“You’re my best friend.”“You’re mine.”“I’m yours.”Guitarist Chad Wilcox’s life isn’t going according to plan. At thirty, he never thought he’d still be unmarried and living with his parents. And with the added stress of his poor health, he’s convinced the only thing within his control is the success he’s found as a rock star.After reconnecting with his childhood best friend, Chad sets into motion … childhood best friend, Chad sets into motion a new plan to regain control over his happiness, and things start looking up. But when he finds himself diagnosed with a potentially debilitating chronic illness, he begins to wonder…
Is this as good as it’s going to get? Or is it at all possible for a guy like him to get everything he’s ever wished for?
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This book features the story of guitarist Chad (Chaddington Bear) Wilcox, member of Devin O’Leary’s band (see also Daisies & Devin and Book Review: Tell Me Goodnight). Don’t worry, this is a standalone book! It just features a character that has been written about in the two forementioned books, but this is all his story. If you haven’t read any of Kelsey’s other books you won’t be lost (but you’ll want to read them all after this one)!
He ends up back at home with his parents (I love a modest rock star) during a touring break and happens to be reacquainted with his best friend, Molly. He has been dating a woman for years who won’t commit and no one really cares for her. Chad happens to discover in this book that he has been living with Ulcerative colitis and it’s Molly who ends up being there for him…
What I loved most about this story is we see Chad really come in to his own. I laughed at him, cursed at him, and cried for him. Gah, all the emotions! Molly also comes in to her own and instead of just floating through life one bad roommate after the other, we see her do what is she is passionate about. All while Chad and Molly’s mothers are conspiring behind the scenes for them to get together.
This is a sweet love story that I couldn’t put down. I knew better than to start it when I was in bed because I stayed up well past my bedtime to finish the story. Just when I think I can’t love 2 characters more, Kelsey hits it out of the park and I fall madly in love with 2 more. If you love a swooning, slow burning romance, this book is for you.
It’s a 4.5 star knock out for me (rounded up to 5 on rating sites). I love a book that I can get lost in and become obsessed with and forget the world around me for a few hours and this book delivers just that. Sometimes I just want to focus on a swoony story while I laugh and shed a tear and this delivered just that. I highly recommend you grab this book as soon as possible, you won’t regret that you do!
I love this story and this series.
Chad has been in love with Molly, since it was written in the stars.
Their mom’s have been best friends since they lived next door to each other as kids.
They always wanted daughters that would grow up and be best friends just like them.
But as the stars would have it, one got a boy and one got a girl, but they were best friends anyway. They were inseperable, until high school and then Molly was left on her own to fend off the bully’s as Chad went on to be apart of the popular crowd.
Years later they meet again and find that even though they both have changed, they are both fighting demons, but they have similar taste in music.
When Chad’s band needs an opening act, Molly is the perfect choice.
As they live together, on a tour bus, with the rest of the band and their families feelings start to grow again and things start to heat up.
Kelsey Kingsley, is a brilliant writer who writes from her soul.
She’ll move your heart in ways you’ll never even see coming.
Every book in this series moves you in a different way.
I’m not ready for this series to end.
Forget the Stars is a wonderful romantic story of two childhood friends, separated in their high school years, then finding their way back to one another many years later. Whilst I absolutely adored Molly and Chads story I feel like it’s important to say the issues addressed in this book were absolutely awe inspiring. I don’t think I know of one person who can’t relate to at least one of the issues described. The authenticity of the words in this story is beautiful. The good and the bad. All of it.
I’ve absolutely devoured everything Kelsey Kingsley has written, ever since discovering her early this year, and I have loved them all. This book, however, is in a class of its own. Like her other works, Kelsey relates the to the journey her characters go on. In this book, Chad and Molly are on a journey of self-acceptance and self-discovery. Both characters have experienced disappointment and failure at some point and both are seeking to be the best version of themselves. What’s wonderful about this story is that while they are individually strong, it’s when they come together as one is where their journey of self-discovery by being their best selves, is when they surrender to each other. Their story is incredibly moving.
