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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Jill Shalvis has written yet another well written, beautiful story of second chances, friendship, healing in an honest, emotional, entertaining & humorous way. Maze, Walker & Heather were foster kids in Caitlin’s parents house with her brother Michael until tragedy struck. Cat, Maze, Walker & Heather were left to deal with the aftermath of the tragedy & all suffered in their own way causing a rift in their relationship. Cat’s upcoming wedding to Dillon brings them all home to Wildstone forcing them to deal with their issues, secrets, pain & guilt. Walker & Maze work on their second chance with love & friendship. All four of them work on repairing their friendships in an honest, emotional & humorous way while Heather also finds love. We can’t forget the adorable Sammie and pugs Roly & Poly. The shopping trip to Home Depot is hysterical too. This is just an incredible book that everyone should read!! I would love to see a follow up on all of these wonderful characters in the next Wildstone book.
Jill Shalvis has done it again with this sexy, heartwarming romance about a family fractured by tragedy. Maze blames herself for the death of her foster brother ten years ago. She sees herself as an irresponsible screw-up undeserving of her foster family’s love. But when foster sister Cat asks her to be maid of honor at her wedding, Maze is forced to confront her past—including Walker, who she’s loved since she was a teenager. A drunken night in Vegas three years earlier had them sharing a bed. They both passed it off as a mistake. But does love still bloom between them?
I loved these characters so much. I wish they had their own series. I was not done with this family when the book ended. It was a satisfying story, but I felt like there was more to tell.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
These 4 people spent one year together as a family. Caitlin, whose family fostered the others, is getting married, and has managed to get the others there for a whole week. Maze is a sister of the heart, and has been holding onto a feeling of extreme guilt for something that happened years earlier but caused the fosters to be sent away; she shows up with a plus-1 who really isn’t. Heather, the youngest of the 3 fosters, shows up with a toddler and no spouse/SO. Walker, who when he aged out, went into the military and then the FBI, is the 4th of the bunch; he’s managed to keep track of the others and steps in, sometimes anonymously, to help out when necessary. The story is really about Maze and Walker’s fiery relationship, and Caitlin’s confused feelings toward her fiance. Lots of angst, misreading of feelings, unresolved issues. And of course, a HEA for all.
The Forever Girl by Jill Shalvis is the latest in her Wildstone series. I consumed this book in less than two days because Jill’s writing style just keeps me going!
The story is about a group of foster siblings/“family of the heart” who went their separate ways after they were rocked by tragedy and secrets. They are all forced to spend over a week in each other’s company leading up to a wedding and in that time bonds are rekindled, old wounds are made fresh, and new beginnings sprout all over the place, as others end.
I liked the 3rd person limited point of view used to tell the story in this book from three different characters perspectives and how Jill created the opportunity for more than one HEA!! Yay!
Favorite quote: “Dude, when a woman says she’s fine, it’s code for she’s not fine.”
(ARC review via NetGalley)
I received this book as an ARC
Thoroughly enjoyable. A great cast of character, and an emotional roller coater ride you don’t really expect. At the same time, it was light and refreshing and funny. Well written, well told.
Caitlin, the ‘mother hen’ (control freak) determined to keep her family of foster siblings together.
Maze has low self-esteem. She blames herself for a tragedy that was actually an accident and has been living with guilt for years.
Heather is the mother of a toddler that none of her foster siblings, except Walker, knew existed.
Walker, the strong, silent protector. He would do anything for his ‘sisters’.
This is the ‘cast of characters’ of The Forever Girl. Not the traditional family, but you would be hard-pressed to find siblings who are closer or more protective of one another.
Ms. Shalvis has written a wonderful novel of family love, tragedy and forgiveness. It pulled me in with the first chapter and kept me reading late into the night. I couldn’t put it down.
Great book highly recommend reading.
The Forever Girl tugs the heart strings and will run you through the gauntlet of emotion. Maze is wonderful, rebellious, full of life and everyone can see it but Maze. No one is harder on Maze than herself. She’s a bundle of insecurity and low self esteem who accepts the blame for every bad thing that has ever happened. A foster child, Maze thought she had found her forever home when Cat’s family took her, Walker, and Heather under their wings until tragedy struck. Guilt ridden, Maze has withdrawn from the others. Heather has her own secrets and struggles. Walker is doing his own secretive thing. Cat just wants her family back and she manages to bring them all home for her marriage. The chemistry between Walker and Maze is off the charts and Walker’s back story is a little heartbreaking all on its own. Maze and Walker work on a second chance at love while the family works on forgiveness, understanding, and healing for a hard fought HEA. The characters in this book quickly become like the reader’s best friends and make the ending oh so bittersweet. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from Netgalley.
4.5 Stars
This is a beautiful story. I’m not gonna lie I teared up a few times while reading this. Heather, Cat, Maze, and Walker stole my heart. Little Sammie my heart as well. She’s so adorable! This book packed in the heart and feels. We had a few things going on at once which pulled all the emotions out of me. This is a book that’s going to leave a smile on your face once you done. This is a book you want to gobble right up, but you want to take your time because you’re sad once it’s finished. Maze and Walker deserve the HEA they should have had lone ago. All four of these characters are stepping back into Wildstone for the first time all together. It’s huge step for Maze and one she didn’t realize she needed. These characters are going to pull at your heartstrings. This is a must read!
Jill Shalvis has a way of twisting your perceptions. The story of three women who have known each other for years shows us an unusual family but one filled with love.
Jill Shalvis’ Wildstone series is such a delight to read. Though a series and set in the same fictional town, the stories highlight different characters and each book is its own beautiful warm hearted individual story.
