Forget You Saw Her

 

She thought adoption meant safety and happiness. She was wrong.

I flew through Noelle W. Ihli’s Forget You Saw Her in a way that only happens when a story grabs you by the collar and refuses to let go. It’s sharp, emotional, and impossible to read “just one more chapter” of. Ask me how I know.

Sabina made the most painful decision of her life at sixteen: she placed her infant daughter for adoption, believing she was giving her a better future. Seventeen years later, that fragile peace shatters when a detective in Utah contacts her, requesting a DNA sample to help identify the remains of a deceased teenage girl.

That letter changes everything.

Sabina always assumed her daughter grew up with loving parents. Instead, when she arrives in Utah, she uncovers a truth that is far darker than she ever imagined. What follows is a relentless, heart-pounding search for answers—and justice. Sabina is not a passive bystander in her own story. She is determined and willing to tear through every lie put in her path.

The pacing is fast. The tension keeps climbing. Just when you think you’ve found solid ground, Ihli pulls it out from under you with another twist. But what really makes this thriller hit hard is the emotion. This story aches. Sabina’s guilt, hope, rage, and grief pulse through every page.

Themes of motherhood, identity, and the lasting consequences of past choices are woven throughout the narrative. There’s also an unsettling exploration of how systems meant to protect children can fail them. And knowing the story is inspired by a real-life case—one that even has a Netflix documentary—adds another layer.

This is the prequel to Ask for Andrea, but it stands completely on its own. Whether you start here or there, you’re in for an edge-of-your-seat ride.

I buddy-read this one with my librarian friend Cindy, and we both tore through it at record speed. That alone should tell you something.

If you love emotionally charged thrillers, true crime–adjacent stories, and fierce mothers who refuse to back down, put this at the top of your tbr list. This is a book that snaps you out of a reading slump faster than you can turn a page. 

Five stars. No hesitation. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

QOTD: What’s the last book you read that completely wrecked you emotionally?