover more about each other. It’s the same sort of discovery about each other’s true identity that a romance hero and heroine need to make each time, but it has more of an edge because this time the reader goes on the adventure with them. The reader has to be taken on the journey of discovery, but the character whose memory has gone can’t actually help them – because they don’t know. So the reader is picking up clues as much as the characters and trying to piece them together to get the true picture.
And so the reader watches these characters getting closer, rediscovering all that they enjoyed, admired – loved about each other before amnesia struck. And she knows that when they do find out the real truth, the devastation is going to be even worse just because they have had second chance to know how deeply they really feel.
Many ‘reunion’ plots have an event in the past, in the backstory, that tells the reader just why this particular hero and heroine broke up. What the issues were between them that caused the conflict in the first place – trust, unfaithfulness, lies, deception. But an amnesia plot works best where amnesia becomes a defence mechanism against the real truth behind something so shocking that the character can’t actually remember what it was. Where his or her mind has blocked off the event because they can’t bear to look at it in their thoughts. This means that, no matter how close the hero and heroine become during the course of the story, until that event is uncovered and faced, then they can never truly know or trust each other and so never have a hope of a future together. But they don’t even know what it is they have to tackle. They can rediscover each other, maybe even fall in love all over again, but they – and the reader – know that they can never go into the happy ever after future together until this major block to their unhappiness is dealt with and removed.
The other great appeal of the amnesia plot is the way that if offers the characters a way of truly starting again. They can begin on a whole new page, with the sorrow, tension, the conflict and division between them erased with the memories. At least for one of them. And I’m sure that we’ve all wished for just that. Wished that on the day after a huge row or some dreadful discovery that we could wake up and find that the one we love has forgotten all about it so that we can start to rebuild our relationship afresh without all the pain and distrust that was left behind. And in The Greek Tycoon’s Unwilling Wife, that’s what happens.
When Andreas wakes up after an accident to find Becca in his bedroom he thinks she is his mistress, the woman with whom he is (he thinks) having a passionate affair. Becca however knows that she is in fact his wife and that the whole of the last year, including their marriage has been wiped from his mind. She knows that something dreadful came between them – something that made Andreas throw her out of his home before they had even been married for a single day. But she doesn’t know what it is – and Andreas can’t tell her. Because he can’t remember.
And so, Becca can only wait until he remembers. And the reader waits with her, knowing there will be a real emotional crisis when he does.
Oh now I’ve reminded myself of just how much I love the amnesia theme, I want to go and raid my keeper shelf and find the books that started it all off.
What amnesia plots have you enjoyed? Which ones do you remember best? Maybe I’ll find some I’ve missed and I’d love to read them.
Â
Â
Â
Â
Â
Â
Â
Yes, Kate, I love a good amnesia story and there are some excellent ones about: I loved your ‘The Twelve Month Mistress’, and Robyn Donald has ‘Forgotten Sins’ and I am too lazy to walk into the other room to look for all the others, but there is Lucy Monroe’s ‘The Greek’s Christmas Baby’ and some partial amnesia in Sara Wood’s'The Italian Count’s Command’. You are absolutely right when you say it is the unknown that is the attraction with these storeis. I juts know there will be something terribel to be revealed and I am on tenterhooks until it is!!
Hi Cindy
I’m glad you like amnesia stories too – and thank you for saying you loved the Twelve Month Mistress – a lot of people wrote to me about that so I think it was popular with many readers. I’ve read the Lucy Monroe and the Sara Wood. I don’t recall the Robyn Donald – must go and look for that ones as I always loved Robyn’s books. And I’m so in agreement with your last sentence – like you, I can’t wait for that ‘something terrible’ to be revealed – I like it best when I just can’t guess what it is!
What a great topic! Besides everything that has already been said, one other point is that (at least for me) sometimes it is easier to accept “bad behavior” from the amnesiac (since he/she doesn’t remember the past). For example it is understandable if the H won’t believe the h and instead will take someone else’s word — since the H might the remember the h or his connection to her yet the other person is someone he always trusted in the past. Yet if the H without amnesia did the same thing we are left wondering how he can say that he cares for the h and yet not be willing to accept what she says and in essence label her a liar. And yes, it usually is “something terrible” that the amnesiac is blocking.
