Don’t You Forget About Me by Mhairi McFarlane

“Here’s what life has taught me so far: don’t worry about that thing you’re worrying about. Chances are, it’ll be obliterated by something you didn’t anticipate that’s a million times worse.”

Georgina’s dismissal from her terrible job at “The Worst Restaurant in Sheffield” is followed up by her discovery of an unfaithful boyfriend. This leads to a new job and a reunion with Lucas, her high-school boyfriend, who turns out to be one of the owners of the newly opened restaurant. Shockingly enough, Lucas does not seem to remember her at all.

Don’t You Forget About Me was certainly an interesting read. There is a lot to like about this story and I appreciate the attention on the main character and her development as she gains self-awareness in her behaviour and relationships. I do feel that there is far too much time spent on side-stories and characters, which I guess do paint a more full picture but could have been edited down considerably. This book is over 400 pages, and that just feels far too long.

I also have to say that the way this book is represented  is quite misleading, with the cutesy cover and what sounds like a cutesy romance. It is certainly not a fluffy read by any means and there is barely any romance. I don’t mind this at all, but if you are expecting a fun romance you may be disappointed. There are some serious topics as well, including sexual assault, which in my opinion, is something a reader should have an awareness of especially when a book is marketed in a way that does not suggest such serious undertones.

Overall, I liked Georgina and would have enjoyed more focus to be on her. However, there is far too much emphasis on various other characters that leaves the whole story feeling scattered.