I’ve never read anything quite like this book before, and I am so impressed and awestruck by Kelsey’s willingness and ability to do these characters justice in their flawed perfection. It’s a wonderful read, one that I couldn’t put down until I was finished. Kelsey Kingsley deserves full credit and acknowledgement for sharing her heart so beautifully.
Forget the Stars
This book started out great and ended fabulous! The love story between molly and chad tore at my heart. I really enjoyed their back story and how they would go back and talk about the past and why things were the way they were. Peer pressure is so hard when people push you to be popular. Chad almost loses his best friend to it, and I love the way they both were like magnets to each other. This story tackles many obstacles, but the one that i have never read is a book is ulcerative colitis. So many people suffer from it, but do the popular people? I really enjoyed the he author put this disease in her book to show people, hey it’s ok to not be perfect and have embarrassing issues, but you still are loved no matter what. Loved loved Chaddinton Bear and Molly’s story,
I have absolutely loved every member of this band and Chad’s book was no different…..except that it was. You see Chad is battling a health issue that he would like to ignore and will it to go away except he can’t. Molly helps him not only seek the medical help he needs but helps him accept his diagnosis and shows him the true meaning of love. This book is full of life lessons and life advice…..bullying can leave life long scars… people come into our lives for a reason… everyone is fighting a battle but it’s not always visible on the outside…listen to your body and seek medical advice when needed……love can heal. Forget the Stars also includes all of our favorite characters including Jon, Ty, Devin, Sebastian and Greyson…..I absolutely love Seb! In the world of Indie writers Kelsey Kingsley is one star you won’t forget!
Chad is a guitarist in a band, who is home to stay with his parents before the bands next tour. Chad is reflecting back on his personal life as it has not panned out the way he envisaged it would at turning 30 as well as having being diagnosed with a serious illness, and he runs into his childhood best friend, Molly. It is beautiful to read how Molly and Chad’s slowly blooming love develops. This is a well written story which has me intrigued and hooked throughout. I look forward to reading more from this talented author, whose work I recommend for all.
4.5 rocking stars!!! Forget the Stars, the 4th book in a wonderful rockstar romance series that has become one of my favorites. Kelsey Kingsley has a way of sucking you into her beautifully created world and it’s really hard to leave it when the story is over. Can you say book hangover? If you haven’t had the pleasure of reading her other books in this series, start with Daisies and Devin and work your way thru, it’s soooo worth it!
Anyone that’s been following along has to be excited to finally read Chad Wilcox’s story, the sexy, but a little bit shy bassist in Devin O’Leary’s band. I know I squealed with joy as it arrived on my Kindle just in time to take on vacation with me!
Chad had a close relationship that took him from diapers to high school with Molly, a childhood friend, if you can still call her that after time, distance and awkward guilt have kept them apart for years. You’ll find out the history when you read on and why he’s stayed away so long. Dual POV, my favorite way to read a romance, is present here which I love so much.
Molly has moved on from the sadness of losing touch with her lifelong friend, Chad, who still lives in his childhood home, but is often gone for months on tour with his band. She’s moved away to a nearby town and has her own separate life now but since their moms have also been best friends for their entire lives and neighbors to boot, the inevitable happens, or maybe was planned by those meddling moms, as they run into each other again. There is so much for them to remember over almost 30 years and we see it in flashbacks sprinkled throughout in thoughtful ways which added depth and emotion while discovering their story and history.
These two have never been anything but friends and let’s not forget Chad’s loser of a girlfriend who everyone but him can see is a terrible choice…she really needs to go! Rekindling their special friendship is everything but can they just be friends when there is an obvious, slow burning attraction growing between them? They just ‘get’ each other and it’s so adorable. An exciting offer brings them even closer and hard decisions will need to be made…can Chad admit that he needs someone in his life that can truly love him for who he is, what he’s going thru and stand beside him when his health issues threaten his future happiness?