In addition to the books mentioned above I’ll add a few more (mostly HPs, HRs, and some SDs):
“Man in the Shadows” by Rosemary Carter
“For Love Alone” by Lucy Gordon
“The Sicilian’s Mistress” by Lynne Graham
“The Stranger She Married” by Crystal Green
“One-Night Wife” by Day LeClaire
“Images of Love” by Anne Mather
“One Love Forever” by Barbara McMahon
“Lost and Found Bride” by Modean Moon
“Enticed” by Jennifer Taylor
“The South American’s Wife” by Kay Thorpe
“A Wife to Remember” by Karen Van Der Zee
“A Husband’s Revenge” by Lee Wilkinson
“Love in a Stranger’s Arms” by Violet Winspear
“Undercover Baby” by Rebecca Winters
Violet’s book has a twist that I don’t recall reading in any other book.
The one point that I have to make though is that things that are “hot buttons” for me in “regular” plots are also “hot buttons” in amnesia stories (for example — adultery).
Probably the biggest draw about the amnesia plot is that we get to read about how the h/H find themselves again, grow to love one another again, and resolve any problems/issues that they may have had before but for some reason at that time were not able to resolve. By having to go through everything ‘again’ they learn to communicate — something that is key to any successful relationship.
I think that a true loving, successful relationship includes the following: love, trust, respect, loyalty and fidelity. While all of those “ingredients” may not be present in the beginning of the relationships in the books, usually by the end the h/H do encompass all of them.
My favorite amnesiac stories (included above in all posts)are — in no particular order: “Love in a Stranger’s Arms,” “The Greek’s Christmas Baby,” “The Unforgettable Husband,” “The Sicilian’s Mistress,” and “The Twelve Month Mistress.”
I think that the author’s talent really shows up when she is able to write a really good amnesiac themed story.
I wouldn’t say that I am a fan of amnesia stories. However, I really enjoyed The Twelve Month Mistress. I think if written well, it is a good element in a story, but I find a weird awkwardness about it. I don’t know, maybe it’s just me…
Oh, oh! In my previous post (list of amnesiac books) I forgot to include:
“Marriage Lost and Found” by Trish Wylie
“Undercover Groom” by Merline Lovelace
“Response” by Penny Jordan
Also, the classic “Random Harvest” by James Hilton. I never read the book but have seen the movie a few times on the classic movie network.
Lidia, I should have known that you’d come up with a great list – and I share your enjoyments of many of your choices. But that Violet Winspear story is one I don’t know – and now that you’ve mentioned that twist to it I’m going to be intrigued until I can find a copy and read it!
I agree with you about the way that an amnesia story helps the h&H go through everything again. And this time, when one of them at least doesn’t have the same prejudices/beliefs/doubts etc they had last time, they can’t just totally replay things and go over the same ground – but they have to rework it to a different script.
Sometimes a romance can have a plot when you are thinkining ‘why doesn’t he/she just ask about that?’ or ‘Why doesn’t he/she just say . . .’ And that can be a problem for the writer who has to make sure that the not asking or not telling has solid grounds for happening. With an amnesia plot there is some help with that as it means that the person with amnesia just can’t ask or tell because they don’t know!
Mitchy – thank you for saying you enjoyed the Twelve Month Mistress even though in general the amnesia plot doesn’t work for you.
I understand what you mean about the wierd awkwardness about it – sometimes it can seem almost impossible to believe that someone can forget – or have wiped from their memory any part of their life.
Coincidentally, just after I wrote this post, I opened the Sunday papers and there was the story of a real man who had had a terrible infection that had made his brain swell and now he had very little memory of anything – he can’t even remember getting up each morning. But there were two things that remained in his memory – his love for his wife and his ability to play the piano. It was a fascinating read.
Okay I LOVE amnesia stories, they are a favourite of mine. In fact my WIP I’m polishing is an amnesia story.
My fave story would have to be The Second Mrs Adams by Sandra Marton and Kate’s The Twelve Month Mistress and also Lucy’s The Greek’s Christmas Baby.
Can’t wait to read your new amnesia story Kate, in fact if it’s been released in Australia I’m sure it will be in my TBR if not, it will be shortly
Nicki and Kate, thanks for loving The Second Mrs Adams. I can return the favor, Kate, by saying I loved your current book!
Amnesia stories, as Kate says, give the characters a wonderful chance to start over, to put hurtful things behind them.
I’m currently writing a sheikh trilogy. Book three is an amnesia story. It’ll be the first I’ve written since The Second Mrs Adams, and I can hardly wait to start it!
Hi Nicki –
Thanks for loving The Twelve Month Mistress – like I said, a lot of people have told me they liked that one and when I did a poll of readers’ favourite books, that one was well up on it. So it was a popular book.
