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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
Forever My Girl tells the tale of rock star Liam Page who returns to his home town of Beaumont for his best friend’s funeral only to find his high school girlfriend had his son 10 years ago. Upon meeting his son and seeing his first love, Liam decides he wants his old life back. That Josey is his Forever Girl.
I can see why I wanted to read this. I love a second chance romance almost as much as I like a rock star romance. I know a movie was recently made based on the novel and I thought it would make a nice choice for my June submission to the Reading Frenzy Ultimate Reading Challenge (June’s theme is Movie Adaptation).
But to be honest, I can’t understand why this was ever made into a movie. Sure, it was cute, but nothing ever really happened. I found the characters annoying. Liam left his girlfriend of years to pursue a musician’s life because he thought she wouldn’t want it. He never talked to her about it at all. Reprehensible. Josey… or JoJo as Liam calls her, has absolutely no backbone. I know you never forget your first love, but she was basically ready to jump his bones the second she saw him. Come one, she could’ve made him work for it a little more.
To quote the great Randy Jackson, “This was just ok for me. I don’t know, Dawg.”
I guess three stars because some of the flashbacks were cute.
Now, regarding the movie? Geez. It was even worse. One star. Again, why was this even made into a movie? Nothing happens. So they had to make a bunch of changes to add drama to the film. So, basically, it’s a completely different story that shares a name with a novel.
So, in the movie, Liam is the pastor’s son. He left Josey on their wedding day and now he’s back 8 years later to find he has a seven-year-old daughter…. The acting is bad, the story is just as forced, if not more. Why is he singing a country song with his tone-deaf daughter? No. Just no. Now I’m Simon Cowell saying, “That was just bloody awful.”
I wish I’d read Crazy Rich Asians instead.
I can see why I wanted to read this. I love a second chance romance almost as much as I like a rock star romance. I know a movie was recently made based on the novel and I thought it would make a nice choice for my June submission to the Reading Frenzy Ultimate Reading Challenge (June’s theme is Movie Adaptation).
But to be honest, I can’t understand why this was ever made into a movie. Sure, it was cute, but nothing ever really happened. I found the characters annoying. Liam left his girlfriend of years to pursue a musician’s life because he thought she wouldn’t want it. He never talked to her about it at all. Reprehensible. Josey… or JoJo as Liam calls her, has absolutely no backbone. I know you never forget your first love, but she was basically ready to jump his bones the second she saw him. Come one, she could’ve made him work for it a little more.
To quote the great Randy Jackson, “This was just ok for me. I don’t know, Dawg.”
I guess three stars because some of the flashbacks were cute.
Now, regarding the movie? Geez. It was even worse. One star. Again, why was this even made into a movie? Nothing happens. So they had to make a bunch of changes to add drama to the film. So, basically, it’s a completely different story that shares a name with a novel.
So, in the movie, Liam is the pastor’s son. He left Josey on their wedding day and now he’s back 8 years later to find he has a seven-year-old daughter…. The acting is bad, the story is just as forced, if not more. Why is he singing a country song with his tone-deaf daughter? No. Just no. Now I’m Simon Cowell saying, “That was just bloody awful.”
I wish I’d read Crazy Rich Asians instead.
Forever My Girl was turned into a movie that released on January 19,2018, and due to recent hype surrounding this novel, I just had to read it. However, it did not live up to my expectations.
Our "heroes" of the novel are Liam and Josie, an all American couple consisting of a cheerleader and football player. However, the novel takes place many years into the future after Liam dumps Josie and cuts all ties with her to pursue his music career. Well, surprise, surprise, Liam ends up becoming famous, but still holds onto his passion for Josie. He also manages to criticize every girl he meets along the way due to the way she dresses, the makeup she wears, or what her body type is. Following the death of his former high school buddy, Liam returns to his small town in the hopes of seeing Josie again only to find that she has a son - of whom he is the father of. However, Josie is now engaged to another guy who they went to high school and whom Liam accuses of always trying to steal his girl. Yet, Liam doesn't take into account the fact that Liam left Josie in the dust without a good reason or sense of closure. The rest of the novel is followed by a defamation of Josie's current fiance (Nick), and Liam swooping in to finally take care of a son who he just met by throwing money around.
Okay, I am not necessarily against the cheerleader/football player love story, but this novel didn't work more me. Heidi McLaughlin tried to take this cliche couple and age progress them, but she ended up just making them older, with the same teenage attitudes that they had before. Even though I knew that I should have been rooting for Liam and Josie to get back together, I couldn't help but be on Nick's side. Nick helped Josie raise her son for 6 years before Liam returned, and as soon as Liam returned, Nick was made the villain for "stealing" Liam's girl. All the readers are offered in this context were small angry outbursts from Nick before he is written out of the plot completely by suddenly leaving Josie. Also, Liam mentions that his and Josie's son, Noah, never asks about Nick once he leaves, despite Nick having raised Noah for 6 years. This was completely unbelievable to me, and it seemed to be a cheap trick that McLaughlin used to create a setting that was perfect for Liam and Josie to get back together. McLaughlin also didn't write Noah properly since she gave him the dialogue of a 20-year-old and makes him unbelievably passive throughout the complete change he experiences in his home life. After Nick leaves, Josie moves in with Liam in the house he was just able to buy out of nowhere in their small town. Even though this was a "happily ever after" novel, it was unrealistic and filled with multiple bouts of weeping and plot holes that did nothing to progress the novel forward.
