From acclaimed author Camille Pagán comes a wry, heartfelt exploration of love and loss.When struggling novelist James Hernandez meets poet Louisa “Lou” Bell, he’s sure he’s just found the love of his life. There’s just one problem: she’s engaged to his oldest friend, Rob. So James toasts their union and swallows his desire.As the years pass, James’s dreams always seem just out of reach—he can’t … just out of reach—he can’t finish that novel, can’t mend his relationship with his father, can’t fully commit to a romantic relationship. He just can’t move on. But after betrayal fractures Lou’s once-solid marriage, she turns to James for comfort.
When Lou and James act on their long-standing mutual attraction, the consequences are more heartbreaking—and miraculous—than either of them could have ever anticipated. Then life throws James one more curveball, and he, Rob, and Lou are forced to come to terms with the unexpected ways in which love and loss are intertwined.
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FOREVER IS THE WORST LONG TIME is one of the best books I’ve read in a very long time. I fell in love with the characters, the writing, the plot. . . EVERYTHING. This is by far Camille Pagan’s best yet. It reminded me of Frederik Backman’s writing–that ability to make you absolutely root for and love even the most fallible people. Bravo, Camille!!!!Camille Pagán Forever Is the Worst Long Time
I adore Ms. Pagán’s books but it took me awhile to get into this one, the first half of the book a little slow. And I was a bit put off at first with the male main character who seemed to me to be coming from a female POV—his views more of how a woman would think and feel.
But I’m so glad I stuck with it, and found James to be a softy and true to his character once the meat of the story unfolded.
I don’t do spoilers, so let me just say I’m still picking pieces of my heart off the floor. The ending…the ending will shatter your heart into a bazillion pieces. If you don’t like tearjerkers, do not turn the first page.
Ms. Pagán doesn’t balk at laying her characters out there for life to trample, somehow drag themselves up, only to be shoved around some more and when you think nothing else could possibly happen, she pulls the rug out from under them…again.
I’ve found her stories to be the essence of every day life, the kind of things that beat the crap out of ordinary people. She shows the inner strength oftentimes buried deep within all of us, and when the worst of times threaten to dig us into a hole so deep we can’t possibly survive…her characters scratch and claw their way through—just as we hope we would do given the same circumstances. I guess that’s why I love her books so much. Ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances.
If you love stories of hope in the worst of circumstances, give her books a try. They’re wonderfully written, like a smooth whiskey that stings on the way down, but warms a little fire in your belly as it simmers, and gives you a nice sense of well-being once the story ends.
Kudos once again, Ms. Pagán. I’m looking forward to the next one.
I listened to the audio version of this book.
This book was great! I was rooting for the main character up to the end. Several good life lessons! Well written. I don’t cry easily but this one made me tear up!
I love everything Camille Pagan writes, and this one’s no exception. A bit darker and more meditative than her others I’ve read, but lovely, and a great exploration of what it means to love someone you can’t have.
Why is it that we always want what we can’t have? In FOREVER IS THE WORST LONG TIME by Camille Pagan, the gravitational pull of loving someone so much and knowing it’s wrong and hurtful is what this story is about. It also deals with family, loss and the power to forgive.
From the moment James Hernandez meets Louisa Bell, the pull is so strong, and he thinks he’s met the love of his life. But Lou is engaged to his best friend, Rob. For years he dodges his love for her so that he won’t hurt Rob. He becomes involved in a relationship with Kathryn, but it dissolves because she wants a child, and James doesn’t. As the years go by, he can’t commit to anyone, he can’t finish any novels he starts to write, and just can’t “move on” with his life. Even his relationship with his father is rocky and in need of repair.
Then the author spins the story so that Lou needs James, and that’s when their relationship takes an interesting turn. As Lou admits her attraction, “the consequences are more heartbreaking – and miraculous – than either of them could have ever anticipated.” However, the remorse and guilt are too much for both of them to handle. In fact, it runs their lives.
I wasn’t sure which way James and Lou’s relationship was going to go throughout the entire story, but toward the end, all the pieces were put in place. Life isn’t fair sometimes, and we have to take what we are dealt. These two sentences grabbed me the most in this book: “The people we are drawn to are the ones we need most,” and “For loss carries with it two truths: that you have loved, and that you yourself have had the good fortune to live a little longer.” This book really had emotional impact, and it was very powerful. I would definitely recommend it.
A wonderfully emotional read with perfectly formed characters with true to life dialogue and emotions. I highly recommend this book to fans of the contemporary fiction genre. Be prepared to cry!