The Greek Tycoon’s Unwilling Wife is out in Australia in December, I think. So you need to look out for it then.
Good luck with your amnesia story -is this aimed at Presents? Maybe the first chapter contest?
Hi Sandra
How great to see you here. Yes, like Nicki I lved The Second Mrs Adams. So I’ll look forward to your amnesiac sheikh (or his amnesiac heroine whichever it is)
And thank you for saying nice things about The Greek Tycoon’s Unwilling Wife – that made my day
This is one of my favourite story lines, and I never understand it when people say they don’t like it. I love it.
My favourite is The Greek’s Christmas baby by Lucy Monroe (it made me cry)
Hi Sandra! What I liked best about “The Second Mrs. Adams” was that it truly showed how important trust and loyalty are in a relationship. It seems that the ‘first time around’ neither David nor Joanna fully trusted each other. They allowed David’s ass’t to ruin their marriage. Why was David so willing to believe her lies? Why was Joanna so insecure that she believed what the other woman was saying? Their rediscovery after Joanna had amnesia showed how much was missing the ‘first time.’
Hi there Nicky! Good luck with you WIP.
Boy…a lot of really wonderful books have been mentioned. I adore amnesia plots, but didn’t have the creative inspiration to write one until my mother woke up the first time after a massive stroke and had forgotten all of us…her children, her grandchildren…it almost destroyed my baby sister. It was a very difficult time for everyone and spawned a book that made me cry too, Chantal.
I think the thing I like most about the amnesia plot is the opportunity to show how true love really is…how it reaches past the barriers of memory and connects two people even when they don’t understand why.
Kate – TGTUW sounds like a fantastic book and I’ll definitely be picking it up.
Hugs to all,
Lucy
Hi Chantal
I enjoyed TGCB too. I think sometimes that amnesia stories can really open up the deeep emotions because the hero and heroine have to look at their lives and their relationship all over again and face up to what went wrong the first time round – and put it right
As you say Lidia about Sandra’s book – that’s exactly the point about trust and loyalty and how the characters learn what was missing the first time and so also learn what is needed to put it right
Hi Lucy – good to see you.
The story about your mother is so sad – I’ve heard of that happening other times too. It happened to a friend of mine’s niece’s husband. It is a very tough situation for the family to be in. So I’m not surprised that the book you wrote as a result is deeply emotional and makes you and your readers cry.
>> I think the thing I like most about the amnesia plot is the opportunity to show how true love really is…how it reaches past the barriers of memory and connects two people even when they don’t understand why.
I so agree with this – it’s the thing that I was talking about when I mentioned the man who had lost his memory but could remember that he loved his wife and that he could play music. Amnesia can wipe events from your memory but it seems to leave the feelings there – as you say, reaching past the barriers of memory.
If you do pick up a copy of The Greek Tycoon’s Unwilling Wife, I hope that you enjoy it.
Kate, I hope that you can find a copy of Violet’s book. If not, my copy is pretty old — but I would be willing to lend it to you.
Lucy, I remember you writing about your mother’s amnesia on your site. Your family must be very happy that this was only “temporary.” Glad that you joined us here.
First, hi Sandra, it’s so good to see you here.
I know I’ve been a little quiet for a bit. My laptop died and I was working from my pda for a time, and I don’t have a keyboard for it, so while I could read, it was difficult to comment.
Before I touch on the topic of amnesia in a story I want to remind you all that not only can you find many re-released books via our eBook Boutique You can pop over to the Backlist Books thread on eHarlequin.com and let me know what you’d like to see if you don’t find it.
I have mixed views on amnesia in a story. For me it all depends on how it’s done, but that goes for any book. As long as it’s an engaging and believeable story pretty much anything goes.
I do like the element of the unknown, and watching the struggle while the character comes to terms with their past and current difficulties. I also like how the level of frustration impacts the story.
There was one book where the heroine had amnesia and never recovered her memory. She learned to love the hero all over again without every knowing what they had in the past. “Desperately seeking annie” by Patricia Knoll.
I’m on the road to Wales – where I’m teaching a weekend course so I just checked in to see if there were any further comments.
Lorie – I am so with you on the fact that an amnesia story (well – yes – any story ) must be well written to work. A long time ago there were books where a quick bang on the head meant instant loss of memory and another bang brought it back! So I did a lot of research before I wrote anything about amnesia. Most of the time, there is such a large emotinal content in the loss of memory – that it’s something the sufferer doesn’t want to remember that really gets wiped. And that’s what fascinates me.
