Forgive or Forget has a really original premise which keeps you gripped from start to finish. The characters are interesting and it's an enjoyable read.

Received an eARC from NetGalley.

Quick read. I loved the release from prison aspect. A good thriller.

I really enjoyed this book and I can honestly say that it kept me gripped from start to finish. Alice, as she is released from prison and works to integrate back into society. The only family she has left is her older sister, Beth, and she wants more than anything to be able to find her and make amends. However, Beth seems to have disappeared and there are no leads for Alice as to where to look. This story follows the search.

This is an interesting wee book, quick to read. I was intrigued with the storyline and appreciated the characters. Without giving too much away, one character is definitely a wrong ‘un. Normally I enjoy characters like that but I just couldn’t click with this one, maybe I found her motivation to be lacking. Thanks for the egalley.

Review pending due to issues with the download, the publisher is re-sending the file with a better format.

I’m undecided on how to rate this book because whilst I was intrigued by it the ending left me completely frustrated. It’s a very quick read with easy to remember characters. The plot as such isn’t particularly gripping or thrilling but does hold your interest. It was an ebook I read so would have welcomed a heads up at the start of each chapter on whether it was ‘ then’ or ‘now’ but otherwise the pace was good.
On reflection I will go with four stars as it’s way too good for three.

A quick and interesting read, this story has the feel of a longish short-story - a fable of sorts - telling the tale of a complicated family, steeped in love, sacrifice, loss and ultimately redemption, but of a form as unexpected as it is long and exceptionally overdue.

Told in both a past and a present voice, and set in and around London, England, Alice Parker, our main protagonist, slowly reveals the events leading up to, then following, her incarceration and eventual release from prison after serving time for a terrible crime.

As we come to know present-day Alice, - seemingly a kind, gentle, compassionate woman - it’s hard for the reader to make sense of what has befallen her. Equally puzzling are the dynamics coming to light in her voice-of-the past, concerning her family and centering on the mysterious and troubling behavior of her father.

As sweet-tempered Alice and her outgoing and beautiful sister, Beth, struggle, in each of their own ways, to cope with the drama that becomes their family life, it is clear that the reader has some work to do if this story’s final twists and turns are to be predicted.

Well-executed, and satisfying in its conclusion, I enjoyed this book, its characters representing and facing dilemmas embedded in family, and long-learned behavior patterns - each of which could be read (as this reader chooses) metaphorically.

Sacrifice, Entitlement, Protection, and Responsibility.

Reminding us all, somewhat tragically, that patterns laid down boundlessly in childhood may fail us catastrophically as adults, - if and when they are executed without discernment.


A great big thank you to #Netgalley, the author @ElisabethKrauel and the publisher @BrownDogBooks for an ARC of this book. All thoughts presented are my own.

Forgive or Forget by Elisabeth Krauel was an excellent book and I loved it. Especially as this was a gene I don't usually read, but the cover of Forgive or Forget just caught my eye. I am glad it did. Once I started to read it I was gripped and did not want to put it down it turned out to be a great page turner.

Alice is now 28 years old and has just been released from prison for being charged for murder! This was ten years ago but all Alice want to do now, is find and reconcile with her sister Beth. She know it will be hard for what she did but deep down she has missed her in her own little way.

So what happened between them?

Why did Alice end up in Prison?

Forgive or Forget weaves back and forth from the past to the present day and its full of twists and turns throughout, that will have you wanting to find out what happened all those years ago between Alice and Beth.

So don't start this book before you go to bed or have plans for that day......as everything will go out of the window!!!! or you will be up all night reading it! (Like I was)

I Highly recommend this Book it was Brilliant! I loved it especially the Cover.....Very Eye catching.

Thank you Netgalley and Brown Dog Books and for me being apart of the Forgive or Forget Tour.......

I delighted in how this story was told; the exchanging courses of events were all around good and assisted the plot with streaming without a hitch. What I found the most captivating is the plot wasn't quick moving or slow-paced; it kept a consistent beat. What's more, the force expanded close to the end, yet not in the way for the most part tracked down in a thrill ride.

This was a personal thrill ride that was delightfully composed and splendidly conveyed. The feelings, the comprehension, and the excursion was extreme, and the way was broken.

This is such a great story. It may not be thrilling or exciting but the whole plot was very engaging and had me hooked the whole way through.

This story follows Alice as she navigates life after getting released from prison. She was charged with murder ten years ago and now that she has been released, she seeks to reconcile with her sister, Beth. As the story unfolds on why Alice ended up in prison, there are flashback chapters on Alice’s life and the events that pushed her to commit an unspeakable crime.

Alice has been through a lot in her life. All she ever wanted was to care for the people she love but her love and care was not reciprocated. Alice has a selfless attitude as she constantly puts others before herself. I really feel for her and was just hoping she will get the love she deserves and start living for herself.

On the contrary, Beth is such a hateful character. She is selfish and never cared much for her family, leaving all the family responsibilities to Alice. Instead of taking responsibility for herself, Beth is constantly asking Alice for help and taking advantage of her. There is absolutely no redeeming factor for her character as she was quite hateful till the very end. The contrast of both sisters made the story even more gripping as we delve deeper into why the Alice went to jail.

Alice honestly deserves much better and I loved that ending for her when she finally found closure. I figured out the whole plot more than halfway through but I still enjoyed the story very much.

Thank you Netgalley and Brown Dog Books for the arc.

*****WARNING***** My review contains spoilers.













Alice has just been released from prison, murder is what she was charged with. Now that she’s out she’s adjusting to her freedom while searching for her sister Beth. Years earlier Beth’s boyfriend, the father of her oldest child, was murdered and Beth called the police and told them it was her sister that committed the crime. Alice has been through a lot, she took care of her mother when she was sick and dying, she took care of her father after her mother passed, and while doing that she was also looking after her older sister Beth and helping her prepare for the baby boy she was pregnant with. Alice is so selfless, always putting her family and their needs before her own to the point that her grades start failing because she’s too busy taking care of her father and older sister. Alice would literally do anything for her older sister, she loves her so much.

