Imagine waking up to a world where every memory of love is like a page torn from a book, leaving you to wonder about the chapters of your heart’s story yet unwritten. Welcome to the poignant world of amnesia romance books, where tales of forgotten memories, rediscovered love, and the journey to rekindle lost connections captivate and inspire.
If the idea of love overcoming the barriers of memory intrigues you, you’re in for an emotional and uplifting ride. Through the fog of forgotten pasts, these stories explore the depths of love that transcend even the most elusive memories, proving that the heart remembers what the mind does not. So, buckle up for a journey through love stories that showcase the resilience of the human spirit and the indomitable power of love to illuminate the shadows of forgotten pasts.
7 Amnesia Romance Books (Forgettable Hero/Heroine)
Amnesia romance stories begin with a captivating premise: a character wakes up with no memory of their past, identity, or the people in their lives. This sets the stage for a compelling mystery as readers, and the protagonist unravel the secrets of their past and piece together their identities. For the protagonist and their romantic interest, amnesia provides a second chance at love.
As they face the challenges of memory loss together, they can rediscover their feelings for each other, rebuild their relationship from scratch, and create new memories together. As the protagonist searches for clues about their past, they are forced to confront questions of identity: Who am I? What kind of person was I before? What do I want for my future? These existential questions add depth and complexity to the narrative. I will talk about my 7 favorite amnesia romance books with you. Let’s go!
| Name | Key Focus | Rating (Goodreads) |
|---|---|---|
| Slightly Sinful by Mary Balogh | The hero loses his memory in a battle, and the heroine tries to help him. | 3.9 |
| The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband by Julia Quinn | A girl is trying to save her brother, and she finds the hero who deals with his amnesia. | 3.9 |
| Repeat by Kylie Scott | An amnesia girl deals with her past abuse and finds her ex-boyfriend with who she falls in love again. | 4.0 |
| Someone to Watch Over Me by Lisa Kleypas | An orphan boy investigates something where he finds a girl with a memory loss issue. | 3.7 |
| Pleasures of a Notorious Gentleman by Lorraine Heath | In wartime, the hero has a mental illness, and the nurse heroine tries to help him. | 3.8 |
| Barbarian’s Heart by Ruby Dixon | In an alien world, the alien hero has amnesia and builds a romantic relationship with a human girl. | 3.9 |
| An Earl, the Girl, and a Toddler by Vanessa Riley | The lawyer hero finally finds his love, who fights against her amnesia and other mental illnesses. | 3.4 |
1. Slightly Sinful (Bedwyn Saga)
Slightly Sinful is the fifth book in the Bedwyn series saga. The Bedwyn is a family, each with its books. So, there are six books in the series. The hero (Alleyne) was in the Battle of Waterloo. He loses his memory while in battle, and the heroine (Rachel) finds him and takes him in. So, the heroine has an interesting backstory. Rachel is currently living in a brothel with four of her friends. She doesn’t work there, but they all do. So Rachel felt bad and tried to help her friends.
Rachel introduced a man into their lives who steals from them and takes all their earnings for their life savings. She’s been trying to help her friends and get the money back. When she is due to marry, she’s supposed to inherit the family’s jewels.
Alleyne is with them and hears about her plight and everything going on. So he decides to join her and propose to her to be a fake husband, and she gets these family jewels and helps out all her friends by selling them for money. This book has the amnesia trope, fake relationships, and a fake husband. We have the heroine rescuing the hero. There’s intrigue, theft, and scandal.
Also, there are family ties, historical views, forgiveness, and a great friend group. The story and plot were good, and I listened to the audiobook, which was very engaging. I loved the slow-burn romance between the characters, and the amnesia hero was funnier.
Author: Mary Balogh
Publisher: Dell
Tropes: Regency, Fake-relationship, Virgin-heroine
Number Of Pages: 400
Item Weight: 7.2 ounces
Dimensions: 4.2 x 1.1 x 6.8 inches
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Mass Market Paperback | Audio CD
2. The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband (Rokesbys)
The Girl With The Make-Believe Husband is a popular Regency amnesia romance. It is the second book in the Rokesbys series. The heroine’s (Cecilia) father has died. When the story starts, Cecilia finds herself in a sticky situation, facing two unbearable choices. So, choice one is she can move in with her maiden aunt, or choice two is to marry a scheming cousin.
