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keepinitcourtney's review against another edition
3.0
This book was unnecessarily long. It should’ve ended at 380 pages. And it was ok until that point. The big climax was Elena getting everything back. It needed to be tied up nicely there. The ups and downs of Alec and Elena were so drawn out after that point.
alexis_michelle's review
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. My heart kept breaking for Elena and everything she went through.
ladylassie's review against another edition
5.0
I laughed and cried and it was just such a good story that I couldn't put it down until I finished the whole thing!
jankimanani's review against another edition
4.0
“Tell me you’ll always love me.”
I nod, grinning. “Always. Though… I thought you didn’t believe in forever?”
He chuckles and shakes his head. “I do, if it’s with you. You’ve got me believing in forever, after all.”
Forever with Alec isn’t nearly enough, but it’ll have to do.
i know they’re fake but i hope they’re doing okay <3
I nod, grinning. “Always. Though… I thought you didn’t believe in forever?”
He chuckles and shakes his head. “I do, if it’s with you. You’ve got me believing in forever, after all.”
Forever with Alec isn’t nearly enough, but it’ll have to do.
i know they’re fake but i hope they’re doing okay <3
meggkey08's review against another edition
3.0
Okay, this book was another middle-of-the-road book for me. I liked the concept and the story was very engaging but I think for me the execution lacked.
The story follows a 23-year-old woman called Elena whose mother has been in a comer for 8 years due to a car crash and she is keeping her alive through her trust fund money due to her dad refusing the pay the hospital bills. She begs but her evil stepmother, brother and father verbally abuse her so she ends up going to a gentleman club for money and that is where she meets her old best friend Lucien and his older brother Alexander. Alexander needs to be married to take over his grandfather's Conglomerate so he proposes that she marry him and it becomes mutually beneficial for both of them and the story goes from there.
What I loved about the book was the theme of the importance of family. Despite being in a coma for 8 years and the abuse that Elena had to suffer for believing that her mother would wake up, she never gave up on her. In fact, despite her father's treatment of her she never really gave up on him still loving her until she realized better for herself. I also really loved Alec's relationship with his mother as he tries to hind his cheating father's antics from her and takes her out every week for lunch to spend time with her.
The romance of the story was good but I personally felt that there was no development for physical to emotional love. They had a lot of sex and it just seemed sudden that he developed feelings for Elena where the contract was based on pretenses and physical with the promise of there being no love. I also felt that there was perhaps too much sex in the book and not enough of the character's development together.
What I didn't like about the story was the fact that a character midway through the book revealed himself to be a part of the LGBTQ community which I felt was thrown in simply for diversity and did not add anything to the story. It was just said that he was and then it was left where there could have been further development in regards to that storyline which in the end didn't become a storyline. I also found the PLOT TWIST very predictable and it could have been predicted 5 pages in.
Troupes:
* Marriage of Convience
*Alpha possessive billionaire
* Not like other girls
Trigger Warnings:
*Ill Parent
*Verbal abuse from family
*Blackmail
The story follows a 23-year-old woman called Elena whose mother has been in a comer for 8 years due to a car crash and she is keeping her alive through her trust fund money due to her dad refusing the pay the hospital bills. She begs but her evil stepmother, brother and father verbally abuse her so she ends up going to a gentleman club for money and that is where she meets her old best friend Lucien and his older brother Alexander. Alexander needs to be married to take over his grandfather's Conglomerate so he proposes that she marry him and it becomes mutually beneficial for both of them and the story goes from there.
What I loved about the book was the theme of the importance of family. Despite being in a coma for 8 years and the abuse that Elena had to suffer for believing that her mother would wake up, she never gave up on her. In fact, despite her father's treatment of her she never really gave up on him still loving her until she realized better for herself. I also really loved Alec's relationship with his mother as he tries to hind his cheating father's antics from her and takes her out every week for lunch to spend time with her.
The romance of the story was good but I personally felt that there was no development for physical to emotional love. They had a lot of sex and it just seemed sudden that he developed feelings for Elena where the contract was based on pretenses and physical with the promise of there being no love. I also felt that there was perhaps too much sex in the book and not enough of the character's development together.
What I didn't like about the story was the fact that a character midway through the book revealed himself to be a part of the LGBTQ community which I felt was thrown in simply for diversity and did not add anything to the story. It was just said that he was and then it was left where there could have been further development in regards to that storyline which in the end didn't become a storyline. I also found the PLOT TWIST very predictable and it could have been predicted 5 pages in.
Troupes:
* Marriage of Convience
*Alpha possessive billionaire
* Not like other girls
Trigger Warnings:
*Ill Parent
*Verbal abuse from family
*Blackmail
alice2002's review
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
scookiecat's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Now now, you would think this book having some of my favourite tropes - marriage of convenience + brother's bestfriend (mixed in a very wild context) would have me eating it up. I was fully prepared to but after the description of the FMC justifying that the MMC didn't recognise was due to a super massive glow up was well, uncomfortable to say the least.
Like I get people physically change, but not even with her face, 3 things question and nickname could the MMC figure out who she was??? C'mon. It also felt like the relationship you had in highschool, the MMC was hot-cold every other chapter and the FMC drowning in her insecurities (tbh I would be too girl). He makes it so obvious that it's purely physical and sorta mistreats her. She on the other hand, leans into the self-deprecation and decides that to the only way to "help" and "appreciate" him is to fulfil their agreement by letting him use her.
Adding on the fact that he basically became an obsessed stalker towards the end in a plot to win her back? (cue Joe Goldberg) And only wanted to talk to her because she was potentially seeing someone that he couldn't verify about. Overall this book gave me a bit of an ick.
Thank you, but no thank you, next.
Adding on the fact that he basically became an obsessed stalker towards the end in a plot to win her back? (cue Joe Goldberg) And only wanted to talk to her because she was potentially seeing someone that he couldn't verify about. Overall this book gave me a bit of an ick.
Thank you, but no thank you, next.
linala's review against another edition
5.0
I thoroughly enjoy marriage of convenience novels, and having read several books by Catharina Maura, "Forever After All" stands out as my favorite. Elena exemplifies unconditional love beautifully. The story takes unexpected twists and turns, keeping me engaged throughout. As the plot unfolds, the characters, their stories, and journey become captivating. Despite the challenges, Elena and Alexander are drawn to each other, and after overcoming numerous obstacles, they achieve the happily-ever-after they chose for themselves.
stacyreads's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.25