Forgotten

Heaven and Hell Club, Book 2

By: Colette Davison

Narrated by: Piers Ryman

Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's Summary

Can he build a future when he’s forgotten his past?

Jared has fought hard to achieve something close to "normal". Needing to get away from his well-meaning but suffocating family, he follows a message he wrote on a scrap of paper to a new city, hoping to find a missing piece of his past.

When Kyrone, a cocky pole dancer at the Heaven and Hell club, saunters into the tattoo parlor Jared works in, his life is turned upside down again. A passionate one-night stand turns into something unexpected for both men.

But life is never simple as they work out if they can have a future beyond what has been forgotten.

Forgotten is an MM romance with hurt/comfort, a small age gap, and two men who need to learn to be true to themselves. It is the second book in the Heaven and Hell Club series, and whilst it can be listened to as a stand-alone, it works better if listened to after Broken.

©2020 Colette Davison (P)2020 Colette Davison

Can you find yourself when you've lost yur memory?

*** First a disclaimer: I was given a copy of this audiobook in hopes of a fair and impartial review. ***

This tale was NOT the one that I was expecting. It's so much more.

Yes, Kyrone is a dancer at the Heaven and Hell club, but this is primarily Jared's story. Its the tale of a young man who suffered a traumatic brain injury, spent months in a coma, and has almost complete amnesia. His well-meaning Surrey family felt like strangers and Jared decided to relocate to Leeds, partly to get away from their heart breaking hopes that he'll remember, and partly to follow the one concrete lead to his past that he's found, a note that simply said J. Leeds. He's now apprenticed at a tattoo parlor and meets the intriguing, if somewhat cocky dancer pole Kyrone.

Several of the Heaven and Hell guys, Michael and Jag and Mac from book 1, all make appearances and play an important part here, but this is primarily Jared's tale. That of a lad recovering from a life changing Traumatic Brain injury. It's also Kyrne's tale and we spend plenty of quality time with the new couple as their lives become increasingly intertwined. From “naughty” sex in a public washroom, to naughty sex in one's childhood bed, with plenty of hot (and apparently loud) encounters along the way, these guys manage to keep themselves sated.

Kyrone was a bit of a surprise to me in another way as well. Other than his flashy muscularity, and his fondness for tattoos we're initially given very little physical description of Kyrone at all. While that's a bit odd for M/M fiction in general, it's even odder for a man who dances naked for other men. In this we're left to make our own assumptions. Amidst all the references to Jared's pale skin, I completely missed what was actually being implied when Kyrone is referred to as having dark eyes and dark skin. To use a Briticism, I was gobsmacked when we meet his mother and her broad Jamaican Patois accent finally clued me in to what was being said without being said. This is an inter-racial tale as well. It made me curious as to how much of this ambiguity was intentional or just true color-blindness on the part of the author. My guess is that she was just being a bit cagey as she does become more forthcoming (but only a little) after we meet his mother.

As to Jared, I've actually read a few other books in which TBI's played a role (most recently Ryan Loveless's Ethan Who Loved Carter) and the effects of a TBI are never all that predictable. Here Jared has the emotional maturity one would expect of someone in his 20's but has an almost blank slate when it comes to memories. He also has lingering problems with reading, frequent headaches, and weakness leftover from his time in a coma. To see Jarred struggle to be his own independent man, while seeing Kyrone struggling to be more supportive is heartbreaking. Yet, these are some of the most endearing, albeit bittersweet, moments in the book.

At one point, we discover that Jared's family have withheld select details of Jared's past life from him. It's almost as if they wish that his amnesia might include his preference for men. But, as evidenced by many cases in the real world, that is generally not the case.

Piers Ryman does another laudable job here as the book's narrator. His regional accents add a richer flavor to the audiobook, that might well be missing in the printed version. He gives each of the dancers, as well as the members of Jared's family, male and female, their own voices without resorting to the breathy whispers or shrill falsettos that some narrators resort to. Kyrone's family's voices, women and children included, also ring true.

