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bloom37's review
emotional
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
3.0
readformehaikuforyou's review against another edition
3.0
This one was a little roller coastery for me and whether I liked it or not. It didn't really feel like a romance most of its focused on the male main character (MMC) and his family. On the flip side, I loved the MMC and it was great to have that whole family so upfront and described so well. I much preferred the chapters with them. The female main character (FMC) was a wonderful character, but she didn't get as fleshed out as the characters on the MMC's side. She had an important story but seemed more like a supporting character in this particular book.
It was a good story of someone doing their best and not being perfect and learning to accept help. It felt realistic. There are a lot of content warnings so check those before reading! They can be found in the back of this book or online. The writing itself was not well edited, and some editing errors pull you out of the story.
Wouldn't read again. Wouldn't recommend. But I am glad I read it myself.
It was a good story of someone doing their best and not being perfect and learning to accept help. It felt realistic. There are a lot of content warnings so check those before reading! They can be found in the back of this book or online. The writing itself was not well edited, and some editing errors pull you out of the story.
Wouldn't read again. Wouldn't recommend. But I am glad I read it myself.
lilyrooke's review against another edition
5.0
Oh my goodness. What a beautiful story. I couldn't put it down!
So first of all I adore Ash. I loved him from the moment he first stepped onto the page, and I was so invested in him throughout the whole novel. He is such a well-rounded, heartbreakingly decent character, with so much to deal with, and he tugged at my heartstrings from the very start. The theme of second chance romance, and April's struggles, mirrored Ash's story so well, and I'm full of praise for Hanna Holt in how she handled this storyline and managed the pacing and structure of the entire novel.
The author does such a fantastic job managing a large cast of characters, especially a chaotic family, and I found myself rooting for all the members of the Forester Family, and can't wait to see who we'll get to follow next. Hawthorn, Willow, Juniper, Maggie, and of course Aspen, were among my favourite characters. I was hugely impressed at how the chaos of such a large sibling group was expertly handled from a writer's perspective, not to mention how each of the siblings' personalities shone through, along with their individual struggles, complexities, hopes and love.
I would recommend Forever Never Always to any romance fans, especially fans of second chance romance, as well as fans of family sagas.
So first of all I adore Ash. I loved him from the moment he first stepped onto the page, and I was so invested in him throughout the whole novel. He is such a well-rounded, heartbreakingly decent character, with so much to deal with, and he tugged at my heartstrings from the very start. The theme of second chance romance, and April's struggles, mirrored Ash's story so well, and I'm full of praise for Hanna Holt in how she handled this storyline and managed the pacing and structure of the entire novel.
The author does such a fantastic job managing a large cast of characters, especially a chaotic family, and I found myself rooting for all the members of the Forester Family, and can't wait to see who we'll get to follow next. Hawthorn, Willow, Juniper, Maggie, and of course Aspen, were among my favourite characters. I was hugely impressed at how the chaos of such a large sibling group was expertly handled from a writer's perspective, not to mention how each of the siblings' personalities shone through, along with their individual struggles, complexities, hopes and love.
I would recommend Forever Never Always to any romance fans, especially fans of second chance romance, as well as fans of family sagas.
e_ann_reads's review against another edition
5.0
Touching and well-written.
This story hit me in the feels in ways I didn’t expect. The characters are all so imperfect and real and while the romance is great, this book is so much more than a romance. It is an exploration of generational trauma, family connection, and societal expectations. I read this in one sitting and highly recommended.
This story hit me in the feels in ways I didn’t expect. The characters are all so imperfect and real and while the romance is great, this book is so much more than a romance. It is an exploration of generational trauma, family connection, and societal expectations. I read this in one sitting and highly recommended.
pageswithpayten's review against another edition
3.0
QOTD: DO you use Kindle Unlimited?
My A: Yes! If you checkout my page you’ll find quite a few KU reads. Are there some realllly bad books on there? Oh yeah. But there are usually a few highly anticipated new releases and even more hidden gems throughout. Enter Forever Never Always.
.