The more time Molly spends with Chad, the more concerned she is as it becomes very evident that he is not well…at all…and is hiding how much pain he’s in. Can she be that person for him? Molly was a special and unique kind of woman and I really loved how her personality shined like the sun in good times and bad.
Chad, aka Chaddinton Bear or one of the many other nicknames that his best friend and drummer, Sebastian'(), loves calling him, loves his life as a well known rockstar but constantly worries that his ‘secret’ could take it all away from him. Yes, Chad’s crazy band of brothers are present in this story which added so much fun, love, care and concern for their friend as his hidden health condition threatens to become a bigger problem.
Kelsey takes a different turn with this book that is bold and handles a sensitive health condition with care. It is not sexy and most people wouldn’t talk openly about but she still manages to give us the romance, friendship and plenty of humor along the way that you won’t soon forget. These characters are special and easy to love so it sure is going to be hard to wait for the next book, Sebastian’s son Greyson’s story, to come out so our love affair with the guys from these books can continue! I am so excited for that one.
I was fortunate to be given an early copy to review from the author and this is my honest opinion of it.
Forget the Stars
Wow, Chads and Mollys story is absolutely beautiful. First I was afraid, because of the health topic, but Kelsey Kingsley did an amazing job with this story.
Chad Wilcox is the guitar player in Devins (Daisies & Devin) band. After his 30th birthday he’s at a point in his life, where he thought he would be married and already had Kids. But his health and very egoistic former girlfriend are the reasons he still lives with his parents and has reached non of this goals. And at his parents he runs in into his childhood friend Molly after twelve years of silence between them. Wednesday we’re best friends. Their moms are best friends too and they always wished for their children to become a couple. They always thought, that Chad is perfect for Molly and Molly is perfect for Chad. And now they all get another chance.
Both, Molly and Chad, are amazing characters. Chad has to fight this awful disease and he does it (more or less) with grace. And Molly has to be brave all the time and fight the demons from her past. They are both extremely lovable and it’s amazing to follow the while they support and love each other. I love how they find their way – for themselves and as a couple.
A beautiful story about support, family, friendship and love.
Wow. That may be the only word that covers this.
Kelsey Kingsley’s books always try to touch on some kind of subject matter that teaches you something. This book is no exception.
Best friends from the time they were born, Molly and Chad have been through a lot. Including the ineveitable growing apart in high school. But Molly has followed Chad’s career and Chad has never forgotten about his childhood friend that he didn’t stick up for in high school. It helps that their mother’s are best friends and keep both Molly and Chad informed of the other.
Chad and Molly find their way back to each other just in time for Chad to be diagnosed with a life changing disease and Molly is right there next to him as he goes through it.
Kudos to Kelsey for bringing this disease to light so that there can be more education and less stigma.
Chad and Molly’s book was a book I wanted to read but in the end I have realized it is a book I needed to read. Chad’s coming to terms with the fact that life doesn’t always turn out the way you want. Coming to terms with an illness that is life altering and than meeting some one who can be your soulmate and face these problems with you. Letting them in. In true Kelsey Kingsley fashion she drew me in and held me book hostage as I had to find out what happened next and how they would find there HEA. Spoiler alert this book is amazing and so worth it!
Whenever I get my advanced copies of Kelsey’s books I take my time reading them. I like to savor the characters, the story, her words that make everything come alive. This story was a little heavier than any Kelsey has written. She delves into the world of living with a chronic disease but the story isn’t a downer. There are still many moments of levity and fun, but the reader gets a peek into living with a chronic disease that no one really talks about.
This is the story of Chad Wilcox AKA Baby Bear / Chaddington Bear, guitarist in the band, “Devin O’Leary and the Blue Existence.” He’s suffered for many years with a gut that never hesitates to let him know it’s angry at what he’s eaten and has relied on Dr. Google to diagnose and treat himself. We also meet Molly Dyer, Chad’s childhood best friend. They haven’t been friends or hung out in years yet when they begin talking again, it’s like no time had passed. To me that’s the measuring stick of a great friendship.
