From debut author, Barb Curtis, a heartwarming small-town romance about high school sweethearts who return home and discover that first love sometimes gets a second chance. . . Jay Wynter wants to be successful on his own merit. That’s why he left Sapphire Springs and his family’s winery to build a career from scratch. But now that he’s successor to Wynter Estate, Jay must return to his small … return to his small hometown to face everything, and everyone, he left behind-especially his high school sweetheart, who happens to be his stunning new business partner . . .
Leyna Milan knows family legacies come with strings attached, but she’s determined to prove that she can run her family’s restaurant. Of course, Leyna never expected that honoring her grandfather’s wishes meant opening a second location on her ex’s property-or having to ignore Jay’s sexy grin and guard the heart he shattered years before. But as they work closely together, she begins to discover that maybe first loves deserve a second chance . . .
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Forever with You is such a comforting read. Jay and Leyna are both wonderful characters, individually compelling on their own and perfect to root for as a couple. They each have enough flaws to be believable, and their journey together will make you stand up and cheer. The winery elements are vivid and descriptive, making the town lovable as its own character. A beautiful breakout from a talented debut author that’s not to be missed!
A second chance at first love is a dream come true. Especially now, when we all need our dreams to come true.
I’ve always admired the few couples I know (very few) who made it from high school (or college) sweethearts to hand-holding, happily married twenty-five years later couples who don’t even seem to realize how exceptional they are.
Jay and Lenya are cleverly portrayed as they accomplish the necessary growth needed to come together forever.
Congratulations, Ms. Curtis, on a lovely story.
A second chance love story between Jay and Leyna, long ago young sweethearts. Jay left to give Leyna the chance to spread her wings after her graduation or so he told himself. I wasn’t crazy about the storyline on all the reasonings of why Jay left, and so many years later he comes back because of his Grandfather to help at the family vineyard, not because of Leyna.
It’s well written and I loved the nurturing of the grapes for the varietal types of each wine, the scenery sounded idyllic, and Jay was truly a master vintner, it really was in his blood. The smalltown vibe was there with all the pros and cons.
The chemistry was still hot between these two, but there were just a lot of people and elements seemingly still against them, and I didn’t get the good vibes with Leyna, a bit too docile for me, but plenty of mindspeak. Surprising turnouts and they made it all work, so I was happy with the ending.
Very good for a debut author, and I hope to read more from her.
I received an advance reader copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions here are my own and voluntarily given.
Barb Curtis has given us an excellent small-town romance in Forever With You. This is a second-chance romance between former flames who find themselves forced to work together, thanks to a couple of meddling grandparents. I loved the winery and restaurant backdrop. Everything felt festive and lush. Jay and Leyna are terrific characters, and I really enjoyed all the family dynamics as well. Can’t wait to check out the rest of the series.
Forever With You is the debut novel of Barb Curtis and was absolutely darling. Set in a small wine town the book follows Jay and Leyna, who were high school sweethearts but had a nasty breakup 18 years before the start of the book. At the behest of Jay’s grandfather the two are forced to work together to keep the Wynter family winery together. This is a second chance romance with some enemies to lovers and forced proximity elements. Beyond that it is the story of two people who need to heal and learn to trust each other again.
I really liked both Jay and Leyna. I liked that not only did day have to grow in the 18 years between their breakup and the start of the book, he also grew within the timeframe of the book. Jay is aslo the third hero I’ve read in the past few weeks with dyslexia, which I think adds a certain vulnerability to a hero who otherwise could be considered good at everything. Leyna is a sweetheart who needs more good things to happen to her. I really liked the surprise at the ending as it helped bring her story full circle. I really like second chance romances, especially when there’s some groveling on the part of the hero that needs to take place, so this book was absolutely wonderful. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
This is a light, romantic read. The characters are delightful, the town is charming, and the story is a fun summer read. I look forward to,the next book in the series.
What a great story of second chances!!! Jay and Leyna were high school sweethearts. After high school, Jay left town and Leyna. Now 18 years later, and Jay and Leyna are working together! I loved their story and this book has great characters. This was a wonderful romance and just what I needed in this year of so much anxiety! I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.
Forever with You is an engaging second chance love story set in the Niagara Falls wine country. I was intrigued by the second chance romance between vintner Jason “Jay” Wynter and restaurateur Leyna Milan and adored this dynamic couple.
The friendship between Stefan Wynter and his best friend Joe Leone plays a central role in Forever With You. Prior to Joe’s passing, they had committed to building a restaurant at Wynter Estates, the family’s vineyard. These plans put their grandchildren; former high school sweethearts Jason Wynter and Leyna Milan in an uneasy partnership. Jay has plans to for the property-he envisions growing grapes for syrah wine while Leyna wants to focus on Rosalia’s, the family’s Italian bistro.
