Forget Me Not, Elizabeth by Jennifer Joy: Excerpt + Giveaway

Happy release day to Jennifer Joy, whose latest novel Forget Me Not, Elizabeth, the 4th book in the Mysteries & Matrimony series of standalone novels, is out today! Jennifer is generously sharing an excerpt from the novel and a giveaway. Enjoy!

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While You Were Sleeping meets Pride & Prejudice in this second chance romance! An amnesia-struck bride and her disgruntled groom work together to recover what they lost … and discover in each other a love more profound.  

At first glance, Fitzwilliam looked much the same. Polished, pressed, and perfect. She breathed in his sandalwood shaving soap, felt the warmth of his gaze on her. She searched his face for memories. His hair was slightly rumpled, his eyes haggard. Had sleep abandoned him as it had her?

More than anything else in the world, she wished she could lie and tell him she remembered. That she was safe from danger, and her heart was wholly his again. Elizabeth believed herself capable of loving this man fully, but the past — their past — evaded her.

“I brought something for you,” he said, gesturing out to the hall.

Jane peeked inside. “The crate is in the dining room if you wish to set up the machine.”

“Machine?” Elizabeth asked.

“A transcranial electrical stimulator, to be precise,” offered the colonel.

“Come have a look, Lizzy. Its appearance is dreadful, but I saw how it worked … the effects of it, at least … and found it quite”—Jane’s vision swiveled to Fitzwilliam, and she had to bite her lips before she could continue—“remarkable.”

The colonel chuckled. “Darcy would never have brought the contraption if he thought it could harm you.”

Their defense of the thing made Elizabeth more cautious.

Jane waved her into motion. “Come see for yourself, Lizzy. Mr. Darcy will explain.”

Elizabeth listened closely as they walked down the hall to the dining room. Apparently, the machine involved straps and electricity designed to stimulate the dormant memories trapped in her brain.

Terrifying … and tempting.

Fitzwilliam must have read her doubtful expression. He added, “It came recommended by my family’s personal physician and has been used successfully to treat other patients suffering from inflictions of the mind.” He pulled a letter out of his pocket and handed it to her. “This was written by the inventor. He enumerates his credentials, and he was kind enough to provide a list of cases in which he was able, with the use of this machine, to assist several individuals to full recovery.”

She read the pages and studied the drawings, hesitation gripping her until she came up from her consideration and saw Fitzwilliam’s anticipation plainly etched on his face. He had gone to so much trouble and expense for her. But she was nervous.

She could not yet bring herself to look inside the crate sitting atop the table, knowing her courage might falter unless she was firmly decided first. “It does not hurt?” she asked.

Mr. Bingley snorted, hiding behind his hand and receiving a rare — most likely, his first — disapproving look from Jane.

Nobody seemed eager to reply, which was strange. It was a simple question, and their hesitation was confusing as the scowl on Fitzwilliam’s face and the poorly contained merriment of Mr. Bingley and the colonel led her to conclude that he was the brunt of their joke. She did not imagine Fitzwilliam was the sort of gentleman who enjoyed being laughed at. Few were.

Jane spoke. “From the little I observed, it is quite harmless. Merely … tickles … is that not so, Mr. Darcy?”

He cleared his throat, pulling himself up to his full height. “Aside from the awkwardness of the strap, I felt no discomfort at all. To the contrary, in fact. It gave me a euphoric sensation.”

Colonel Fitzwilliam guffawed. “I should say so! You smiled wider than I have ever seen and laughed longer than I have ever heard. Had you not been strapped down, you would have taken flight!”

Even Jane sniggered, but Elizabeth paid them no heed. Fitzwilliam bore their laugher heroically, embarrassment tinging his cheeks, and convincing her of her course in a heartbeat. “You tried it?” she asked. “For me?”

“I had to make certain it was safe.” He shrugged, as if his thoughtfulness did not mean the world to Elizabeth. She would have kissed him right then, but there were too many spectators, including her mother, who would march them to the church before noon to marry at the slightest display of Elizabeth’s growing affection.

She understood what it meant to feel cherished then. Fitzwilliam had shown her. “Thank you,” she said through her smile.

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Doesn’t that make you want to read the rest of the book?!? Grab a copy from Amazon now, or keep reading to find out how to win a copy!

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About Forget Me Not, Elizabeth

Can the heart remember what the mind cannot recall?

Elizabeth Bennet’s Happily-Ever-After is shattered when calamity strikes on her wedding day. Unable to remember the man she promised to marry, Elizabeth soon comes to appreciate that Mr. Darcy is the best ally she could have when a series of disasters put her life in peril.

After one failed proposal, Fitzwilliam Darcy is finally confident that Elizabeth returns his love … until she shows up for their marriage ceremony with no memory of him.  Proving his constancy, Darcy sets about courting his betrothed, determined to win her heart — again — but his wooing is interrupted when a mysterious malefactor conspires to keep them apart for good.

Working together, the amnesia-struck bride and her disgruntled groom discover an attachment more profound than the love stolen from them. But will they catch the murderous thief before it is too late?

If you can’t get enough of Mr. Darcy and Miss Elizabeth, then you’ll love this thrilling post-canon, sweet romance based on Jane Austen’s timeless classic, Pride and Prejudice.

Forget Me Not, Elizabeth is the 4th book in the Mysteries & Matrimony series of standalone novels.

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About the Author

When Jennifer isn’t busy dreaming up new adventures for her favorite characters, she is learning Sign language, reading, baking (Cake is her one weakness!), or chasing her twins around the park (because … cake). She believes in happy endings, sweet romance, and plenty of mystery. She also believes there’s enough angst on the news, so she keeps her stories lighthearted and full of hope. While she claims Oregon as her home, she currently lives high in the Andes Mountains of Ecuador with her husband and two kids.

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Giveaway

Jennifer is generously offering 4 ebook copies of Forget Me Not, Elizabeth to my readers. To enter, please leave a comment with your email address. This giveaway will be open through Sunday, March 7, 2021. The winners will be chosen randomly and announced in the comments section of this post. Good luck!

Happy release day, Jennifer! Congratulations on your new book!