To say that Imogen is unlucky in love is an understatement. Growing up with Cora, a mother who criticized her daughter’s every move, Imogen never felt loved and so never felt she deserved love. Though she was in love with Jamie, and he was about to propose, she broke up with him. After she became engaged to Marcus – a match her mother applauded because he came from a wealthy family – she found photos on his phone documenting his infidelity. A confrontation with Marcus became violent and cost her family $15,000 to settle a lawsuit, even though Imogen did nothing wrong.
Imogen met Lev when her best friend, April, invited her to a Washington, D.C. party given by a lobbying group. Imogen thought she was open to another relationship so when Lev proposed, she said yes. It rained on their wedding day and Imogen considered the bad weather an omen. Since Lev was working for a U.S. Senator, Cora approved and tried to calm Imogen’s anxieties. But ten days into their honeymoon on a cruise ship, Imogen’s doubts return.
During dinner, Imogen couldn’t ignore Lev’s flirtations with Lyra, a waitress. They return to their cabin and after some frenzied lovemaking, Imogen falls asleep. When she wakes up, Lev is not there. She gets dressed and wanders throughout the ship, visiting places where she might find her husband. But then she has a thought: what if he went onshore? What if he arranged to meet that waitress?
The ship is docked in Greece and is scheduled to leave soon. Imogen wanders onto the beach and sees a couple, the woman resembles the waitress and the man – could it be Lev? When it begins to rain, the duo run for shelter into a cave. Reluctantly, Imogen goes back to the ship. Lev returns soon after and tells Imogen he was in the casino, a place that she searched on her tour.
He makes a big deal about opening a bottle of Champagne, but Imogen can’t hide her anger or her suspicions. In the heat of their argument, Lev falls overboard. She fears he might be dead but miraculously he survives, rescued by some fisherman. While his injuries are minor, his short term memory is gone. He remembers their engagement, but not their wedding and, fortunately for Imogen, not what happened on that balcony.
While Imogen is thankful Lev didn’t die, her suspicions about Lyra remain. And when she finds out from the Greek authorities that the waitress is missing, she keeps digging. Another woman from Lev’s past, Sierra, went missing three years ago. And when Lev’s memory returns, Imogen believes she’s in danger. Will she be the third woman killed by Lev? Or, because of her past failures at love, is she imagining that Lev couldn’t possibly love her?
Joe Hart writes like a woman. I mean that as a compliment. He manages to get into the mind and psyche of a female character who struggles to be loved, battles for her life and can’t trust anyone to help her, not her family, her brother, or even her best friend. One person does come forward and that aid is responsible for Imogen’s survival. It’s only in the last few pages that we truly understand the full meaning of the title in a brilliant twist.
I Become Her
Joe Hart
Top photo: Bigstock
Our editors love to read and independently recommend these books. As an Amazon Affiliate, Woman Around Town may receive a small commission from the sale of any book. Thank you for supporting Woman Around Town.