Let me start by saying this is not your typical romance. This later turned out to be both the triumph and the downfall of this book. Was this a little OTP angsty at points? Yes. Was the plot a little confusing at times and not quite flushed out? Also yes. But did the characters and their story pull at my heartstrings and keep me completely invested? YES! With dual POVs and time lines alternating between their college years and the present, Ash and April’s love story will get under your skin and will make the entire Forester family unforgettable. It took me a little bit to really get into the story with all of the different characters and the messy (read realistic) lives they lead. I think that if you go into this expecting a typical second chance romance, you might be disappointed. This is not a light and fun read, this is a slow burn romance in the midst of family turmoil, immense pressure, and the fight to forgive the past and move on. Ash and his siblings definitely take the lead throughout this story and it was nice to see the male lead more highlighted than the female for once! I would’ve liked to hear more about April’s marriage and the health issues she went through, but I was still rooting for Ash and April to make it through!
.
The last thing Ash Forester needs is to be in a relationship. For the past seven years, taking care of his eight siblings has been his top priority. With a life full of signing school agendas, diffusing tantrums, and attending parent-teacher conferences, Ash has almost forgotten what real love feels like and he’s determined to keep it that way.
The last person April Wallis ever wants to see again is Ash. Imagine her surprise when she finds him whispering in the high school secretary’s ear, and picking up a brother she didn’t know existed. Newly single, temporarily an art teacher, and constantly wondering why she’s so unlucky in love, April moved to a small-town she doesn’t know with a plan to start fresh, but now she’s determined to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself.
Seven years ago, Ash left April’s bed in the middle of the night with nothing but an emailed goodbye and a disconnected phone line. April’s reappearance makes Ash question whether the decision he made was the right one, and forces him to face the demons he’s been holding at arm's length ever since the fateful night that changed his family forever.
My A: Yes! If you checkout my page you’ll find quite a few KU reads. Are there some realllly bad books on there? Oh yeah. But there are usually a few highly anticipated new releases and even more hidden gems throughout. Enter Forever Never Always.
.
Let me start by saying this is not your typical romance. This later turned out to be both the triumph and the downfall of this book. Was this a little OTP angsty at points? Yes. Was the plot a little confusing at times and not quite flushed out? Also yes. But did the characters and their story pull at my heartstrings and keep me completely invested? YES! With dual POVs and time lines alternating between their college years and the present, Ash and April’s love story will get under your skin and will make the entire Forester family unforgettable. It took me a little bit to really get into the story with all of the different characters and the messy (read realistic) lives they lead. I think that if you go into this expecting a typical second chance romance, you might be disappointed. This is not a light and fun read, this is a slow burn romance in the midst of family turmoil, immense pressure, and the fight to forgive the past and move on. Ash and his siblings definitely take the lead throughout this story and it was nice to see the male lead more highlighted than the female for once! I would’ve liked to hear more about April’s marriage and the health issues she went through, but I was still rooting for Ash and April to make it through!
.
The last thing Ash Forester needs is to be in a relationship. For the past seven years, taking care of his eight siblings has been his top priority. With a life full of signing school agendas, diffusing tantrums, and attending parent-teacher conferences, Ash has almost forgotten what real love feels like and he’s determined to keep it that way.
The last person April Wallis ever wants to see again is Ash. Imagine her surprise when she finds him whispering in the high school secretary’s ear, and picking up a brother she didn’t know existed. Newly single, temporarily an art teacher, and constantly wondering why she’s so unlucky in love, April moved to a small-town she doesn’t know with a plan to start fresh, but now she’s determined to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself.
Seven years ago, Ash left April’s bed in the middle of the night with nothing but an emailed goodbye and a disconnected phone line. April’s reappearance makes Ash question whether the decision he made was the right one, and forces him to face the demons he’s been holding at arm's length ever since the fateful night that changed his family forever.
taylorrpinks's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.25
ohhhellawho's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.25
I enjoy books like this, something that explores unconventional family types. Although I do agree that the development on the romance part was a bit lacking (since it was only mentioned the whole time that they have this pull towards each other without showing the nitty-gritty tidbits of the repair of their relationship), I do appreciate the exploration of the Forester family. For that, I give this book extra points. I'd personally say that the theme of this book is more on family than romance (60-40 maybe?). Would love love love to read the rest of the books in the series!