Jillian Thatcher has spent most of her life playing the family peacemaker, caught in the middle between her driven, talented older sister and her younger, spotlight-stealing twin sisters. Then on the night of her engagement party, a cancer diagnosis threatens to once again steal her chance to shine.Now, Jillian’s on the road to recovery after finally finishing chemo and radiation, but residual … effects of the treatment keep her from reclaiming her life as she’d hoped. And just when her dreams might be falling into place, a life-altering revelation from her husband sends her reeling again.Will Jillian ever achieve her own dreams, or will she always be “just Jillian,” the less-than Thatcher sister? Can she count on her sisters as she tries to step into a stronger place, or are they stuck in their childhood roles forever?
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‘Sometimes we have to forget all the other stuff and remember we are sisters.’
Jillian, as the middle sister, has always been the peacemaker. Having always felt that she is ‘just’ Jillian, the time has come to stand up for herself and show that she is a person with opinions and feelings. The reaction of her sisters was perhaps expected, but it made me feel proud that Jillian was firm in her convictions. In learning to become her own individual, her personality starts to shine. Cancer, infertility, drug side effects and ‘chemo brain’ all come together to precipitate this change propelling her forward to becoming a different person. Several losses just add to the growth. In learning to think only positive uplifting thoughts, the negatives and worries seem to fall away.
‘I’ve had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened.’ – Mark Twain
Observing changes in the lives of Johanna and Payton also showed that perhaps those ‘Moments We Forget’ aren’t so important after all!
I received this ARC through NetGalley and CelebrateLit. The impressions and opinions stated are my own.
4.5 Stars
In the second book in Beth Vogt’s Thatcher Family series, three sisters are having a very challenging year. Moments We Forget is centered around Jillian (the middle sister) but both Payton and Johanna have their moments to.
As Jillian’s struggle with being the invisible one in her family carries over into her marriage and disappointment after disappointment assault her, she struggles to fight her way to some type of hope. Hope that her dreams will be realized, hope that she will heal from her breast cancer treatment, hope that her best friend won’t forget about her completely. Yet in the darkness of the valley she’s walked through the previous year, she’s learning things about herself and her husband she would have probably never learned without this time of struggle.
It’s sometimes heartbreaking how these three sisters who share a family and a huge loss each live in their own world when they have that built-in support system. Yet there are glimpses of those sisterly bonds being built stronger than before. Sure, there’s still bickering and outright disagreements but these three women are learning to respect each other a little bit more than they have before.
Vogt gives readers a lot to digest in this one but she also gives them a wonderful ending that fits so well with the entire story, you end with a feeling of…well, hope.
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Finding hope in a world of insecurity
My rating is 4.5 stars
Moments We Forget is the deeply moving continuation of the story of the Thatcher sisters, picking up with Jillian’s viewpoint. As the middle sister, she struggled with finding her worth – having never felt like she measured up. She wasn’t as organized and in control as Jillian and wasn’t athletic like the twins. In fact, she was short and overweight. . .
Anyone who has also felt they were “”just”” will be able to relate well to Jillian. I was very touched by her struggles which were compounded by the effects the chemo and radiation wreaked on her body and her brain. As the circumstances of her life appeared to crash down around her, she discovered hope.
I have to admit that after reading Things I Never Told You and liking Geoff so very much, I was a little nervous about this book. After all, what kind of life-altering revelation could he make? I won’t give any spoilers and will let you stew as I did. I’ll just say that I was surprised – and I do still like Geoff!
As with Things I Never Told You, we are still given glimpses of the lives of Juliana and Peyton and I’m so glad. Peyton continues to struggle with her view of God and whether she even believes he exists. Her biggest struggle has become whether her choice to believe is because of her love for Zach. And Juliana – let me just say that she is becoming more human as her dreams are beginning to shatter around her. Not that I would wish these things on anyone, yet I can sense good things in store for her.