Cecilia is smart, so she chooses secret option number three. She travels across the Atlantic and escapes to the colonies. This book was written in 1779, so the US was still considered a colony. Shortly before, she crossed the Atlantic because she knew her brother was fighting in the war and got injured. So she wants to go over there and try to find and rescue him. After a week of trying to find her brother, she still hasn’t found him, but she finds his best friend, our hero, Edward.
Cecilia overhears that he’s in a coma and he requires care. So, the only way she can stay with him or by his side is to pretend and say she is his wife. Edward wakes up when she tells these people we’re married to his wife. They realize he doesn’t remember anything from the past six months when he comes to. He does remember a pen pal relationship that he had with Cecilia. Cecilia would write letters to her brother, who was at the battlefront.
At the end of each note, they swapped little stories or tidbits and started communicating pen pal relationship style. They were both crushed and pining for one another from those little letter snippets they wrote back and forth. So, this one does take place most of the time in the US, which is different from Julia Quinn’s books.
The only negative side of the book is the slow-paced story, which sometimes bored me. But I loved the amnesia hero and supportive virgin heroine. The BookTok community has a mixed impression of this book. So, give it a try if you like historical steamy romance.
Author: Julia Quinn
Publisher: Avon
Tropes: Friends-to-lovers, Fun, Ex-military-hero
Number Of Pages: 400
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle | Audio CD
3. Repeat (Larsen Bros)
Repeat is contemporary romantic suspense with amnesia. It is the first book in Kylie Scott’s Larsen Brothers series. In this one, the heroine (Clementine) has amnesia. She was attacked and left unconscious when the story picked up. So Clementine is trying to piece together some of her old life and tap into some of those memories while also coming to terms with the person she is now. When someone notices one of her tattoos and asks if it’s a specific artist, she goes to that tattoo shop where the artist works out.
While there, Clementine finds her ex-boyfriend and realizes she broke his heart. So, it is a second-chance romance, and there are some safety concerns with everything going on with her right now. The hero has her move back in with him, the house they used to share. Their new relationship is straightforward and honest, and their communication is nice.
I loved that the story’s emphasis wasn’t ever on her gaining back her memories. It was more of coming to terms and realizing that she had changed slowly. The story, plot, characters, and writing have a unique style with mystery. So, I recommend reading and listening to the audiobook, which is around 7 hours long. I picked both hardcover and paperback. The hardcover is not good for paper quality and font size, but the paperback is perfect for font, color, cover, binding, and paper quality.
Author: Kylie Scott
Publisher: Independently
Tropes: Mystery, Suspense, Second-chance, Age-gap, Alpha-male
Number Of Pages: 308
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Kindle | Audio CD
4. Someone to Watch Over Me (Bow Street Runners)
Someone to Watch Over Me is the first book in the series, which won the RITA Award. The story follows Grant, who grew up in an orphanage and works as a street runner. One night, he gets a call to investigate like a drowning victim. But when he gets there, he is surprised to learn that not only is the drowning victim alive, but it’s somebody who is very recognizable.
Victoria is a well-known woman of the night, and Grant picks her up and takes her back to his house with him. So when she comes the next morning, he realizes she doesn’t remember anything about who she is. She has no memories because she has amnesia. So, at first, Victoria is very upset, having to come to terms with everything he’s telling her about herself.
I’m appalled at my previous self when she snubbed him when they also met. So Grant decides to tell her that she is his mistress since she doesn’t know anything. So that is the start of that book. Some secrets are revealed, and some truths come from the past. I loved the romance with an amnesia heroine and a supportive hero. Don’t miss it because every chapter has a mystery!
Author: Lisa Kleypas
Publisher: Avon Books
Tropes: Insta-love, Rich-hero, Angst, Virgin-heroine
Number Of Pages: 362
Available: Mass Market Paperback | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle | Audio CD
5. Pleasures of a Notorious Gentleman (London’s Greatest Lovers)
Pleasures of a Notorious Gentleman is the second book in the series. The whole series follows Brothers, and this one follows three brothers. Stephen is the middle one, a black sheep second set of an earl. The heroine, Mercy, works as a nurse for Florence Nightingale during the war. They meet when Stephen is at war, and she’s a nurse, and they have a little affair together. So, pre-war, Stephen had a reputation for seduction, and when one of his ways led to some scandal, he joined the army to try and redeem himself.