On some levels, Forgotten is superior to Broken, its predecessor, in that the central conflict of the book is more justified/well explained, but both books are worthwhile reads. If you share my penchant for strays, waifs, underdogs, & broken-winged birds, then Forgotten should be on your “must read” list.

Beautiful & Emotional

This is another beautifully emotional book written by this author and narrated by this fantastic narrator.

Jared and Kyrone come to life on the page as Piers Ryman puts the right amount of emotion in the characters. Reading this beautiful story is one thing, but listening to it is a whole other. Jared has a very difficult journey over the course of this book and there are times where I just want to hold him.

Colette Davison has told a wonderful story and Piers Ryman helps elevate that to new heights as you can feel all the pain, hope, and love flow out of the characters thanks to the narration.

Another beautiful story

4.5 Stars

What a heart-wrenching yet beautiful story. How horrible it would be to have lost even the most basic idea of who you were before the moment you woke up in a hospital. That’s exactly what happened to Jared. He leaves his family to try to have a life, and he meets Kyrone.

The narrator, Piers Ryman does another wonderful job bringing Colette Davison’s characters to life in this story, which is the second in the series. The amount of emotion he put in his performance, not only while voicing the main characters, but also the side characters, was inspiring. I felt what the characters were feeling.

Colette Davison is a talented author. The way she writes draws you into the story, engulfing you in the details, and makes you feel like a part of the story. I could literally feel Jared’s heartache. I absolutely loved this story, and the characters. I highly recommend listening to it. It’s the kind of story that stays with you, making you glad you listened to it.

Everything Happens for a Reason ✨

Forgotten -Audiobook
MMy Thoughts and Review:

I have a very dear friend who swears by the adage, "Everything happens for a reason." I have to say, after reading/listening to FORGOTTEN, I agree... at least in the case of Adonis and his artist.

Kyrone is a laid back and smooth operator when it comes to getting what or who he wants. He works in a night club as an exotic dancer and attends classes at a local University where he is working on his business degree.

Jared is apprenticing at a tattoo shop, working to find some sense of "normal" in his not so normal life. After a traumatic and tragic accident that stripped Jared of his memory, he left home and decided to make a new start for himself.

Kyrone walks into the tattoo shop one day wanting some new ink and finds himself drawn to the beautiful man. After some small talk Kyrone is intrigued beyond reason and the two men after a one-nighter, on Jared's terms, and after a little of that "smooth operating" from Kyrone start seeing each other.

This is one of the sweetest and most tragic romances I think I have ever read. I fell head over heels in love with Kyrone. He was such a gentle soul when taking care of Jared. If this had been a shifter romance he would have totally been a wolf. There was quite a bit of hurt/ comfort because of the trauma Jared had been through.

This story can be read as a standalone. I, however, recommend you read BROKEN first. There is a link between the two stories that go beyond the nightclub. It made me glad I had read the first book. You won't be lost by not reading it, but I believe you will enjoy it more.

Colette has outdone herself with this one. Kyrone and Jared have carved out a piece of my heart so they can live in it. Thanks, Colette.💖

The Story: 5.00🌟
The Narration: 4.00🌟
Sharonica Stars: 4.50✨

I received a complimentary audio copy of this book from GBP in exchange for my review.💐

Loved it!!

This is the second in the Heaven and Hell series. I've listened to both and have thoroughly enjoyed them tremendously. Kyrone is a pole dancer and Jared is a tattoo artist. Their chemistry and emotion was amazing. It was such a good story! This story is better enjoyed if you have listened to Broken first, but not a must. The narration was really good.

Really emotional and amazing story.

It was a positive surprise for me. I mean the audio version. I was so afraid of it, because the earlier books by this narrator weren't my favorites, so I started it with not so high expectations. And it worked.

The voices are still alike and I like it more when they're different. I can easily lost in the story if the voices are different and I can tell the one MC from the other. And plus point for the british accent - I mostly listen to american, so it's a great thing to listen some brit too.