Beth is an absolute terror of a human being. She is quite despicable in my eyes, it makes for a great story but I hope I never encounter a Beth in my personal life. Her selfishness knows no bounds. At first, I understood her turning her sister in. Beth is pregnant and pretty and popular, she probably wouldn’t have been able to survive in prison, not like Alice did. That doesn’t make what she did right at all. What makes it worse is that she doesn’t want anything to do with Alice, especially after the tremendous sacrifice she made on Beth’s behalf. All Alice wants is her sister back, she doesn’t want her sister’s dirty money, she just wants to be a part of her life and to meet her nephew and niece but Beth is having none of that and says if she’s not dissociated from her life she has the money and doctors who will claim she’s insane and locked up for good. Like I said, I’m so glad I’ve never encountered someone like Beth in my real life. She's vicious, ungrateful, selfish, and playing a dangerous game with Mr. Clayton.

This was such a good story, I really liked Alice and totally rooted for her, even before I knew the whole story about why she went to prison.

Engaging, thought provoking, edge of your seat, suspenseful read! So glad I picked this one! Highly recommend. Unique story from a young author. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy!

Loved this book!!! No one is waiting for 28-year-old Alice as she steps out of prison after a decade behind bars. But even though the world is reluctant to welcome her back into society, Alice has one pressing goal: to find her sister, Beth.

The sisters had been so different, but so close - Beth always dazzling in the limelight, Alice loving and dependable in the background. But the cascade of events 10 years before, that culminated in the terrible crime, changed them both forever, and now, Beth is nowhere to be found.

A fast-paced, thought-provoking narrative weaves between the present and the past, revealing the truth behind the scandal and its ramifications for Alice's future.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I haven't heard about this book before but after a friend recommendation, he was talking a lot about it, he was kind of annoying haha ;) he was really in love with this book, so i decided to give it a try because i couldn't hear much more about it ;) , and to be honest i wasn't expecting much from it after i read about it, and after i knew, that it was written by a 21 years old girl, but to be honest when i saw the cover, i though ok i think it may be something intresting in this book and i was trying to guess what is about. So something in the cover was so attractive, so i decided to give it a try, and to be honest it was worth the time, i was positively surprised, i really enjoyed the story, it is well written, and the characters are well developed.

Thank you Elisabeth Krauel for this lovely story. Well done.

I was gripped by this book right from the start and it held me all the way through. Well written with a com[elling storyline and well developed characters.

This book captured my attention from the juxtaposition of the cover with the girl's face being taken from different faces to make one new face. This is one of those books that I went blind into as wasn't sure what it was about and I have to say, it was good in parts but did feel a bit let down at the ending. The book starts with Alice who is now 28 years old and being released from prison after serving 10 years for murder. The book then jumps back to the events of her 18th birthday and the ones that lead to the murder. I have to say when we finally learn about the murder, I was a little disappointed but did understand as it did suit Alice's personality more. When Alice gets out, with no parents alive - the first and only thing she wants to do is track down her sister Beth who disappeared shortly after the murder and prison sentence. Alice's first stop was her old best friend Izzy who treats Alice like a criminal, I had only wished that Alice would have told Izzy the truth as maybe then Alice wouldn't have been so alone during the ordeal. When Alice finally does track down her sister after learning her sister has wiped clean everything about her past including her name - Alice sees her and then what happens is that her sister is the "B" word that rhymes with witch. Like seriously, Alice did this for you and ruined her life and you treat her like garbage. What kind of sister are you? This ending annoyed me and I felt in a way that this book left me with unresolved feelings for Alice's story as it did seem like she wasted her life's potential and the last ten years for absolutely nothing. On a side note, this book did win an award and is a good read but leaves readers with mix

Thank you so much for allowing me to read and review your titles. I really not the opportunity!

I do appreciate it and continue to review books that I get the chance to read.
Thanks again!

First, the biggest thank you to Brown Dog books for approving this ARC!

Forgive or Forget follows Alice as she is released from prison for murder. We go on a journey with her as she tries to find her sister and simultaneously learn what landed her in prison in the first place.

I was fairly entertained through this book. I really loved the back and forth timeline, although I wish the chapters were labeled with something as simple as "then" or "now". I also appreciated getting to know the characters through the backstory as well, with the alternating timelines.

I don't think I would classify this as a "thriller", though. It was definitely a mystery and definitely had questions that kept me wanting to find answers too. However, I never felt the angst or nervousness that (for me) usually accompanies a thriller. I also found parts of the book to be slow and unnecessary, but overall, those are minor things.

I still enjoyed reading this and look forward to more from this author!

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from Brown Dog Books and #NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.


Kudos for Elisabeth Krauel. I’m a fan of vacillating timelines in a book, this one was well done. Often a predictable storyline can detract from the story, not in this case. Only portions felt predictable, it’s almost impossible not to at this point in the mystery/thriller genre.

I thoroughly enjoyed Forgive or Forget by Elisabeth Krauel. The book dives into the lives of Alice and her family and is told between alternating timelines: the present day when 28-year-old Alice has just been released from prison and ten years earlier before Alice was sent to prison. Often dual timeline books leave me more invested in one of the storylines, but Krauel did a great job developing the characters and setting up the story. I was invested in finding out what had happened to land Alice in prison and was equally invested in seeing how she would manage upon her release. Certain plot aspects seemed a bit predictable, but they did not detract from the story, and I did not guess exactly how the book would end. I won't spoil the twist, but getting there was well worth the journey!