Loved the author’s descriptive writing and dialogue! I could feel the joy and excitement in Jay’s voice when he spoke of his love for the vineyard—the soil, vines, grapes and his crew. He was immersed in his work and enjoyed every aspect of the winemaking process. Layna’s mission is to keep her family’s business out of debt. I could hear the worry in her voice when she realized that her financially responsible grandfather left her with outstanding bills. Loved the friendship between Leyna and her friend Emily—their conversations shared over Emily’s cupcakes were honest, poignant and funny.
The author effortlessly blends the romance between Jason and Leyna with family and business intrigue. The chemistry between Jay and Layna bubbled up immediately. I enjoyed reading their perfectly paced slow burn romance. I loved that the author included wine making process thread through the novel. Barb Curtis created fabulous secondary characters-Emily, Tim, Danielle, Cass and Mark- each one added to the storyline.
I highly recommend Forever With You. It has all the feels- an engaging couple, gorgeous setting and a heartfelt second chance at love. I can’t wait for the next book in the Sapphire Springs series!!
I very much enjoyed this debut novel by Barb Curtis. This sweet, second chance romance was filled with interesting characters to the small wine-country town. Leyna and Jason’s teenage romance ended almost two decades ago, but both have continued to be affected by their breakup. Jay has the added burden of being the one who broke Leyna’s heart, and walking away from his family’s winery. And he’s still not sure if he’s ready to put down roots again. Leyna is a strong, smart woman, running the restaurant her grandfather left her, but she still experiences doubts over whether another chance with Jay will again end with her heart broken.
If the next book in this series is as good as the first, I predict a long and bright future for this new author. A great plot and lots of engaging characters will keep me coming back for more.
This is a good second chance story. Leyna Milan and Jason Wynter fell in love when they were young. As college loomed, tensions were high among the families. Better to break a heart and find your way in the world than to lose it all. They each had sneaky grandfathers. Both had decided it was time to put there plan in motion. Life can take unexpected turns and they weren’t getting any younger. There is a thin line between love and hate, but the lady doth protest to much. As they work together, old feelings are coming back. Do you trust them or not? In the end, you have to decided if who you love is worth fighting for.
I never know what to expect when reading a new to me author but I definitely liked what I got from Forever with You.
Jay and Leyna are getting the second chance that they should have never needed. I loved how this couple kind of flipped the script of what you expect from the main characters. There were parts of this book that I skimmed since it felt like the story was dragging but I am looking forward to where this author and series goes.
I love it when a debut author nails it right out of the gate and Barb Curtis has certainly done that. I loved this book. It’s a classic small-town romance featuring a second-chance love story. Jay and Leyna were high school sweethearts when Jay all of a sudden takes off for France after Leyna graduates, breaking her heart. After his grandfather suffers a medical emergency, Jay returns to town to help with the family vineyard. After 18 years, Leyna still has feelings for Jay but isn’t sure she can get over them so they can work together on a partnership with the vineyard that has already been in the works.
I really liked these characters. I felt the chemistry and that their story was believable. Yes, they could have overcome a lot through communication, but Curtis does a great job of really portraying what these two are feeling and why they don’t open up so quickly. The family and friends surrounding them were a great addition to the story and leave you wanting more about them in future books. The small-town feel was fantastic without being too cute or unbelievable. The setting featuring a family vineyard and restaurant had me salivating at times. All in all, this is such an enjoyable book. I think readers of Marina Adair or Catherine Bybee would enjoy this one. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. The opinions here are my own.
I enjoyed this second chance small town romance. It was food and wine filled so be ready! High School sweethearts come back to their town to help their grandfathers. Leyna has been back for a year to run the restaurant and has her friends. Jay comes back to help at the winery once his grandfather is sick. It took a bit to get into this one as they had chemistry but it wasn’t all there. I would have liked to see a might more of them. It was a slow burn with closed door.
Overall, for a debut it was a super cute storyline and can’t wait to come back to this series and town! Emily is next I hope!!
3.5 stars
2 steam
This was the feel good story I needed today! I loved Jay and Leyna and I was rooting for them as individuals, and as a couple. I got pulled into the town of Sapphire Springs and the Wynter Winery and I so wish both were real places I could go visit. I loved all the side characters and cannot wait to go back to Sapphire Springs and read Emily’s story. This was my first book by Barb Curtis, and it definitely won’t be my last!
Forever With You begins the new Sapphire Springs series with a romance that doesn’t begin all that happily for Leyna or Jay, not in a way that counts for them because once upon a time – almost two decades ago – they were sweethearts with a future to plan, until Jay up and left town, left Leyna without a word of explanation. Now Jay is back, at first to help his aging grandfather with the family winery but then life gets interesting… and nothing is exactly how it seems on the surface.