Although Kyrone and Jared's voices weren't so different, I really liked listening to this book. I loved Jared's scenes and the emotional ones were really deep and good. This is why I loved this audio - because it was really emotional and it came through. I loved the ebook and now I love the audiobook too.

This story is perfect as it is. Jared and Kyrone's story was so good, I really loved reading it. Jared is a cutie and so adorable, while Kyrone has a big mouth and so much courage and self -confidence. Perfect pairing. And the tattoos were cool too.

The whole car- accident and amnesia was painful to read about and I hurt fo Jared, so much. And he was so brave, I look up at him. He went into the unknown and left the safety of his home and his parent's love.

Jared's road to self- knowledge and the way to built a new life and a new identity, while falling in love with Kyrone - it was beautiful to watch. I loved reading every page, I connected with Jared on so many levels and some scenes cut really deep for me, and it was amazing.

Fantastic narration; I loved the story!

While you could probably enjoy Forgotten without reading Broken first, I strongly recommend that you don't. Here's why, #1 Broken is a fantastic story and #2 even though Jag is not a primary character in Forgotten, the background information contained in Broken will really enhance your enjoyment of Forgotten. I am very glad that I listened to Broken first.

The blurb for this book is good so I'll try not to recap the story too much. Once again, Piers Ryman did a fantastic job with the audiobook. The different voices he used made it easy to distinguish which character was speaking.

Kyrone is a dancer at the Heaven and Hell Club. He's a fun-loving guy who's a bit full of himself but not in a bad way. He meets Jared while getting the word Adonis tattooed on his chest; Jared is an apprentice at Ink Envy.

Jared was badly injured in an accident and lost his memory. He still suffers from debilitating headaches but is determined to make his own way and hold down a job.

Kyrone is a wonderful caregiver and he wants to be with Jared but Jared hates being dependent on him. Forgotten affected me in different ways that Broken but it was still a very emotional story for me to listen to. Jared is a really brave character; the things he has to deal with regarding his health made me so sad but he is also an inspiration.

I'm having a bit of trouble finding the right words to describe how much I loved this story. I listened to it while I wasn't feeling too well and it really helped me to forget my aches and pains. I loved everything about it and would love to read more books set in this world.

A copy of Forgotten was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.

A great book brought to life in audio

A great book about a troubled young man called Jared who's working at a local tattoo shop and a very confident pole dancer Kyrone.
Jared has a secret health issue that he's working hard to overcome and without any friends or family in the area Kyrone decides to take on the chief friend title.
The ups and downs and his past comes up time again and Piers brings all the characters to life.
I would recommend this book, lots of hurt/comfort and you really want to protect Jared.
I would read these books in order as certain characters are defined in the earlier books. But it can be read as a stand alone.

Brilliant Listen

I was asked about reviewing this audio, and then I realised I had the first book in the series (Broken) on audio but had not listened to it. So I first listened to Broken, and then went onto this book - Forgotten.

I am really enjoying this series, as you can really relate to the main characters in the story. This story is no exception, as Jared you will get all the feels for as soon as you meet him, and Kyrone is someone who has lots of layers, and it takes someone special to peel off each layer.

To me, it seems that Jared has convinced himself that nobody would want him with his health issues, and also that he has no memory of his life before his accident. I think he is also afraid to try and find out more himself. It is like he wants to convince himself that he is content with his life – but he isn’t and he does want answers to some things. He also wants a partner too, but will he let anyone near?

Kyrone is a pole dancer, and he is someone I wasn’t sure of to begin with, but he soon grew on me, with the way he was with Jared. The two met when Jared went out to find a hook up, and encountered Kyrone. Kyrone didn’t see someone who was damaged in any way, he just saw someone he wanted to spend more time with.

The two do grow closer, and then Kyrone is helping Jared to try and find answers to some of the mysteries of his life. It soon becomes obvious that certain things were kept from Jared, but is he strong enough to deal with everything?

I have a couple of audio by this narrator Piers Ryman, but this series he has excelled himself. I have to say, at times during this series I have listened with tears in my eyes, he has the emotions spot on. This series is also an audio that I would listen to again and again.