Chad and Molly’s relationship blooms and grows into love. Little did they know that their mothers, best friends themselves, had always hoped that Chad and Molly would be more than best friends. Together, hey both have the opportunity to seek out their dreams and are supportive of each other when hard decisions are made. One decides to forget the stars and the other reaches for them. But at the forefront of it all is the love they have for each other that sustains a great relationship.
If it’s not already obvious, I LOVED this book! I can’t wait for its release!
This story relays the reality that hidden conditions can affect people in truly different ways. Encompassing how reactions to those conditions are verbalised, displayed and perceived.
Chad has grown up with Molly, but due to preconceptions and peer pressure, he has also grown apart from her. A chance encounter, orchestrated by meddlesome Mothers reunites these conjoined souls.
Molly thought she was over her reaction to run from situations which she doesn’t want to face, however she comes to the realisation that she hasn’t overcome this.
Together Chad & Molly face and conquer the obstacles life has put in their way. This heartfelt story created by the brilliant mind of Kelsey Kingsley adds to the group of stories following the lives of Devlin O’Leary and the Blue Existence. A difficult subject beautifully covered in an understanding and compassionate way.
This story is phenomenal and a must read!!! Characters are superb and what Chad is going through is all too real and relatable. I’m so happy she wrote a superb story bringing to light this painful ailment. This story will invoke a lot of emotions and you will fall in love all over again with Chad, Sebastian, Jon and Devin and not to mention Ty. All of this author’s words are meaningful and you will never be disappointed in any story she writes. This is going on my best of 2019 list and is highly recommended.
I make no excuses for my love of Kelsey Kingsley’s characters, and this Forget the Stars is no exception. We met our successful guitarist in previous books. Chad (Chaddington Bear, oh my gosh) is thirty and not where he thought he’d be at this age. He is living at home between tours with a over-involved parents, has a girlfriend who won’t commit, and has some serious health issues that are getting worse. He also has some lingering guilt for treating his childhood friend and neighbor, Molly, poorly while chasing high school popularity.
Molly, on the other hand, has worked hard to put the bullied girl and abandoned friend of her childhood behind her as she enjoys local success as a singer. She, too, has an overbearing mom with whom she shares some trauma from her dad leaving them for a newer, shinier family. This understandably shapes Molly’s self-worth. Where Molly could easily be written as a bitter, she chooses to remain as open-hearted and caring. Molly has scars with which we all can relate, but she shines in spite (and in some cases because) of them.
Chad and Molly reconnect and forge a new friendship, one where Chad and his band give Molly the chance to open for their band’s tour. The proximity lends Molly a window into how serious Chad’s health issues have become. She forces him to be honest about it and is his support when he is diagnosed with UC. Here, Kingsley not only shows the real symptoms and effects of Inflammatory Bowel Disease but also lends such vulnerability to both characters. In the hands of a less compassionate or capable author, this storyline could have been mocking or become preachy. The opposite that happens here. Chad cannot be separated from his chronic diagnosis, and that has repercussions. His parents don’t understand, his girlfriend is horrible, and he has to take time off from the band. Molly is his steadying force, and their friendship grows.
Through the book, both Chad and Molly explore their regrets, what happens when one stops wishing, and what happens when real life doesn’t align with the plan. As Molly’s star rises, can she see that she is worthy of life’s opportunities and permanent romantic love? Can Chad find the love and family he so badly wants while learning to live with his diagnosis? You will root for these two to embrace what they each deserve.
I wish I could explain my love of the world of the band members and their families. Through each book, they just get better. I love seeing all of my favorites again, and their support of Chad through his diagnosis is exactly what we would want for ourselves. Sebastian and Chad’s friendship is so sweet and authentic to the two characters. Molly’s parking lot yoga sessions, rom-coms galore, and plenty of unsolicited Sebastian advice give the book heart and laughter. I would want these characters to be my friends. They are so down-to-earth and decent.
