The Life She Forgot

Author: Joanna Davidson Politano
Genre: Dual-time Fiction
Series: The House on the Edge of the Cliff #1
Pages: 358
Release Date: April 21, 2026
Publisher: Grafted Page

He promised to help her reclaim the memories she lost—no matter what they found. Until she remembered another man.

Cornwall, 1913
For three years, Merryn has lived without a past—no family, no history, no home that's truly hers.
When the threat of being locked away for her own “protection” looms, she takes a desperate chance on AJ Winthrop—a warmhearted, whimsical stranger who offers a hasty marriage of convenience and a promise: he will take her back to Cornwall and help her uncover the truth about who she once was.

But along the wild Cornish coast, the memories that begin to surface are not the ones she expects.
Another man.
Another wedding.
A life that may already be hers.

When a hidden painting reveals Merryn’s own face staring back from another life, the fragile life she’s begun to build with AJ begins to unravel. Because the truth waiting in her past could destroy the love she’s only just found.

Cornwall, 1947
Haunted by the war and estranged from the wife he still loves, William Crawford is determined to save their family home for her—even if it means selling the mysterious portrait of Merryn Dunn tucked away in his cottage. But the secrets hidden within the painting threaten to overturn everything he believes…or lead him toward a redemption he never expected.

Decades apart, two lives are bound by a single portrait—and the truth it refuses to keep hidden. This sweeping dual-timeline historical mystery weaves together lost memories, buried truths, and a love story that refuses to fade.

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Reviewer: Lori Parrish

Oh, how my heart sighs with love for this beautiful, heartfelt story.

I just finished this beautiful story at 2am in the morning because I couldn’t put Merryn and Ansel’s story down.

Love knows no boundaries or bounds when two people are meant for each other, no matter how hard times get.

I found myself sobbing during parts of this book. That’s something I don’t normally do, but this was really touching for me.

Some of Merryn’s and Ansel’s adventures did make me giggle because that’s what some couples just do.

This is my 3rd favorite book of the year that I’ve been blessed to read. It indeed gave me a gentle reminder that always cherish the ones you love. Because, someday they may not be around anymore.

Hope is also offered along this couple’s journey, but the love part of it is my favorite.

A good, clean read that I highly recommend

5 stars for a job well done. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review.

I received this book from the author through Interviews & Reviews for my honest opinion.

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