Stephen is back from war, wounded and scarred, and he can’t remember anything from the past two years. So Mercy reads in the paper that he has died during the war. She shows up at his family’s house with his son in her arms. Imagine her surprise when she gets there.
Not only is the hero not dead. He’s alive but wants to do the right thing and marry her. Stephen deals a lot with war, trauma, amnesia, and PTSD. The book’s first half is very slow and boring, but the second half and the ending are exciting. If you like mistaken identity with a war plot, pick it.
Author: Lorraine Heath
Tropes: Victorian, Disabilities, Plain-heroine
Number Of Pages: 384
Available: Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle | Mass Market Paperback
6. Barbarian’s Heart (Ice Planet Barbarians)
Barbarian’s Heart is a sci-fi alien romance. It is the 10th book in the Ice Planet Barbarians series. I have read Ruby Dixon’s entire Ice Planet Barbarian series. If you don’t know, Ice Planet Barbarians takes place on not Hoth, an icy cold planet where some blue aliens live.
At the beginning of the series, some human women were trafficked and taken captive, and a ship crashed from Earth. When they get this put into them, they can resonate or find their mates on the planet, and there’s more to all the books and the series. But that is the basic construct of the series.
The hero and the heroine resonated or made it at the beginning of the series. They found one another, and they’ve been living happily together for two-plus years since the Cuban women’s ship crashed on the planet. After an incident in the previous book, the hero gets hurt and loses his memories of the past two years. So he doesn’t remember his mate and child.
I love the entire series because all of them are charming romances. This one of the amnesia parts of it worked well. I loved the angst it brought to the couple’s relationship and many sad moments. So, the story is quiet and slower, with more of the plot centered around the relationship. But I liked seeing how that played out and the new normal they have to form together.
Author: Ruby Dixon
Narrator: Hollie Jackson, Mason Lloyd
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Tropes: Aliens, Second-chance, Adventure, Possessive-virgin-hero
Number Of Pages: 222
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Kindle
7. An Earl, the Girl, and a Toddler (Rogues and Remarkable Women)
An Earl, the Girl, and a Toddler is a historical multicultural romance. Our heroine, Jemina, survived a shipwreck en route to London from Jamaica, where she’s from. She is suffering from amnesia and can’t remember anything about what she’s doing there. Since she was found alone, she ended up being put into chaos. The story dives into how women of the time had no agency over their lives, especially all the struggles they faced with mental health.
The hero (Daniel) is a lawyer. In the past, he married by proxy but became a widower and has now taken care of his stepdaughter. So he is now an earl. After two years of working on his career and being a devoted father to his stepdaughter, he realizes he’s ready to start a new relationship. Around this same time, he gets involved in Jemina’s case. Also, he is the one who tries to get her out of the chaos. Then the story unfolds, and their chemistry or romantic tension develops quickly because they fall in instant love.
Author Vanessa Riley is famous for historical romance writing. The book’s first part was satisfying, but the ending was dull. Some of the readers said that the story was a little bit confusing. So, if you want to read the book, I suggest you read slowly and try to understand what the characters feel and want.
Author: Vanessa Riley
Narrator: Bahni Turpin
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Tropes: Multicultural, Arc, Single-parent
Number Of Pages: 320
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Library Binding | Kindle | Audio CD
5 Steamy Amnesia Romance Books
- “Before I Go To Sleep” by S.J. Watson
While not strictly categorized under romance, “Before I Go To Sleep” is a thrilling psychological drama with romantic elements deeply woven into its plot. Christine wakes up daily with no memory of her life from her early twenties onwards. As she faces her fragmented existence, guided by her husband, Ben, she starts to uncover unsettling truths about her past. The novel explores the complexities of love and trust when one partner holds the key to the other’s identity. It’s a gripping read with deep emotional and physical intimacy undercurrent.