And the way that the memopry comes back isn’t just one flash of inspiration and all is remembered – it comes back slowly and in patches most of the time.
But it aways fascinates me. We think our memories are there for ever, in our heads but to find that they can be wiped away is quite amazing.
Lidia – as always you have an amazin g memory (!) for great books. I will look for the ones you’ve mentioned – you are so sweet to offer to lend me Violet’s book but I’ll havea good look for it first.
Must get on the way again – we have another 3 hours driving ahead of. us
Hello all,
I’m pretty late to the topic, but wanted to pop in to say that I really like most amnesia plot HP books, I’ve read quite a few over the years. I will always pick up books with this plotline, no matter how many I’ve read.
Like Chantal, one of my favorites is The Greek’s Christmas Baby, it made me cry also. Another favorite in my keeper pile is The Second Mrs. Adams and I also like The Twelve Month Mistress. Kate, I’ve read TGTUW a couple months ago, very good book, I really enjoyed it.
Another one of my favorite amnesia books was written by Susan Napier, but I can’t remember the title, maybe Lidia can help me. The h was living on an island and had amnesia. The H came to see her (maybe in a rain storm?) and she thought he looked familiar but didn’t remember him right away. He stayed for a while and eventually she remembered that he was her husband and why she had amnesia. It was a pretty emotional book, made me cry quite a bit at the end, but that’s what I like about my favorite HP books!
Cheryl
All of you give me too much credit. LOL I am sure that I mentioned this before — a few years ago I began to keep a spreadsheet with author, title, series, main characters, and an extremely brief description of the book that I’ve read. When I have time, which is rarely, I try to update the ssheet with books that I read before I began to keep the ssheet.
Cheryl, sorry but that book is not on my ssheet.
Lidia
Lidia,
Thanks for checking your spreadsheet for me. I might actually have the book laying around the house in my various “keeper” piles, I will poke around to see if I have it and let you know what the title was if I do.
Cheryl
I found the Susan Napier book, it was called “Secret Seduction” and was published as an HP book in the US in October, 2000. I found it in Romantic Times (got 3 stars) and also Amazon, where most of the reviews weren’t very positive.
But, I really liked this book, even though the conflict was more serious than most Harlequin romances. In fact, as I remember more now, this was the first HP book that I had read in about 10 years, after reading them like crazy when I was in high school and college. Then, after reading that book, I started with my HP obession again and am still going strong.
Cheryl
Kate ~ That’s what I tend to think of when I think of amnesia stories, the bang on the head theme. It’s refreshing to see it done in a more realistic way.
I had to laugh when I read that about thinking we’ll always have our memories. I used to be proud of my fantastic memory, and then I started getting older…
Hi! This is my first time posting here (I’ve had such a hard time even logging in) and I’m really excitied. (if it works)
Anyway, when I saw the subject of amnesia, I just had to respond. I love the subject. And, if I may, there’s one amnesia book you’ve left out. One of my all time favorites.
A Man like Daintree by Margaret Way. I read it twice a year faithfully.
Thanks to several of you who have mentioned books I haven’t read but will soon.
Kate — one of my very favorite books is Constantine’s Revenge. I hope this loop isn’t closed yet. I don’t know how it works, so bear with me.
Fayrene
Lidia — I want to applaud you for organizing your reading to such an extent — the spread sheet. Especially for amnesia.
Several years ago, I went on a tear, trying to find more books on amnesia. I was really in a mood to read them. Alas, I never could find any lists.
Then, as it happened, 2 years ago, I fell and gave myself a concussion and amnesia, which lasted for several days. I didn’t know it at the time. I lived alone and I have no memory of what happened during that time.
It was my sons, through a series of calls and visits that realized what happened. I had a huge knot on my forehead and a badly bruised face.
I look back on that time now as pretty awful. In fact it still scares me that I didn’t know now or then what happened. But that’s just another amnesia story, another way to look at it, I guess, though I would have wished my story were a bit more romantic.
Then, quite a few years ago, I wrote a book with amnesia as a theme. I did this, as many of you said. It was the one way I could think of to get two people back together again. For them, or for her, to forget the bad things that had happened to them as a couple, to give her time to heal mentally, so that they could rebuild their life.
Aw, well. I would love to chat with you all more on the subject, but it’s very close to Christmas now, and I imagine we’re all busy.
Merry Christmas everyone!
Fayrene