Forgotten Identity by Penny Zeller

Forgotten Identity by Penny Zeller
Stand Alone Novel
Publisher: Maplebook Publishing, January 14, 2025

REVIEW BY JOAN HALL

Mariah Holzmann is a single mom, raising and homeschooling her two children. She works from home as an editor for a Christian publishing company and lives in a remote mountain town with her mother. When the family dog, Nosy, escapes one snowy evening (something not unusual for him), Mariah and her young son rush to locate him before a blizzard hits.

She gets more than she bargained for when Nosy spots a man lying in the snow. He’s unconscious, is badly wounded, and has hypothermia. Mariah can’t leave him in the sub-freezing temperatures to die, so she drags him back to the house. Her mother’s nursing skills come in handy because the storm has knocked out their cell phone and internet service. Impassible roads and extreme weather make it impossible to seek outside help.

Together, the two women care for him as best they can. Not only did he suffer a traumatic brain injury, multiple contusions, and broken ribs, but also stab wounds.

When the man regains consciousness, he has no memory. Can’t remember his name or what type of person he was. When he begins to have flashbacks of an encounter with the law, he begins to question if he’s not part of a gang or is a drug dealer.

But during his time in Mariah’s home, the two of them begin to have feelings for one another. Mariah refuses to become involved with someone like George (the nickname given to him by her children).

Things escalate when several unscrupulous people come to the cabin in search of him. Mariah manages to keep him hidden, but she refuses to do anything that will put her family in danger. George does not want to endanger them either, and he prays he isn’t a criminal.

The storyline is interesting, and Mariah’s strong faith helps her through the situation.

“Bible verses jumbled through her mind, including her favorite from Isaiah 41:10. She muttered it aloud, the words sounding incoherent in her own ears. ‘Fear not for I am with you…'”
-Penny Zeller, Forgotten Identity

I did have a few issues with this book. At times, the pace seemed a bit slow, but it picked up toward the end. There were also numerous echoes, for instance, the use of the word “wheelchair” multiple times within a few pages as well as repeated phrases. A good editor should have caught these obvious mistakes. Otherwise, the book was an enjoyable read.

I give Forgotten Identity three and a half fish for the reasons listed above.

I read Forgotten Identity through Amazon Kindle Unlimited.