Forever Yours

Enjoy the rollercoaster ride five modern couples take on the road that leads them back into a love that was meant to be. The ex-wife reads his work of fiction for an eye-opening revelation. The missing fiancée is returned to her home. A desperate wife gets one last Christmas with her husband before they divorce. The busy housewife wakes up to the drift occurring in her marriage. The low-key mom suddenly encounters her son’s high-profile dad.

 

 

 

Published August 1st 2015

 by Barbour Books  

5 Stars

 

This is a collaboration of 5 talented writers who take love to the next level.  Yes, we've all read the romance novels about a boy meeting a girl falling in love and living happily ever after.  My question usually what happens next, because life happens and the boy and girl will deal with many mountains and valleys in their relationship.  In each of these stories we meet a couple who are having a crisis with their relationships. 

Castle in the Clouds

 In the first book we meet Wren and Nancie Nickelson who are recently divorced.  Wren is a postal worker and Nancie works in a department store while attending school.  Nancie has always dreamed of living a "classier" life and felt Wren was satisfied with his no where job.  Wren knows he wasn't the best husband for Nancie, but when he took his vows they meant forever to him.  As they navigate through the post divorce stress and co-parenting their eyes are open to more than just the problems in their marriage. 

Familiar Strangers

The second book introduces Sara Jennings/Lydia Anne Quinn and Daniel Matthews.  For almost 5 years Sara has struggled to put a life together for her and her daughter Chloe and at the same time Daniel has been grieving the loss of his fiance, but has never given up on finding her.  When the tv show Without a Trace aired, both received an answer to a prayer.  Lydia Quinn from Quinn Island South Carolina had finally been found after her disappearance almost 5 years ago.  The only problem was that Lydia Quinn was not the same woman who left for a trip to New York when she returns.  Can Daniel and Sara find a way to salvage their relationship without Lydia coming in between them?

One Last Christmas

Randy and Sylvia Benson have been married 20 plus years and are experiencing a major breakdown in communication.  After a Thanksgiving celebration and their younger children head back to college Randy informs Sylvia that he wants a divorce and moves out.  Sylvia doesn't see this coming and is completely devastated.  For years Randy has been working long hours at the newspaper to provide for his family while Sylvia has focused on her church, home and children.  They have essentially grown apart and have forgotten the love they shared when they were first married.  Sylvia makes a bargain with Randy that if he gives her one last week of his undivided attention to their marriage that if he still wants a divorce she will give it to him.  Sylvia doesn't want to give up on her marriage and plans to fight for it with everything she has.  Starting Dec. 19th she devises a way to take Randy down memory lane to remind him of everything their marriage had been about.  

Wedding Renewal in Sweetwater, Texas

In the fourth story we are introduced to Wilson and Sylvia Baxter.  Wilson works at the bank and Sylvia is a stay at home mom.  Their 10th wedding anniversary is looming and Sylvia is having a hard time dealing with the changes in her marriage.  Wilson seems more distant to her and she wants to get his focus back on her and their family.  She enlists her friends to help her come up with ideas of how to get her marriage back on tract.  One suggested she try the Proverbs 31 "A Wife of Noble Character", but unfortunately things just don't go as planned.  Wilson  is up for a promotion at his job and he sees how this has come between him and his family, but feels once he can get this promotion everything will work out.  Both are fighting to save their marriage, but will it be enough?

Major League Dad

In the final story we meet Blair Montgomery and Mason Walker.  As young adults they had married and divorced, but this chance meeting ten years later makes them both realize there are unresolved feelings they must deal with. First they must face all the secrets of their past. Can they put the past behind them and start over or will the past always haunt them?

 

You know what I liked best about these stories, they felt real.  So many books today only show the meeting and falling in love which is realistic to a point, but what happens after the honeymoon.  Yes, I love a good romance, but I also long to see how a couple deals with a crisis.  In each of these stories we find couples who fell in love and dreamed of a happily ever after, but find out that to obtain that it takes a lot of work.  The story lines flowed effortlessly, the characters were strong and well developed.  Each story  will take you on an emotional journey, but each have the message of faith.  These are not in any way preachy stories, but each one points to the fact that we have to put our faith in God that he will see us through our trials and if we let him guide us on the path he wants us to walk.  

I enjoyed each sweet story and would recommend them to anyone who loves a good romance.  I received this book from Netgalley for a honest opinion without bias or outside influence.  All 5 authors are new to me, but I will be looking for their books.