- “Repeat” by Kylie Scott
When Clementine Johns wakes up in the hospital with no memory of who she is, she’s forced to put her life back together piece by piece. This includes rekindling her relationship with Ed Larsen, her ex-boyfriend, who is equally confused and captivated by her amnesia-induced second chance. “Repeat” features forgiveness, identity, and the enduring connection between lovers, all while navigating the steamy reawakening of their romance.
- “With This Man” by Jodi Ellen Malpas
Jesse Ward is back in the fourth installment of the “This Man” series, facing his biggest challenge yet: his wife Ava has woken from a coma with no memory of their intense, passionate love story. Jesse must win Ava’s heart all over again, proving the depth of his love and the strength of their bond. Malpas crafts a steamy and emotional tale of rekindled love with all the drama and intensity that fans of the series have expected.
- “Amnesia” by Cambria Hebert
“Amnesia” tells the story of a girl found floating in the water off the coast of Maine with no memory of who she is or how she got there. The only clue to her identity is the man who claims to have saved her life. As they work together to unravel her past, they discover a deep and undeniable attraction that complicates their quest for truth. Hebert combines suspense, mystery, and steamy romance in a story about rediscovering oneself and finding love.
- “Falling Into You” by Jasinda Wilder
After a tragic accident claims the life of her boyfriend, Nell Hawthorne is devastated. Years later, she reunites with Kyle Calloway’s older brother, Colton, who has his burdens and secrets. As Nell and Colton seek solace in each other, they confront their pasts and the memories that haunt them. Wilder delivers a deeply emotional and steamy romance about healing, forgiveness, and the power of love to help overcome grief and loss.
5 Romance Books Where Heroine Has Amnesia
- “Before I Go To Sleep” by S.J. Watson
While not a traditional romance novel, “Before I Go To Sleep” centers on Christine, who wakes up daily with no memory of her life as an adult. With the help of her husband, Ben, she tries to piece together her past. As Christine uncovers hidden truths, the story weaves a complex tapestry of love, trust, and the quest for identity, making it a compelling read with romantic elements.
- “What Alice Forgot” by Liane Moriarty
Alice Love wakes up on the gym floor without memory of the last ten years of her life. She thinks she’s happily married and expecting her first child, only to discover she’s going through a divorce and has three kids. As Alice faces her unfamiliar life, she must figure out how to reconcile the person she once was with the person she’s become. Moriarty crafts a thought-provoking story about love, marriage, and the importance of remembering.
- “Remember Me?” by Sophie Kinsella
Lexi Smart wakes up in a hospital thinking it’s 2004, and she’s twenty-five with crooked teeth and a disastrous love life. To her astonishment, she learns it’s actually 2007 – she’s twenty-eight, her teeth are straight, she’s the boss of her department, and she’s married to a handsome millionaire. Kinsella delivers a hilarious and heartwarming tale as Lexi tries to piece together what happened to her life, including unraveling the mystery of her seemingly perfect marriage.
- “Repeat” by Kylie Scott
After a violent attack leaves her with amnesia, Clementine Johns finds herself trying to piece together who she is. A chance encounter with Ed Larsen, her ex-boyfriend, reveals that she might have a second chance at love if she can remember their past. Scott blends suspense, steamy romance, and the complexities of rediscovery and forgiveness in this engaging tale.
- “On the Island” by Tracey Garvis Graves
Anna Emerson, a thirty-year-old English teacher, finds herself stranded on a deserted island with T.J., a sixteen-year-old student, after their seaplane crashes. As the days turn into years, their fight for survival blossoms into a deep and forbidden love. When they are finally rescued, Anna struggles with amnesia regarding events on the island, adding another layer to their complex relationship. Garvis Graves explores themes of survival, ethical dilemmas, and the resilience of love under extraordinary circumstances.
These stories have not only tugged at our heartstrings but have also illuminated the fascinating interplay between memory and emotion, showcasing the strength of love in the face of adversity. Whether you’ve been swept away by tales of lovers finding each other again against all odds or inspired by the resilience and determination of characters fighting to reclaim their lost memories, we hope this collection has left an indelible mark on your heart.
May the stories of amnesia romance continue to inspire you with the belief that true love is unforgettable in all its forms. Until we go on our next literary adventure, may your days be filled with love stories that are as memorable as they are moving.
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