I’m in the middle of three sisters and sometimes wonder what is wrong with my family when I read stories of the families who are so close they do everything together, even as adults. While my family isn’t as dysfunctional as the Thatcher sisters (thank you, Lord!), it is refreshing to see a book that deals with the other side of families. The portrayal of each sister and the struggles they have finding into their place in the family are similar to those in my family and so I was able to relate so well.
Don’t even bother trying to read this before reading Things I Never Told You. I imagine it could stand alone yet feel you would miss out of so much by not getting the rest of the story. And yes, there is another book coming but don’t wait to read these until it comes out. This is the type of story that stays with you so you won’t be lost when you start reading the next one.
I do hope the author will not only tell us Juliana’s story but will also have a one for Harper, Jillian’s best friend!
Read my review of Moments We Forget by Beth K. Vogt at AmongTheReads.net
I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
Stellar follow up to Things I Never Told You. You will be immersed from the get go into the continued lives of the Thatcher sisters. It is deep, poignant, and reflective. You will need a few tissues which is a good sign that it has reached into the depths of your heart. I loved this paragraph, “God started our stories the day we were born ——we just never knew that growing up. The minute we realize that, things change. Our thinking changes because we’re more aware of the Author of our story.” This captures the beauty of their lives and where they are heading. I can identify with each sister and feel the pain they have each held inside. I just think their stories blow me away as they are real, raw, and captivating. I can’t wait for the next one.
I received a complimentary copy from the author. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.
Beautifully written! I love a book featuring flawed characters who are wrestling with difficult issues, yet are searching for hope in the midst of their heartache. Can’t wait for the next book in the series!
I just read the last page and all I can say is wow! These characters are real. They face real issues and problems and nothing is sugar coated. They could be anyone you might meet on the street. My emotions were up and down, back and forth throughout. And I’ve experienced some of these situations personally myself. I could relate!
All three of the Thatcher sisters were facing different problems and issues. Every time they got together it seemed that an argument or misunderstanding erupted. Jillian, the middle sister, was tagged as the peacemaker on most occasions but she had her own problems. I felt the most for her because of her perceptions of herself. She had always tagged herself as “Just Jillian”. Her older sister excelled professionally and her younger sister was the athletic star. And on top of that, an earlier situation with her grandfather just broke my heart.
This was a great read! I finished all 418 pages in record time, it was that good! I got so engrossed in the story and the lives of the characters that all else faded into oblivion.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through the author and Celebrate Lit but was not required to write a review positive or otherwise.
Last year I read and reviewed the first book in this series called Things I Never Told You. Since then I’ve been anxiously awaiting the next in the series to release. Many of my thoughts towards this book are similar in nature to the first. This book turns it’s main focus to Jillian, the middle sister, but all three sisters are present throughout. It’s told in first person through Jillian, and third person through Johanna.
Families are complicated, and can have their ugly and beautiful moments even within a 10 minute span. There is a rawness that people that have that is often only released when they are with their family or those who are the closest to them. The Thatcher sisters have a whole lot of obstacles in their lives individually, and their relationships may suffer from frequent tension, but at the end of the day they realize that they are sisters and nothing will change that.
What I loved most about this book was how personal Payton had made her journey to faith. She wasn’t sure what she believed, but she knew she believed in God and was hungry to know more. What she didn’t want, was to become a Christian for the wrong reasons. She didn’t want to decide she was a Christian so she could wear her deceased sister’s necklace, and she didn’t want to do it so she could have a relationship with Zach. She recognized the enormity of the decision on a personal level and wanted it to be a direct relationship between her and her Heavenly Father alone before anyone else was included in the picture. I absolutely loved how this worked itself out throughout the novel.
There is no denying that Jillian seems to be struck with obstacle after obstacle in her life. She has a whole heap of emotions that she struggles to work through to just to feel like she’s keeping her head above water. I would have liked to see her faith journey start a bit earlier so that it could have been a larger part of her story in this one, but I have hope that a third book will be released that can show her walking through more of that. Being a middle child myself, I can relate to a lot of the “middle-child-itis” she deals with. I hope that her future is brighter for her.
