USA Today Bestseller
New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis does it once again with a heartfelt story of family, forgiveness, and secrets that have the power to change the course of more than one life.
When Maze returns to Wildstone for the wedding of her estranged bff and the sister of her heart, it’s also a reunion of a once ragtag team of teenagers who had only each other until a … of a once ragtag team of teenagers who had only each other until a tragedy tore them apart and scattered them wide.
Now as adults together again in the lake house, there are secrets and resentments mixed up in all the amazing childhood memories. Unexpectedly, they instantly fall back into their roles: Maze their reckless leader, Cat the den mother, Heather the beloved baby sister, and Walker, a man of mystery.
Life has changed all four of them in immeasurable ways. Maze and Cat must decide if they can rebuild their friendship, and Maze discovers her long-held attraction to Walker hasn’t faded with the years but has only grown stronger.
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Her characters always seem so very real to me. I love Jill’s humor and the way she immediately pulls you into the story and keeps you riveted.
Emotional rollercoaster, sad, sweet, angsty youthful mistakes. Flushed out characters and connecting with them and understanding choices made. I’m ok with this book, but too much sadness not enough lightness, which is why I read romance.
Another emotional, funny, heartfelt story from one of my fave authors.
4.5/5
I have officially made my way through the backlist of the Wildstone series and I kinda wish I weren’t since I have been loving them so much. The Forever Girl by Jill Shalvis is funny, emotional, and has the cutest little pugs as part of the story. I love that there is always at least one animal included in each book and even though Roly and Poly weren’t a HUGE part of the story, I could picture them in my mind, and I always smiled when they were talked about. As always, the viewpoints change between a handful of different characters, and I really enjoyed every single one of them. The tension between Maze and Walker was palpable, and they definitely had chemistry which is something I never have to worry about with a Shalvis novel. I think I enjoyed Maze’s POV most of all, and a lot of hilarity ensues as she pretends her boss is her boyfriend.
As with all the other novels in the series, I listened to the audiobook, and it was just as amazing as all the others. Erin Mallon is our narrator extraordinaire, and I have come to love her as the narrator for this series. She always does such a fantastic job getting the character’s emotions across and her narration for The Forever Girl was no exception. I highly recommend listening to the series if audiobooks are your thing, but if you like romances with a bit of steam you should read them anyway. I loved the emotion and heart Shalvis packed into this book while also making it laugh-out-loud funny. She doesn’t shy away from tough topics, and she definitely hit a few with this one. In my mind, all fans of romance need to read this, and I could see it as a movie as well! Can’t wait to read the book that just came out now.
Family by choice, not blood. The Forever Girl is a heartfelt and cleverly women tale of four childhood friends who need each other now more than ever. Although they’ve grown apart over the years after a death created a rift, they’re all reunited again for Cat’s wedding festivities.
From the moment we meet Cat and her fiancee Dillon, you get the vibe that they’re not on the same page, except for in the bedroom. Heather surprises everyone with the fact that she’s a single mom, and Sammie will steal your heart throughout this book.
Walker is the one who got away after he put his heart on the line, but then had it broken by Maze. She in turn is still hurt from their last several encounters, so she brings along her boss as a fake boyfriend, but it’s the typical case of poor communication.
With a few plot twists to keep you guessing, strained friendships, and changing relationships – you’ll be guessing how it all plays out until the end. Each one of their stories pulled emotions out of me that I haven’t felt in a while and I enjoyed the journey. I love the Wildstone series with my whole heart!
Great series. I look forward to more books by Shalvis in the future.
Complex characters always pull me in and Shalvis never disappoints. The Forever Girl is a sad-but feel-good book about kids who become a family over the course of a summer, bound together for life because of their vulnerabilities and strengths rather than in spite of them. Once I picked it up, I couldn’t put it down.
Jill never disappoints, great book.
Not having a family of your own is the loneliest existence for a child, not knowing where you will be living tomorrow, not having anyone who truly wants and loves you. The Forever Girl is a wonderful story about creating a family based on love and needing to trust that that love will never walk away, about forgiveness. I definitely recommend this book.
I loved that foster children stuck together after a tragedy and all of them were there for the others.
Jill Shalvis’s Wildstone series never disappoints! I love the relationships between the characters and the way she writes each story. I wish GR gave half stars because this story is a 4.5. I need to check out her other series soon!
I loved Maze and Walker! Jill Shalvis is a master. Friendship, second chances, forgiveness. What’s not to love?
Can I please get fair warning the next time a book is going to break my heart into teeny tiny pieces and make me cry in front of people? Is that too much to ask??
Seriously, I loved this book. I loved Maze, in all her impulsive, giving, scared, hurt, wonderful ways. She has been damaged by so much in life but is determined to do whatever she needs to make Cat’s wedding perfect. And Walker is so lovely and strong and kind and giving but also hurt in his own unique ways. And he loves Maze something fierce.
This book was hopeful and heartbreaking and I loved it.
The Forever Girl is the sixth in the Wildstone series but is also a stand alone story. This is a story of redemption, re-connection and finding peace with the past. Family is not always blood, it is the heart. Maze, Heather and Walker were foster children taken in and loved by Jim and Sherry along with their two children, Caitlin and Michael. Life was good for a year but then tragedy strikes in the form of the family home burning and the death of Michael which results in the foster children being reassigned. Now years later, they are all gathering together to celebrate Cat’s wedding as well as facing the past. The guilt, the anger, and the feeling of not being enough to be loved is just a few of the issues that each face and resolve. The story that follows is amazingly engaging, highly emotional and worth every page turned. The characters are entertaining, delightful and realistic. As with all stories written by Jill Shalvis, among the drama and love is a touch of humor.
Maze is returning to Wildstone where her once best friend is getting married, a woman who was always like a sister she can’t deny the invitation. She’s not quite sure if she is ready to revisit friends from a time that has been hard for her to deal with. They are all meeting up at the lake house to celebrate the upcoming nuptials and reminisce. It soon becomes apparent how much each of them has changed the question is are those changes to much to continue in the friendships. The bonds they once shared aren’t gone but making them whole again will be an emotionally hard journey. This was a wonderfully heartfelt read that will have you laughing, crying, and smiling throughout.
Another amazing book from Jill Shalvis. I never tire of her warm, witty characters or her varied storylines. She’s always got unexpected and hilarious elements that keep me completely entertained!
Now this is a book for a relaxing Sunday afternoon. It’s a story of friends who are more like family that come together for a wedding, they find themselves also coming together as family to offer support, fun and much needed tears. I just loved the small party they have in the bar. I loved the whole book.
I recommend this book 100%!
Jill Shalvis is my go-to author for contemporary romance. You can’t go wring with this one!!!
Family, friends, secrets, Jill handles all of these with humor and heart. This book gave me all the feels.
Beautifully flawed characters (aren’t we all) make this book, from one of my favorite authors, into a heartwarming, mesmerizing story.
Although they already had 2 children of their own, Caitlin and Michael, Shelly and Jim Walsh had so much love to give that they fostered Maze, Heather and Walker into their Wildstone home. It was the best year that Maze, Heather and Walker had, until a tragic accident pulled them away. Years later, Caitlin is getting married and has tricked her foster sibs into coming for a week. They have a week to reconnect, uncover and reveal secrets and misunderstandings and resume their once strong relationships.
I read an ARC from NetGalley.com. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.