Reminders of Him

3/5 stars

It’s been five years, but Kenna has returned to the place that tragically changed her life. She hopes to meet and reunite with her four-year-old daughter, but everyone has prevented the meeting since Kenna was in prison. Ledger has cautiously given Kenna the benefit of the doubt and he might be her only hope at having a relationship with her daughter. 

I went into Reminders of Him a bit wary as an adopted person used to inaccurate portrayals of the system and complexities. I was surprised that the complex relationship between mother, child, and support system was portrayed realistically with those championing the adoptive parents and those feeling empathy and compassion for the birth mother. While the passages could be hard to read, they were emotional and well-written.

This, like many of Hoover’s books, is very character-driven. I struggled paying attention at times since I do prefer plot-driven, thrilling stories. I can see why so many rave about Hoover’s books. I have read almost all myself. The emotions that are in the book and looks into the character’s minds is really well done. I found myself tearing up at the end because I was very emotionally invested. 

Of all of Hoover’s books, this is probably towards the top of my list. It is a tragic story with promises of redemption. As a mood-reader craving thrillers right now, it didn’t captivate me as much as I would have liked, but this will definitely be a must-read for fans of Hoover and melodramatic romances.