Thread by @JenniferRNN, OMG! So, I a reading Valerie Parv's Remember Me, My Love which [...]

OMG! So, I a reading Valerie Parv's Remember Me, My Love which is Harlequin Presents from 1984. This book is bananapants crazy. Erin met pilot Kirk on a flight. They had an instant, fated mates type connection. She was 19, I think; he a bit older. They married quickly

He could never surprise her bc they had some type of mental connection. He went out on a test flight, had to ditch his plane & was never found again. He was presumed dead. Erin knew he couldn't be dead. She'd feel it. But she couldn't feel him either (make of that what you will)

She has dedicated the last 3 years of her life looking for Kirk with no luck. FYI, there was a fire at her apartment, so all of photos of Kirk except for one blurry photo of them burned.

But now she has found him! She gets a job at his engineering firm (they do airplane parts)

She meets Kirk who is now Don. Don is married to Leila. He has no memories before 3 years ago. But Leila nursed him back to health and produced proof they were married. There is something about Erin that calls to Don/Kirk. She def tells him that she is his wife.

He is very much "Do you know how many people tried to claim they knew me?" At one point, he makes Erin read these letters.

Anyway, she uses her feminine wiles to get her manager to invite her to the Spring Ball. She is sure that if she can dance w/ Kirk he'll remember.

Manager is a drunk perv type who dislikes it when Erin dances with Kirk (sexily, I might add for contest). Manager tries to force himself on Erin, Kirk/Don intercedes. Kirk/Don's wife escorts Erin from the ball with some thinly veiled "he's mine" vibes.

Erin assumes she is going to be fired. FYI, Kirk/Don has already kissed Erin cuz he can't stay away from her. So the next day Kirk/Don is all "I need you to be my personal assistant until I leave for the states." This takes place in Sydney, AU. CUZ THIS ALL SOUNDS REASONABLE

Erin never backs off her story. She is always trying to remind Kirk. They end up having dinner at her place (BECAUSE OF COURSE THEY DO - THAT SEEMS LIKE A GREAT IDEA). She plays "their song" on the record player and he get nasty amnesia/remembering headache.

Kirk/Don takes his amnesia pills and has to pass out. She puts him in her bed. She does sleep in the chair - in her nightclothes though. He wakes up in the middle of the night - and guess what????? THEY BANG! No talk of condoms here BTW. So, I'm thinking possible baby situation.

He leaves early after leaving a "I'm bad. If you want a new job, please do" note. She goes to work. BECAUSE OF COURSE. He is busy in meetings all morning with DO NOT DISTURB messages. She goes out to lunch with Kirk/Don's American business partner. And all hell breaks loose after

Kirk/Don gets urgent call that his wife (who went to visit her sick family member which is airplane away distance) fell off a horse and is PARALYZED. Full of guilt, he immediately goes to her side.

He returns. Tells Erin that he might've been starting to believe her story, but his wife who stood by him needs him now. So he's not doing down that road. But, he needs to be home with his wife to take care of her and HE NEEDS ERIN TO STAY AT THEIR HOUSE WITH THEM.

And of course she goes.

Meanwhile, there is no medical reason for the wife's paralysis - and Erin knows this is Leila's (the wife) way of keeping Kirk/Don by her side.

This is about 1/2 way thru the book which is where I am now.

At dinner at Leila's family home the first night, Kirk/Don says: I suppose it is an attractive place, although I've never felt at home here.

This is with on the 2 of the at dinner. Injured Leila (IS SHE REALLY?) is sleeping.

Erin asks Kirk/Don about his memories. He admits he has none before the moment 3 years ago he woke up on the beach to see Leila there.

Leila can't tell Kirk/Don about his history because she told him he was an itinerant worker who never got around to telling her much about his history before they married and his accident.

OMG! This story is amazing

There are wedding photos but they are in Leila's bedroom and Kirk/Don certainly can't go get them to show Erin.

Highly emotional dinner. Kirk crushes Erin to him after and is about to kiss her when Erin sees a shadow. Someone was watching them!!

As she pulls back, Kirk/Don accuses her of being a tease.