I’ll end with what I always say about Kelsey Kingsley’s work. Just get it and read it. But this book is extra special. It gives us a glimpse into a painful disease that so many of us either experience or know someone who is affected. Many people with IBD suffer alone since people can be so insensitive to the disease’s realties. I hope by shining a light on IBD/UC, we can all be more empathetic to those whose diseases aren’t visible. There’s so much goodness in this book, and I cannot wait for more people to experience it!
My heart just melts. This story leaves you with warm, mushy, gooey insides. My heart exploded with the companionship, loyalty, and perpetual friendship that there was between Chad and Molly. The admiration and love I have for this book have no bounds. Chad is the ultimate book boyfriend. Even though you can sense that his girlfriend detests him, he still is loyal and works hard at the relationship. When Chad loves, he loves with his whole body and soul. Molly is a forever friend. No matter how you may have wronged her she will forgive and move on. She’s optimistic and easy-going. Molly respects boundaries and goes with the flow. Overall, Molly and Chad are the perfect “goal” couple. This book rips at the heartstrings and warms your soul. It is hands down my favorite of Kelsey Kingsley’s books. It’s the most encouraging and sweetest love story. An easy one-click must-read novel.
I was given an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Forget the Stars was absolutely amazing.
Chad and Molly were, at one point, inseparable. Then life happened. Forget the Stars is the emotional journey of two best friends reconnecting and exploring the second chance designed in the stars.
There is just something about a vulnerable hero that gets me every time and Chad Wilcox was no exception. His pain becomes your pain thanks to Kelsey’s descriptive writing and the ability to invoke emotional pull. And, with a nickname like Chaddington Bear, he is everything.
Molly is an amazing woman. She is exceptional in how she become ‘herself’ and still manages to care deeply for others. Her love for Chad and willingness to support him always was breathtaking.
Kelsey Kingsley not only managed to gracefully and truthfully write about a somewhat uncomfortable topic with the main character, but she also managed to fully bring to light what it’s like to hide behind a façade of “fine”. She brought light to a disease that is not that uncommon, and it not known for being pretty.
Yet, she also brought to light how someone living with chronic illness can love and be loved. This story should be the definition of friends-to-lovers done right.
This book is emotional and had just the perfect amount of humor thro0wn in from other characters to make it bearable.
Cameos from all the characters throughout the series are featured in here and leave it to Sebastian to make you laugh time and again. Plus, all the other fun times with Taylor Swift, yoga, and the rom-com movies.
This book was one of Kelsey’s best to date. Highly recommend not just this book, but the entire series.
And as always from my reviews, my top quotes of the book. (Not so easy this time, I swear I highlighted almost every chapter.)
“if it made you feel any better, I’d dim the stars if I could. If it meant you’d feel that much brighter.”
“gotta warn you Molls, …. When you come home… things aren’t going to be the same.”
“You think you’re going to make beautiful baby bears together?” <--My FAVE “Our mothers had said we were always written in the stars, and I never knew how true that was until every wish I’d ever wished came true just by knowing her again.”
I loved Chad’s story! I found things in common with both of the characters. I found each so relatable, and was overwhelmed by the talent of this author. She took something none of us want to talk about, and used it to tell a beautiful story of two friends who fell in love. Chad was romantic, and knew what he wanted. Molly just knew she wanted him.
I wanted to swoon as he talked to her. “Imagine that great big sky with only one star. How underwhelm in’ it’d be,” he spoke, his voice low and gruff against my ear, and my breath scratched uneasily against my throat like sandpaper. “The stars aren’t in competition, Molls. The sky is big enough for all of ‘em, and every single one is needed to help each other shine and become a part of somethin’ huge and beautiful. But,” he continued with a sigh, “if it made you feel any better, I’d dim the stars if I could. If it meant you’d feel that much brighter.”
We also got Sebastian and the other guys. I mean we all want to read Seb’s commentary. I can’t wait to see what’s in store next!