I also need to address the issue from Liam's perspective. The fact that Forever My Girl was written by a woman disturbs me, considering throughout the novel Liam tells the reader how a woman should and shouldn't look or act. McLaughlin goes on to describe in detail how a woman shouldn't "try too hard", but how she needs to be skinny and well kept at all times. I honestly felt like Liam's character was judging me throughout the novel with his multiple criticisms of women. Liam was also a self-pitying character, and I didn't find him attractive at all. He was manipulative of Josie, yet McLaughlin tried to make the reader feel bad for him. Nevermind the fact that he dumped Josie without warning and cut all ties with her, yet he is angry when he finds out that she had his son without telling him. To be honest, if this book was not being turned into a movie, I would not have finished it.
While Forever My Girl tries to capture the all American romance in a new light, I found it to be cliched and outdated. The shaming of women throughout each chapter sat wrong with me, and I do not recommend this novel due to the derogatory language used when speaking of women. I am saddened that this is the first review where I have not been able to recommend the book to anyone. I just cannot support a book that belittles females across the board. The editing was also poor, and numerous spelling and grammar errors were spotted throughout. Forever My Girl is officially my lowest rated novel receiving 1 out of 5 stars.
Our "heroes" of the novel are Liam and Josie, an all American couple consisting of a cheerleader and football player. However, the novel takes place many years into the future after Liam dumps Josie and cuts all ties with her to pursue his music career. Well, surprise, surprise, Liam ends up becoming famous, but still holds onto his passion for Josie. He also manages to criticize every girl he meets along the way due to the way she dresses, the makeup she wears, or what her body type is. Following the death of his former high school buddy, Liam returns to his small town in the hopes of seeing Josie again only to find that she has a son - of whom he is the father of. However, Josie is now engaged to another guy who they went to high school and whom Liam accuses of always trying to steal his girl. Yet, Liam doesn't take into account the fact that Liam left Josie in the dust without a good reason or sense of closure. The rest of the novel is followed by a defamation of Josie's current fiance (Nick), and Liam swooping in to finally take care of a son who he just met by throwing money around.
Okay, I am not necessarily against the cheerleader/football player love story, but this novel didn't work more me. Heidi McLaughlin tried to take this cliche couple and age progress them, but she ended up just making them older, with the same teenage attitudes that they had before. Even though I knew that I should have been rooting for Liam and Josie to get back together, I couldn't help but be on Nick's side. Nick helped Josie raise her son for 6 years before Liam returned, and as soon as Liam returned, Nick was made the villain for "stealing" Liam's girl. All the readers are offered in this context were small angry outbursts from Nick before he is written out of the plot completely by suddenly leaving Josie. Also, Liam mentions that his and Josie's son, Noah, never asks about Nick once he leaves, despite Nick having raised Noah for 6 years. This was completely unbelievable to me, and it seemed to be a cheap trick that McLaughlin used to create a setting that was perfect for Liam and Josie to get back together. McLaughlin also didn't write Noah properly since she gave him the dialogue of a 20-year-old and makes him unbelievably passive throughout the complete change he experiences in his home life. After Nick leaves, Josie moves in with Liam in the house he was just able to buy out of nowhere in their small town. Even though this was a "happily ever after" novel, it was unrealistic and filled with multiple bouts of weeping and plot holes that did nothing to progress the novel forward.
I also need to address the issue from Liam's perspective. The fact that Forever My Girl was written by a woman disturbs me, considering throughout the novel Liam tells the reader how a woman should and shouldn't look or act. McLaughlin goes on to describe in detail how a woman shouldn't "try too hard", but how she needs to be skinny and well kept at all times. I honestly felt like Liam's character was judging me throughout the novel with his multiple criticisms of women. Liam was also a self-pitying character, and I didn't find him attractive at all. He was manipulative of Josie, yet McLaughlin tried to make the reader feel bad for him. Nevermind the fact that he dumped Josie without warning and cut all ties with her, yet he is angry when he finds out that she had his son without telling him. To be honest, if this book was not being turned into a movie, I would not have finished it.
While Forever My Girl tries to capture the all American romance in a new light, I found it to be cliched and outdated. The shaming of women throughout each chapter sat wrong with me, and I do not recommend this novel due to the derogatory language used when speaking of women. I am saddened that this is the first review where I have not been able to recommend the book to anyone. I just cannot support a book that belittles females across the board. The editing was also poor, and numerous spelling and grammar errors were spotted throughout. Forever My Girl is officially my lowest rated novel receiving 1 out of 5 stars.
I liked the idea of this story, but to me it was very poorly executed. The writing is much more telling than describing, making it very boring to read. It just tells you everything that the characters feel and what happens, instead of describing it. The story was okay, but in my opinion the characters went to back and forth. Over all the book was mediocre, I'd give it a 2.5 stars.
lighthearted
medium-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
I’m the type of person who watches a movie first then hurries to go read the books because the books are always better but this book was different. The movie and the books given me two different experiences. If you enjoy a good love story, give this book a read and then watch the movie and fall in love with the story.
The book has made me like Josie more because she is more realistic and not as forgiving as the movie character... but I feel like I empathize with Liam more in the movie. I do love Liam in both perspectives regardless... I just feel as though movie Liam makes more sense.
The only issue I had with the book was Nick. Although I can understand his concerns, he over steps many boundaries which I know has a lot to do with the fact of whose point of view it was in...
The book has made me like Josie more because she is more realistic and not as forgiving as the movie character... but I feel like I empathize with Liam more in the movie. I do love Liam in both perspectives regardless... I just feel as though movie Liam makes more sense.
The only issue I had with the book was Nick. Although I can understand his concerns, he over steps many boundaries which I know has a lot to do with the fact of whose point of view it was in...
It’s boring, the plot is very predictable, the characters are all unlikable.
Liam (main character) was not redeemable as a hero.
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:
No
I loved the build of they’re romance and relationship and I’m so glad she gave him a second chance