SHE BANGED YOU ALREADY DUDE. AND MABYE SHE'S PRICKLY ABOUT BEING IN YOUR WIFE'S HOUSE.

And there is a crash from upstairs! From Leila's room! She tried to stand! To get to her loving husband!

Leila would like Erin to leave (IS THAT A SURPRISE?)

Flash forward a week. Leila keeps pleading with Kirk/Don to send Erin away. He won't comply. However, Erin has had to watch Leila and Kirk/Don together. SO MUCH ANGST!

Okay, it is the angst that appealed to me as a teen for sure.

Erin goes for a swim to ponder the hopelessness of her situation. She overtaxes her poor feminine body - and then SHARK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DId you see that one coming? I did not.

Erin starts to panic. But never fear! Kirk/Don happens to be there to save her!

There are not enough exclamation points for this story.

Just so you know the shark was actually Kirk/Don. But this book didn't have enough drama, so I really wanted to play up a possible shark attack.

Erin feels like the housekeeper is watching her. Kirk/Don thinks she is losing her wits. How could a little old lady (who helped get Leila and Kirk/Don together) lie? No, Kirk/Don has no memories of it but the housekeeper told him the story. And there is no way 2 people would lie

AH HA! Erin catches Leila walking and accuses her of lying in order to entrap Kirk/Don.

Okay not totally lying. She was incapacitated for several days - but then kept up the charade.

I'm on page 123 FYI

There is a confrontation. Leila knows exactly who Erin is. She is about to tell Erin how exactly she created Don Sands (Kirk/Don's new full name).

Ooh, this is getting good. Poor Leila ran her father's corporation for the last 5 years of her father's life. But father left the company to the sheep farmer Tim instead of her!!!!!!

But Leila could inherit if ????????

SHE WAS MARRIED!!!

Erin wants to force Leila to tell Kirk/Don about her deception. But NO, WE CANNOT! Because peeps we all know romance science (and tv show science) tells us that trying to force amnesia patients to remember anything is HARZARDOUS.

Leila tells Erin that forcing Kirk/Don to remember will DESTROY is mind. DESTROY IT!

Since there is only one way for Erin to figure out if Leila is lying (which might DESTROY his mind), THERE IS NOTHING TO DO. Erin cannot take that chance.

Kirk walks in . . .
Leila reveals "Yay, I can walk honey."

"Oh and by the way, Erin came in here to blackmail me."

I am paraphrasing here.

Kirk/Don calls Erin a bitch. He flees. Leila crows. Erin leaves the house and Kirk/Don's employ . . . .

But Leila wants to keep tabs on Erin so she offers her a job at another arm of the corporation (bullies her into taking it).

She is working in the secretarial pool when she gets a request from Mr Sands (who is Kirk/Don). Some time has passed. Not sure how long.

Anyway, she gets told to go to a specific address. Which is of course an apartment building in downtown Sydney.

THE PLOT THICKENS

OMG!!! Can for Erin??

Do you remember the pervy manager who attacked her at the Spring Ball??? It is him!!! It wasn't Kirk/Don.

Oh no. Imminent danger!!!!

He has her trapped in this fancy apartment that has been outfitted as a fortress.

And apparently, he does actually want her to do some typing. I didn't see that coming.

He wants her type things to prove that she came to the apartment for legit purposes.

Totally makes sense.

Pervy manager reveals that Leila had been cozying up to him until Kirk/Don appeared and suddenly she was married.

Pervy manager starts to make his non consensual moves. Erin goes slack and gets away. He tries to corral her and falls and hits his head on the table. And is out!

She is able to disengage whatever high tech system, pervy manager had in place and escape!

She makes it home. Scrubs herself clean AND THEN THE DOORBELL RINGS?

Can you guess who it is???

It is Kirk/Don! He has just come from pervy manager's place.

Erin "I didn't meant to kill him."

Kirk/Don "He's not dead."

Again, paraphrasing here. By the way, only 40pp left to go

Ooh, Kirk/Don fired pervy manager (about time).