I thoroughly loved this story and highly recommend it. I would keep in mind that this is the second book in a series, and this is one that I wouldn’t recommend reading out of order. There is too much backstory in the first book that is necessary to fully appreciate and understand this one.
*I received a copy of this book through CelebrateLit and NetGalley. Thoughts and opinions expressed are mine alone.
Add Beth K. Vogt’s newest release, Moments We Forget, to your MUST- READ list. In book two of the Thatcher Sisters Series, the three surviving sisters continue to face heart-rending issues only resolved by hammered-out truth. Their fractured relationships are fixable if each faces the reality check required for change. But accepting and enduring life’s crucible will transform them into individuals capable of closer connections with much more to give.
Vogt does not write predictable or soon-forgotten stories. Instead, she goes deep and delivers unforgettable prose in patterns as beautiful as colorful, master-crafted stained-glass windows.
Readers take-away much distilled wisdom from this enjoyable, emotionally layered novel that I highly recommend.
‘A single thread of hope is still a very powerful thing.’
Moments We Forget is an incredibly moving story. I will admit it was hard for me to read. I see parts of myself in all three of the Thatcher sisters. Each one has unique protective measures in place and they’re explored with depth and clarity. My emotions swirled and at times plummeted like a kite losing its wind.
Johanna, the oldest sister, is a piece of work and I often found myself talking to her, even scoffing at her. Out loud, of course, because that’s the way I roll. Then as the story progressed and circumstances unfolded, my heart was deeply affected, as it was toward Jillian and how she is surviving the aftermath of cancer and chemo. And she is in survival mode. It’s raw and real.
It isn’t all gravity and we get a glimpse into some tender moments that truly show the bond between sisters no matter what is taking place. Personality differences aside, in the end, your sister is still your sister.
You might be a little like me and you’ll see a broken or strained relationship represented here between yourself and your mom or daughter. I envisioned scenarios in my life with the ones closest to me and ended up stopping several times to pray and seek God’s wisdom.
I anticipate a fabulous end to this series when the final book releases because Vogt’s writing is amazing, intense and convicting. Moments We Forget will touch many readers deep in their hearts; discoveries will be made and hope found.
I received an advanced reader copy from the publisher. No review was required. No compensation received.
Beth K. Vogt takes readers on an incredible journey in her latest novel Moments We Forget as she further explores the complicated relationships and family dynamics between the three Thatcher sisters – Johanna, Jillian, and Payton. This is the second book in the Thatcher Sisters series. I did not read the first book in the series (Things I Never Told You), but the author provides enough of the backstory so that the readers are able to easily follow the storyline. However, there were some aspects of the storyline, such as the story behind the youngest sister’s (Payton’s twin) death years before, that were mentioned in this novel and appeared to be discussed more in depth in the previous novel. Therefore, I would recommend reading Things I Never Told You first if readers have the opportunity to do so.
Readers will share in the Thatcher sisters’ heartbreak, loss, and struggles with their significant others as they follow middle sister Jillian’s recovery from breast cancer and her lingering chemo brain, older sister Johanna’s frustration with her job and long-distance relationship, and younger sister Payton’s difficulty to find her way in life years after her twin sister’s death. Beth K. Vogt paints a realistic picture of those struggling with their faith and trying to find their way to God when others in their lives do not share the same interests and question the importance of religion. Topics of adoption and infidelity were also discussed.
In one part of the novel, Jillian discussed what her favorite part of the candlelight Christmas Eve service she attended was. She said that her favorite part was “when they darkened the sanctuary and we all sang ‘Silent Night’ and everyone lit each other’s candle, one by one” because it made her feel some of the peace that she was looking for. Beth K. Vogt was able to make the readers feel like they were right there at the Christmas Eve service. I could completely relate to that powerful feeling of peace when I attend Christmas Eve candlelight services at my own church and the congregation sings ‘Silent Night.’
Moments We Forget is recommended for readers of women’s fiction. Readers will enjoy this second installment in the Thatcher Sisters series and will look forward to the third book in the series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.
“Yes. Believing in God, the real God – that He loves me, that He has a plan for my life – gives me hope.”
