Unforgettable by Trish Perry

Reviewed by Sarah Varland

"The romantic threads are perfectly balanced with the other elements of the story—making this an enjoyable read for romance readers and general fiction readers alike."

I’m beginning to think there’s not a genre that Trish Perry can’t tackle with ease. From her chick lit, to her romance, to her new venture into historical romance, her versatility as a writer and ability to stay true to her brand is remarkable. Perry’s historical romance, Unforgettable truly lives up to its name.

Rachel Stanhope is a graceful heroine who spends her days teaching dance to children at her dance studio. The once-competitor has stopped competing due to humiliation she experienced in the past at the hands of a man she once loved. She views the work she does as meaningful, though she can’t decide if her father agrees or not and she’s certain her new acquaintance Josh Reegan disagrees, since he said so flat out when they first met and he was unaware of her profession.

Josh is a journalist determined to use his writing as a tool to rid his city of political corruption, but when a witness in a key story gets scared his newspaper pays the price for what looks like an undocumented story. As a result, Josh is demoted from the city desk to a place in the style section, where he must write ‘fluff’ that he’s certain makes no difference in the world. Despite the rough beginning their relationship has, Rachel and Josh’s involvement in each other’s lives intensifies when Rachel is forced to get back into competition in order to keep her dance studio financially solvent and Josh is assigned to cover one of her competitions. Their relationship is like an engaging dance—one step forward, two steps back. As they struggle to overcome their own assumptions about each other they learn more about themselves that they would have dreamed possible.

The romantic threads are perfectly balanced with the other elements of the story—making this an enjoyable read for romance readers and general fiction readers alike. The setting was unique—the early 1950’s is a time period that hasn’t been as well explored in literature as some other decades—and the writing stayed true to that setting in the style of the story itself and the dialogue of the characters. I felt like I was watching one of the old classic movies—and I was fully transported into the character’s lives in a time that may have seemed simpler but still held challenges all its own.

Sarah Varland lives in Georgia with her husband, son, and two dogs. When she's not busy teaching high school English or walking around with her nose stuck in a book, she enjoys spending time with her family outdoors doing things like hiking and kayaking. Sarah is currently pursuing publication as a novelist and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. You can read some of her thoughts on life, books, and the ministry fishbowl at her blog.