Thank you for Gay Book Promotions for asking me to review this title

intensely emotional

Imagine waking up one day with no memory of your past. Your family and friends are strangers, your life a complete blank.

That’s what happened to Jared. He was in a car accident and suffered traumatic brain injury that resulted in retrograde amnesia. With his past erased, he had to start life all over again.

If I thought Jag’s book was angsty, Jared’s book was much more intensely emotional. Copious amounts of tears were shed and you got to hand it to Piers Ryman, his voice acting knocked it out of the park. He effectively wrung out all the emotions off every scene.

This was also a book where I felt the pain, literally. As a result of his brain injury, Jared suffers from recurring headaches and migraines. Something I also suffer from and was experiencing while listening to the audiobook. I never felt as in tune with a character as I was with Jared right at that moment.

I loved how strong Jared is. He had the courage to rebuild his life and try to live as normally as he could despite all the hurdles he had to overcome daily. He’s a talented tattoo artist. He’s also very conscious of the fact that he might have hurt other people because he couldn’t be his old self that they wanted him to be or he might have done something wrong in the past that he just couldn’t remember.

Kyrone was exactly the man for Jared. At first, I was kinda meh about him. I mean, who calls himself an adonis, for fuck’s sake? AND tattoos it on his chest! But Kyrone revealed a deeply nurturing side of his personality that endeared himself, the kind who’s ready to drop everything when his boyfriend needs him. And he’s ready to do it anytime, anywhere too. Attaboy!

It’s not all angst and tears. There’s a lot of fluff in this book too. Kyrone wins the award for the best date idea ever for his brilliant ‘let’s play spies’ game. It tops Michael’s indoor picnic/star-gazing date idea from Broken.

And speaking of Michael, him and Jag were in for a surprise at Jared’s appearance. It went down as a catastrophic mess but happily, in the end, poor Jag finally had his closure.

The supporting characters were really great too. There were more page-time for the other dancers of the club. The other characters present were Jared’s kind-hearted boss from the tattoo parlor and his family.

The latter one threw me in for a loop because I was expecting them to be the villainous antagonist. Initial impressions confirmed it to be so until it was slowly revealed they were much more than what they appeared to be.

Forgotten could be read as a standalone but I recommend reading book 1, Broken, to fully appreciate the connection between the characters. And most especially because Colette Davison writes outstanding people. They are what makes me come back to Heaven and Hell Club time and time again. They go through so much and your heart breaks for them. They emerge stronger, happier and their joy resonates with you.

Do read if you like stories featuring cocky tattoos, jumper cuddles and enlightened seagulls.

P.S.

Thank you to Gay Book Promotions and Audible UK for giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits

Soundtrack: Clean Slate
Artist: TOKiMONSTA feat. Gavin Turek
Album: Clean Slate

for more reviews and giveaways, check out my blog: http://neverhollowed.wordpress.com

wonderful

this author does an amazing job with this series.. i love these characters and who they are.. this narrator did an amazing job hitting these personalities and emotions.. their lives and who they are... the narrator made me smile and laugh and blush... it was a lot of fun to hear this story come to life in my head.

as great as the ebook

The story is always full stars, because if I wouldn't like the story as ebook, I wouldn't listen to the audiobook. I can't listen to an audiobook without knowing the book, that's not possible for me.

The performance from the narrator is also very important for me. I can't listen to a lot, because my English as a non-native-speaker isn't so perfect to follow a whole story over hours, when the narrator speaks too fast or too sloppy. Normally I have to SEE the person, who is talking to me in English. It took me a little bit, to come into the narrator, but at the end, it worked. I only have to take a few breaks between. I'm just not yet finish with the book, I’m over the half, but I listen enough to give a review.

PLEASE READ MY RATING SYSTEM!!!

To my ratings:

5* - very very good
it's like an A+

4* - very good and will be often re-listening
it's like an A

3* - it's more then a one-time-listening.
it's like a B