Mine Forever

Welcome to Saturday’s Child, my fellow Book Dragons. I hope it was a good one, if was spent with your nestlings, I know it was. This evening’s Gem is quite beautiful. Blue in color, many faceted, it not only reflects the light upon it, but throws back light from within. A deep and mystical blue that glows deeply, and emits a feeling of love and peacefulness, but hold it just right in the light and the blue turns deeper, like the sky before a storm, like the sea before a hurricane. This is “Mine Forever” by Gem Maker Skylar Nightingale.
This is the tale of two people Billie Rose and Javon. Best friends since childhood, they love each other more deeply than anyone they know, perhaps even including their parents. Both only children, they have clung to each other in good times and bad. Now teenagers, they are faced with some pretty powerful emotions. Their relationship is starting to interfere with romantic relationships as their respective boyfriends and girlfriends do not take well to the friendly hugs and kisses, the amount of time they spend together, the long walks and the late night talks. Were they of the same sex, it would probably seem normal to everyone that they were so close, seeing as they have been friends since third grade, but they are opposites and this is becoming annoying to say the least. Well, annoying for those around them. Afterall? Would you be pleased to share your significant other with someone of the opposite sex? I know I would not be pleased. I believe it was Nora Ephron who said men and women cannot have friendships because sex gets in the way.. you can correct me if I am wrong about either the paraphrased quote or the one who said it.
But one day Billie Rose comes to Javon with devastating news. Her family is moving. Far away. From their home in Connecticut all the way to San Diego. The parting is painful to put it mildly. Javon throws Billie Rose a going away party. They give each other gifts. Not your usual parting gifts. These gifts are expensive. The kind of thing you’d give a significant other or that is how their significant others’ take it. It’s not pretty. Billie Rose’s boyfriend breaks up with her over the gifts. Javon’s girlfriend is extremely angered.
Billie Rose tries to make a life for herself in San Diego. She makes new friends. She even starts dating again. The new boyfriend seems okay.. but is he? Javon can’t protect her now, like he did before. Her body isn’t adjusting well to all the stress. Her new friends love her and really care, but even they can’t take Javon’s place and what about Javon?
He’s trying to cope. His girlfriend is insecure because of the party. She somehow figures out that he’s still talking to Billie Rose quite a bit and she is extremely jealous. He misses Billie and constantly worries about her.
Will they get together again? Or will they learn to live without each other and cope with life alone? Or will it finally be as every keeps telling them – stop just being friends and finally get together. You two were always meant to be together.
I liked this book. It’s a really nice love story. It has realistic characters for the most part and sensible and wise advice that is not delivered in a preachy manner. The teens act like teens most of the time, rather than television versions of teenagers, which is refreshing. The parents are intelligent, wise and hard working. They are not Hollywood Oafs. I hate when parents are treated as idiots and Ms. Nightingale does a brilliant job here. There were a few things that were a little, how shall I put this, far fetched for me.
All the teens in this novel are pretty or handsome, beautiful is often used. No one has a bad complexion, is overweight or worrying about their hair. Everyone’s family appears to have money of some sort and everyone’s parents are successful. The only single parent household here still has signs of money: a huge house and a BMW for the teen to drive. In addition to this, there is a lot of canoodling going on, but only one couple has sex. There is a pregnancy scare. By ‘canoodling’ I mean teens are constantly sleeping on the same bed, girls laying on top of boys, boys and girls going away for weekends together, etc., but everyone seems to stop when it’s time.
I’m sorry. I went to highschool. I know that is not how this works and I went when things were still relatively conservative for everyone. I’m not sure teens would see this as being believable. It’s a wonderful book, it’s just this part that I am not sure actually holds up.
It is currently on Kindle Unlimited for FREE. Despite my misgivings in the intimacy department, I would suggest you download and read it with your teen. It would be a great book to start some really important discussions. It’s fun to talk to your teen and if you are not sure how, use this book as a catalyst.
Until tomorrow, I remain, your humble Book Dragon, Drakon T. Longwitten
I received a copy of this book from the author for an honest review.