We Came Here to Forget

May 13, 2019
In December 2009, haunted by a family tragedy, a broken romance, and the end of her career as an Olympic skier, Katie Cleary boards a plane to Buenos Aires and becomes Liz Sullivan in this satisfying novel from Dunlop (She Regrets Nothing). The city provides a vivid backdrop for a community of expats Liz connects with, including laconic Edward, flighty Gemma, and gorgeous Cali, all of whom orbit the seductive Gianluca, a tango teacher and man of mystery. The early chapters of Liz trying to pull herself together are overshadowed by the mystery of what happened to her sister, Penny, whose slow and terrible unraveling unspools through flashbacks. Katie’s past as a ski champion never feels quite as authentic as Liz’s experience of South America. The setting comes alive in its history, its landmarks, its rich atmosphere, and its unrivaled natural beauty, and is skillfully juxtaposed against Penny’s realistic, devastating descent. Once past the dramatic reveal of what Penny did, Liz takes possession of her own story, and Dunlop, to her credit, makes the trope of the American resolving her sorrows in an exotic city with a sexy foreigner feel fresh until it tails off at the very end. Dunlop’s prose is well-crafted, and when combined with the sights and sounds of Buenos Aires and the graceful insights into the surreal mechanisms of grief, it results in a memorable novel.

May 15, 2019
To escape a highly publicized family crisis, a champion skier travels to Argentina, where she joins a community of expats who, like her, are hiding dark secrets. Katie Cleary hops a plane to Buenos Aires on a whim and reinvents herself as Liz Sullivan, a tour guide with a broken heart. In reality, her past is much more sinister. In alternating chapters, she recounts the events that led her to abandon her Olympic dream, leave her family behind, and break up with her boyfriend, Luke Duncan, who is a fellow skier and a longtime family friend. Glimpses of Katie's childhood with her beloved sister, Penny, offer tantalizing clues as to what went wrong and why they're now estranged. As Katie's life falls apart, Luke's brother, Blair, emerges as the supportive friend--and maybe more--that she couldn't find in Luke. Meanwhile, in Buenos Aires, Liz meets Edward and Gemma, a pair of wealthy expats who welcome her into their "Buenos Aires Lonely Hearts Society." Through them, she meets the mysterious and brooding Gianluca, who teaches her to tango. Cutting in on a love triangle with the two brothers, Gianluca's dance lessons somehow have less fire than Liz's memories of home even though they lead to a truly steamy fling. But when the past finally catches up with her and her group, Katie learns more about Gianluca, his friends, and his country than meets the eye, putting all their sordid stories into new perspective and clearing the way for healing, forgiveness, and a return trip home. The twisty ride to the bottom is heartbreaking and compulsively readable.

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Starred review from July 1, 2019

Katie Cleary and her boyfriend, Luke, are known as "skiing's golden couple." They bask in the glow of their Olympic success, but when a dark family secret makes headlines, Katie loses everything in a spectacular reversal of fortune. With nothing to hold on to, she relocates to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and changes her name to Liz Sullivan, hoping to reinvent herself. She quickly befriends a group of expats, who also have hidden pasts. But when she meets an alluring tango instructor, she's seduced by not only the dance but also the mysterious Gianluca Fortunado. Dunlop (She Regrets Nothing) presents a dual first-person perspective: Katie describes the events of her past, while Liz, her alter ego, contemplates her life in the present. Eventually, the novelty of a life in Buenos Aires wears thin, as Liz realizes she is not the only one with a grim past. Feeling homesick, she reaches an unavoidable fork in the road, forced to make a choice about her future. Can she finally face down her demons? VERDICT Equal parts psychological suspense and family drama, this engrossing page-turner should top summer reading lists.--Julie Whiteley, Stephenville, TX

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