Anyway, Kirk/Don was trying to find Erin. No, he hasn't remember anything but he knows that Erin is the key to his past!

Kirk/Don: "I have to know the truth about you and me." Kirk/Don tells her the only thing that makes sense is if Erin is telling the truth. HE NEEDS TO KNOW!

FYI, she is naked in bed during all of this. She sits up at his confession and he reacts to her nakedness with some kissing and heavy petting before he pulls away in ANGST.

Maybe I should get dressed if you want to talk - Erin

Kirk/Don Let me take you to dinner.

WHAT?? Seriously people!

In the car, Erin changes her mind about dinner.

Kirk/Don replies: I'm not letting you get away until we have out talk, if I have to tie you to the chair in the restaurant."

Alrighty then.

Erin then reveals that SHE IS A FRAUD. She made it all up!

They then arrive at the mansion/restaurant. He isn't letting this go.

He isn't buying her story that she is making up it all up.

He wants her to come away with him for a few days. He needs to be alone with her.

People, you know Erin is claiming she made up the story bc she is worrying about DESTROYING his mind.

He has a legit reason to take her too. He needs to go on a scouting trip (to the place where he ditched his plane 3 years ago - coincidence???). So, he's going to take her in a secretary capacity.

Get your mind out of the gutters people. Kirk/Don is not planning a dirty getaway!!

I'm on page 164 FYI

She agrees to go. Of course, she does.

But when he comes to pick her up, she can't get out of bed. She has a bug.

I'm suspicious . . . .

He pretends to leave and then she gets out of bed.

He caught her lying!!! She is going with him.

She continues to worry that she is going to DESTROY HIS MIND

He is taking her to Leila's beach house - which is where he woke up - and where his memory starts.

Also, I'm on page 176 so this is going to have to wrap up very quickly now

Wait a miniute. Leila is at the beach house. Kirk/Don and Leila start to argue. Erin is listening!

Erin accuses Kirk/Don of trying to have both her and Leila.

Erin tells Leila that Leila has won. Erin wants nothing to do with this any longer.

Erin takes the car that Kirk/Don drove them in and FLEES!

CAR ACCIDENT DEAD AHEAD!!!!

She wakes up in the car wedged into a tree. There is a cliff - and the situation is precarious!

She is rescued.

AND THEN KIRK/DON CALLS HER ANGEL!!

Angel was Kirk's pet name for Erin.

My heart just exploded a little

She refuses to go to the hospital. Kirk/Don promises he will stay with her!

And then they are alone together.

AND YES PEEPS, HE REMEMBERS HER!!

There are great tears and much rejoicing. Kirk regained his memory when he came around the corner and saw Erin in the crashed car.

PS. He had only a minute or 2 of great pain in his head when his memory returned.

HIS BRAIN WAS NOT DESTROYED! Phew. I was super worried.

Before his memory returned, he had told Leila that he couldn't stay married to her because he (as Don) had fallen in love with Erin.

Kirk/Don knew that Erin really loved him when she told him she was a fraud. She was willing to sacrifice herself for him.

Oh wait. There is a big reveal coming.

Any guesses???????

Ready for the big reveal??

Kirk/Don who is now really just Kirk:
"I'm saying that despite everything, I never slept with Leila Coventry. In the beginning, I was too ill. Then later - well, it just didn't work."

His subconscious wouldn't let him cheat on Erin.

Kirk/Don is going to allow Leila to say that her husband ran off so that she can keep control of the company. HEAs all around!

And the ending:

For answer, he claimed her mouth in a deep, satisfying kiss which sent flames of desire racing along her veins and started her heart pounding so violently she thought it would leap from her chest. Then they were consumed in a fire of passion so intense . . .

. . . that all was forgotten [AGAIN? ISN'T THAT HOW THIS WHOLE THING STARTED?] - except each other [OKAY, I GET IT].

The end of one of the wildest book rides. I wish there really had been a shark though.

Also, I'm super surprised Kirk/Don didn't get knocked in the head.

I definitely thought he'd get conked out (probably by a mad Leila) and remember all.

Anyway, I am now exhausted. That was an emotional story.

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