Forgive and Forget is the third and final book following Risking It All and Tangled Lives in the Risking It All trilogy by London author Stephanie Harte.
This novel, like the first two installments, is a fast-paced and gripping crime thriller with twists and turns. Since their gambling debt, Gemma and her husband Nathan’s lives have been a nightmare. They lost their home and became involved with gangster Alfie Watson, having to pay back his loan, which was doubled, and Alfie forcing Gemma to help in a heist job.
She is devastated that they will never be able to escape the hold Alfie has on them.
After being involved in a car accident that nearly took his life, Nathan awakens from a coma. Alfie insists Nathan stay at Darkwood Manor to recuperate and get the best possible care. Gemma doesn’t like the thought of being under Alfie’s roof. She knows there will be a catch and price to pay, she can no longer keep the secret about Luca and tells Nathan the truth.
How involved with Alfie was she and what else is she hiding?
Meanwhile Rufan Shehu, the head of the Albanian mob comes to Essex to open a new club Alfie is not happy and plans a turf war. He will do anything to run them out of town and seek revenge for the murder of his father many years ago. When so many lives are being pulled into his sinister plan, Gemma sees this as an opportunity to form different allies and escapes to France with Nathan, Luca and Nathan’s parents. Will this be their new start they have longed for?
Harte has well developed characters that are loved and hated. I particularly liked Gemma’s character; challenging times faced her family and what she did for their freedom and safety made all the difference. She has courage and is relentless but also has a nice vulnerability to her.
There are so many layers to this story; family drama, romance, deceit, and suspense. It’s a fast-paced read, nicely written, with strong dialogue. I recommend this action-packed and wonderfully sinister novel. A fabulous ending to the Risking It All Series.
Thanks Beauty and Lace and Head of Zeus for the opportunity to read and review.
ISBN: 9781800246041
A selection of our Beauty and Lace Club Members are reading Forgive and Forget by Stephanie Harte. You can read their comments below, or add your own review.
My love of books started at a very young age. My mum has always been a reader and encouraged me to read, buying me endless book from classic fairy tales advancing to the world of Enid Blyton, CS Lewis, Louisa May Alcott, Kathryn Kenny, Carolyn Keene, Francine Pascal. In my adult years the list of authors is endless and every room in my house is filled with books.
One of my favourite novels is Narnia which has always has a special place in my heart. I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in 1978 and when I was given this book to read it let me escape to another world where I felt like I was in the book with all the characters, it wasfun and exciting to escape from reality and eased the ups and downs of the disease at such a young age.
In books nothing is impossible and there is endless potential and hundreds of places to explore or being taken to places that are only made up from the authors’ great minds, the past and future to navigate, characters lives you step into taking you on an emotional rollercoaster ride or being scared out of your wits. I can experience things that I can’t in real life because they’re not possible or real. It challenges my perspective and mindset expanding my worldview.
I find joy, comfort and peace with books, many people may not get it, but I know bookworms like me truly understand. Reading makes my heart happy.