Until I got into Forever With You it was very easy to see Jay as the villain in this romance. After all, he had it all, the woman, the winery, and then to go off to “find himself”… yeah, jerk move. Yet. Jay had reasons that run deep, and if the reader gives him a chance will show exactly why he felt he had to leave everything and everyone behind on that personal journey. Was it the right thing to do? I don’t really know, it didn’t seem like it at first but eventually as Leyna and Jay reconnect I began to lean toward a positive feeling toward Jay’s decision back then.
Unfortunately, there are reasons for Jay’s actions that might help you understand why — but they would definitely be spoilers, and that’s not something I’m comfortable with revealing in a review. Right or wrong, Jay had reasons that were important to him, and really that has to factor in when deciding if Jay deserved Leyna’s hatred all these years.
I loved Leyna from the start. She has so much on her plate, and some of those plates are being juggled in the air. Her anger, actual hatred of Jay plays a major part at the beginning of their story. She believed they had a future. For him to just up and leave, without explanation was unforgivable to her. Yet, the love for this man is still buried deep within her heart, and slowly, steadily it’s finding the way to the surface once again… but can she trust him again?
There are emotions in this story, lies, betrayal, misdirection, surprises, and two people finding a way back to what they once had – love and trust for each other. It is not an easy journey, but it is one that drew me in and kept me focused on their attempt to fix the past and move forward. Forever With You started the series with a believable tale – I cannot wait to see what comes next in the series with the next book due out in June of 2021.
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher, Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
Forever With You is a compelling and heartfelt second chance romance. Jay broke Leyna’s heart 18 years ago, and now he’s back in town to help run his family’s business. The chemistry between these two characters made each of their encounters sizzle, but their relationship is complicated by both their past and the uncertainty of their future. I loved reading their story, which was tender and lovely, but with layers of doubt and distrust. I look forward to the next book in this series!
This first book in the Sapphire Springs series was just like the grapes growing in the Wynter Estates vineyards. There were so many circumstances that could affect the final decision for Jay on whether he would stay or take the job in Burgundy, France. It was a well planned story that kept me guessing on how it would all turn out in the end. It was heartfelt, full of love, angst, mystery, and surprises and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and getting to know Jay, Leyna, Stefan, and even Jay’s mother, Danielle. I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review.
Comforting, summery, and sweet!
Forever with You is a lighthearted, second-chance romance featuring the hardworking, ruggedly handsome vintner Jay who broke his high school girlfriends heart when he left without a trace, and the spirited, loyal, restaurateur Layna who’s too busy keeping her family’s legacy afloat to open herself up for more heartache from the man who shattered her heart eighteen years ago.
The writing is fluid and warm. The characters are lovable, kind, and empathetic. And the plot is an uplifting, engaging tale about life, love, family, friendship, forgiveness, collaboration, healing, self-discovery, happiness, success, new beginnings, and a sliver of mystery.
Overall, Forever with You is a heartwarming, breezy, delightful tale by Curtis that has characters you can’t help but root for and a happy-ever-after ending that leaves you smiling, satisfied, and quickly adding Only You (Sapphire Springs #2) to the top of your TBR list for 2021.
This was this author’s debut novel and she knocked it out of the park! Forever with You is a small town, second chance at love romance. It takes place mostly at a vinyard, which I just loved. There was just enough grape/vinyard information to let you know some of the background without being overwhelming.
The renewed relationship between Jay and Leyna hit just the right chord with me. Having Jay leave her before, there needed to be some significant resistance on Leyna’s part in order to make it feel realistic and the author struck a good balance between that and eventual forgiveness.
There were enough secondary characters to fill out the story and help develop the characterization of Jay and Leyna. The crooked guys in the book were not overly obvious.
Great job on a first novel! I can’t wait for the next one!
I was given a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley. All thoughts are my own.
This book is delightful! It is romantic, sweet, heartwarming, pulls at your heart strings, and much more! Whenever I picked up “Forever With You”, I was whisked away to the small town of “Sapphire Springs”, and went on an emotional journey with this second-chance romance story!
This is Ms. Curtis’ debut novel, and the first in her “Sapphire Springs” series, and I hope to read many more books by her! She truly knows how to bring a story to life, and her characters all feel like such incredible people; they have hopes, aspirations, and dreams, as well as flaws, and all aspects are so incredibly written. I so hope we see many of these characters in future novels, and I am even more excited after finding out who the next book will focus on!
(Possible Spoilers!)
I found myself rooting for Leyna and Jay to get back together from the start. Their chemistry is palpable, and it is so clear they are meant for one another. They must decide between listening to the hurt, doubts, and fears, or if they will listen to their hearts instead. What ensues is so sweet, heart-wrenching, moving, and simply beautiful.
If you enjoy contemporary romance and / or small-town romance, I highly recommend this book! I could not wait to see how everything worked out, and there were quite a few twists and turns that I was absolutely not expecting AT ALL!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC of this book, and to Forever for sending me a physical copy as well, I so enjoyed it. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.