Review: 'A Gift to Remember' by Melissa Hill (2014)

Darcy Archer works in a small bookstore in Manhattan. A daydream believer, she refuses to settle for anything less than being swept off her feet by the perfect man... literally.
One day, when cycling to work, Darcy accidentally crashes into a sharply dressed gentleman walking his dog. He is knocked out cold, rushed to hospital and the poor pup and a gift-wrapped package are left behind.
Wracked with guilt, Darcy takes the dog and vows to reunite both him and the mysterious gift with owner Aidan. As she discovers this stranger's world of books, travel, adventure and all the wonderful things she's ever dreamt about, Darcy builds a picture of the man and wonders if he could be THE ONE...
But does fantasy match reality? And when Aidan wakes up, will he be the happy-ever-after Darcy's always imagined?
Thanks to the lovely people at Simon & Schuster I was lucky enough to receive a review copy of the paperback version of Melissa Hill’s ‘A Gift to Remember.’ I’ve been a big fan of Melissa’s books since I read ‘Something From Tiffany’s’ a few years ago, and I fell in love with her latest release ‘A Gift to Remember’ when I first saw the absolutely stunning cover of the hardback version of the book which was released in October 2013. On the 3rd of July the paperback version hit the shelves and I was really excited to finally be able to sit down and check out the novel myself, especially after the many positive things I’d heard about it! 
Darcy Archer has her dream job working as the manager of a small bookstore in Manhattan, since there is nothing in the world she loves more than books. She might not be as lucky in love as some of her favourite literary heroines, but Darcy continues to believe in happy endings and keeps her fingers crossed for her own. One day when she is cycling through New York in a hurry because she has overslept for work, she crashes into a man who is walking his dog. The man, whose name is Aiden, is taken to hospital and Darcy is left to take care of the dog, Bailey. Darcy feels incredibly guilty and manages to track down Aiden, who suffers from memory loss after the accident. She wants to do anything she can to help him find his family and friends, but as she learns more about Aiden she starts to wonder whether he might be the One for her...
I personally love Melissa Hill’s novels; she’s a simply wonderful author whose writing style I really enjoy, and ‘A Gift to Remember’ has to be my favourite novel of hers so far. I found it incredibly easy to get into the story and to relate to the main protagonist, Darcy. Her passion for books and belief in romance are aspects I share with Darcy, and I really loved joining her on her search to discover Aiden’s life. I couldn’t help but develop a little crush on Aiden as I continued reading and I didn’t want to put the book down before I knew what would eventually happen to him and Darcy. However, there’s also another character who managed to steal the spotlight every now and again and that’s Bailey, Aiden’s dog, who is just incredibly cute and made me want to jump into the pages and hug him over and over again!
Even though some of the descriptions of the story say it is a Christmas story, it is perfect to pick up throughout the entire year. There are some references to Christmas Eve, but I definitely wouldn’t describe it as a Christmas book. Another aspect of the book I’d like to mention because I personally really loved it, is the quotes at the start of each chapter. The book contains a collection of some fabulous literary quotes and each quote fits what happens in that specific chapter perfectly; a really nice touch. ‘A Gift to Remember’ is a novel with a great setting, great characters and a captivating storyline; a magically wonderful and engaging read that is perfect for book lovers and romantics!
Rating:

9,5/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.