Book Trope - Amnesia Master RecList

Book Trope - Amnesia Master RecList 

Another trope that I find terribly romantic is when the hero or heroine forgets the past love, only to fall in love with the same person for the second time. I call this the memory loss trope, or the amnesia trope. I’m not quite sure why I like stories about amnesia so much, but human memory is so deeply tied up with our identity that I see it as a powerful motif. Coming "home" gets a whole new meaning. 

Uncommon Vows by Mary Jo Putney

Stockholm syndrome meets amnesia. English earl becomes obsessed with a Welsh falconer and kidnaps her. When she loses her memory, he pretends he is her husband. How long can the charade continue?

A Lady's Code of Misconduct by Meredith Duran

Possibly my favorite from this list. A desperate girl pretends to be the wife of her enemy when he forgets his memory. The amnesia works to reset his brain in marvellous ways. 

Random Harvest (movie)

There’s something strangely comforting about Random Harvest, in which John Smith (actor Ronald Colman) finds that the pieces he’s been missing all his life have been right before him all along. A holiday classic for the ages. And did you know, this is based on a book of the same name by  James Hilton?

Midnight Valentine by J. T. Geissinger

Here's a case of forgetfulness tied-in with a mysterious reincarnation / soul transmigration. This was mindblowing, poignant and so well written. It made me a fan of by J. T. Geissinger for all time. 

The Bourne Identity (Jason Bourne, #1) by Robert Ludlum

If you've read the Bourne series, you know that Ludlum has added a wonderful romance in there. It's surprising to find such a strong romance in an action-packed thriller series, but it's also so squeeworthy. 

On the same lines, would also recommend that old cozy mystery, Traitor's Purse (Albert Campion Mystery, #11) by Margery Allingham. 

King (King, #1) by T.M. Frazier 

If I remember correctly (!), amnesiac girl and notorious criminal collide. This one's dark, but very well-written. 

Queen and the Cure by Amy Harmon

A seer has forgotten what she once was, and ends up meeting a soldier/ healer. Superb romantic SFF. 

The Bitterbynde Chronicles by Cecilia Dart-Thornton

This author has been called the Australian Tolkien by some. A girl with a curious ache for the lost faerie lands is searching for her identity, her memory. Brilliant romantic SFF. 

Heart of Obsidian by Nalini Singh

Amnesia is not the key plotline in this shapeshifter series, but the recovery of old memory is an important turning point. There's also a strong scifi mystery running through.

Midsummer Moon by Laura Kinsale

A girl scientist in Napoleonic era losing her memory, marrying the man responsible for some of her wretched past? Kinsale manages it all with beautiful language and tender humor. 

Shakuntala by Kalidasa 

This is an ancient Sanskrit play (4th century AD). A girl is cursed that her beloved would forget her, and the only cure is to remind him with a magical ring. A similar angle played out in a few Russian folktales too, where the hero forgets the beloved till her tears burn him awake. 

Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms (Asian TV Drama)

This is a story about their reincarnations of an eleven couple in the human world, each reincarnation carries a cost of forgetting one's past. Yet, this couple finds love across three different lifetimes. It's an absolutely droolworthy fantasy romance TV show. Watch it on Netflix. Also, if you're into Korean dramas, you will find loads of amnesia tropes in there, especially in the older lot (pre-2014). 

Kamisama Kiss

Anime for all ages! A kitsune shapeshifter has forgotten all about his curse -- and his human ladylove (who still lives). 

List to be updated from time to time

Last update: August 26, 2021