“Life’s not perfect. And I’m not perfect. But for the first time, I’m beginning to be okay with that because I don’t have to have all the answers. I don’t have to fix everything.”
‘It was as if I stood at the edge of an open cavern, peering down into the opaque darkness. How deep was it? And if I slipped would I ever stop falling?’
Beth Vogt continues her Thatcher Sisters series with this second in line, featuring Jillian, the middle sister. Jillian is now one year out from her breast cancer diagnosis but still dealing with the effects of chemo brain and the meds she must take for another 5 years. She is left reeling from two other blows to her life as well and just doesn’t know how she can continue to stand. Then her husband, Geoff, has some secrets, too, that will affect their marriage. And oh, how we feel her pain.
Payton, the younger sister, whose twin died 10 years earlier, is now struggling with her concept of God, especially since she is in a supposed relationship with Zach, who is a committed Christian.
And Johanna, the eldest, the one who must control and boss everything, is back, still in a run off with Payton. These two seem to feel they have to disagree on everything. But all is not rosy in Johanna’s life, either, and Johanna does not show weakness and tell anyone her problems.
Not having a sister, but a brother, the relationship dynamic was a bit foreign to me, but Vogt manages to plumb the depths of the sister relationship quite well. She takes us on a painful journey as we experience the deepest hurts imaginable with these women until we’re left wondering if they will ever experience true happiness of the soul. But what a journey! And there are two scenes near the end that touched my heart so very deeply that they left me absolutely bawling! Well done! I am so looking forward to Johanna’s story in the last book of the series.
*My thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book via Net Galley. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
I completely love this series. The raw, courageous and vulnerable writing. So I devoured this book every chance I got!
In the previous book, we learned some of the scars that dictate the Thatcher family dynamics. In the second book, I was glad to get to know Jilly and Johanna much more and catch up with Payton, whose story continued (I don’t want to say concluded because I really really hope we still get to catch up with her from a personal level) beautifully so <3
In contemporary novels, I feel like there's a fine line to cross between realistic challenges and too much, and I think Jillian had had her fair amount of struggle in the past year after radio and chemo. From page one in this book, I saw an organic flow in her pathway towards recovery, and, for those who read the first book, it was no surprise that Jilly's self-image would be addressed. But there's nothing she and her night and shining armor could face together, right?
Except, Geoff fell from her white horse and completely lost said shiny armor - all without crossing that too fine line of "too much drama in a characters life". Jillian and Geoff's steadfast love shone in the first book and Beth K Vogt wisely gave the opportunity for it to shine again, only in a different angle. And this was satisfying, so much that I can't wait to follow up with their story in the third book.
A book that will focus more on Johanna - the controlling, difficult sister. But it's impossible for her not to tug on your heart string, and you don't even have to wait much for that to happen in this book.
The story of the Thatcher sisters is approachable and this is what I love the most about these books. We don't have to go through the same challenges, but questions of the heart don't always vary that much. And, so, alongside them, we can learn the freedom of sitting with the doubt without questioning who we are, or, better yet, Whose. As I said before, I really can't wait until the third book.
* I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale through Edelweiss. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
After reading the first book in this series I went out and bought this one because I just had to know what happens next with this family.
Sisters and the dynamics of each role they play are so intriguing to me. I’m the middle sister of a big family and I truly understand all the issues Jillian is dealing with.
I don’t have cancer, so that’s not a factor in my life, but all the other issues she encounters I’ve had.
I loved how the author, Beth Vogt, brings out the complicated relationships of sisters who are so different, and yet, so much alike. She blends their stories so smoothly. This book flows in such a way that you really feel you know these characters.
I also loved how Beth Vogt brings hope into this story, through a relationship with God. Each one of these sisters deals with the need for hope in their own way and the author shows this beautifully.
I loved a quote in this book,
“A single thread of hope is still a very powerful thing.”
We all need hope in our lives and this book can bring you some.
I’m looking forward to reading Johanna’s story soon!
I truly enjoyed this book and series and I highly recommend you pick it up to read.