The Forever Girl is Book 6 in this series and can be read in any order and a great stand alone. This time it’s a story about rebuilding friendships, and a wedding to reunite the pack!
This was such a heart warming read that pulled me right in to each one of these lovable and quirky characters. Each had their unique back stories, and I just love how they come together once again as their stories continue on. I just loved these unforgettable characters.
I really enjoyed the writing and that happy warm fuzzy feeling I get after reading Shalvis’ books. I highly recommend it.
Make sure you check out the other books in the series, it’s so fun to read.
All I can say is WOW, this book hit all my emotions. This was such a easy book to fall in love with, I loved the characters in the book, lol all but Dillon’s mom. Although this was book 6 in the series, it can very easily be read as a stand alone. The storyline touches on so many issues I am sure those in the foster care system feel each and every day. I would definitely recommend this book to others.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher and was under no obligation to leave a favorable review, all opinions expressed here are my own.
A very good book with great characters.
I have yet to come across a Jill Shalvis book I don’t love, and The Forever Girl was no different. Despite this being the sixth book in the Wildstone series, it works well as a standalone. In this new book, the reader meets Maze, Walker, Caitlin and Heather. The story began with them gathering for their yearly graveside visit, which began after the tragic accident that led to them being separated. Tension and guilt led to a massive blow-up creating a chasm within their relationship. Through it all, they never ceased keeping tabs on each other, though for a distance.
Three years later Caitlin is getting married, but her big day would not mean much if her family was not there to celebrate with her. She doesn’t want one day, so she devises a plan to have there for the week leading up to the wedding. Not only does she want them at her wedding, but she hopes to re-establish the bond they once shared before tragedy struck.
I had a great time getting to know these characters, who despite their imperfections and emotional scars, demonstrated strength and courage in facing their demons head on. They made mistakes along the way, but they owned it and were bold enough to make amends.
The Forever Girl took me on an emotional journey of friendship, family bonding, healing, forgiveness, second chances and rebirth. It dealt with hard-hitting issues, which readers can relate to. This installment came with a lot of anxious moments, however, Shalvis included some humorous situations which helped to lighten things a bit.
Maze and Walker’s back and forth as they tried to work through their issues was enough to give the reader a whiplash. It warmed my heart to see them finally getting it right the second time around. The story also delivered a secondary romance, which I found adorable.
Overall, I had a good time with this story and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. Fans of Shalvis will enjoy her latest offering.
Sometimes your family is the one you make not the one you are born into ….
A return to Jill Shalvis’ Wildstone is always an adventure and this time she delivers like always. Maze is returning to Wildstone reluctantly but she can not ignore the request from Cat who is the sister of her heart and her BFF, although currently estranged BFF. Maze grew up in the foster care system and for that one wonderful year lived with Cat and her family plus a motley collection of other fosters who all became their family by choice.
But “Mayhem” Maze has shut herself off from her family because she is afraid of hurting them and being hurt herself. Childhood traumas do have long term effects and need to be healed. And this is a book about the power of love and healing.
Everyone in this novel has issues they need to address due to childhood trauma. It is handled with a very delicate hand and well done. Plus we are able to see how love really can conquer all when we are willing to let down our wall and let someone in who may have the power to hurt us but they really love us. It is something that not only Maze learns in this novel but everyone in her misfit family.
Yes, there is a real love story in this wonderful novel but for me, it is secondary. What mattered the most to me was how everyone was finally able to start the healing from their childhood traumas. Healing is a life long process but it is also freeing. And watching the transformation of Maze as she started to heal was amazing.
Like all of Ms. Shalvis’ books, the characters and storyline are well researched and written. She weaves a delicate hand with dealing with childhood trauma and how it makes it harder to trust. Plus there are some really good love scenes in this book as well. After all, it is a romance novel.
I always say her latest book is my favorite and it is quite true. I love this one. And I have already planned my re-read. I took my time reading this one and savoring it. There is a lot to pick up. But if you prefer to plow through your romance books, this book works for that too. However, I think you will miss some of the underlying currents.
Plan a weekend where you can hide away curled up in a comfy spot and escape to Wildstone again.
I did receive a copy of this novel in advance from the publisher in exchange for a fair and unbiased review. The opinion expressed in this review is all mine though.
I am a softy when it comes to a second-chance romance, especially one that also crosses with a reconnection with old friend, who are more like family. Which is just what I got with The Forever Girl and I loved all the time I spent with Maze, Cat, Heather, and Walker.
And while The Forever Girl is a wonderful, smart, sexy redo of Maze and Walker’s romance, it’s also so much more. It’s a celebration of friendship and accepting each other’s faults and forgiving each other for past hurts.
I loved the friendship between Maze, Cat, Heather, and Walker. Loved that while they weren’t blood related, they were still family in each other’s eyes. Family who had each other’s backs regardless of what or who was wrong.
If you’re looking for a feel-good, smart, thoughtful read, don’t hesitate to pick up The Forever Girl today!
So far the Wildstone series has managed to simultaneously reduce me to a blubbering mess and fill my heart with such joy, and The Forever Girl is no different. Jill Shalvis is not an author to shy away from difficult subjects and this book tackles foster care, survivors’ guilt, and mental health.
We start The Forever Girl meet Maze, Caitlin, Heather, and Walker, a family of misfits, that were thrown together into a makeshift family, but that was all blown apart by loss. Now as adults that are all back together for Caitlin’s wedding, but when they’re all together it brings up all the secrets, misunderstandings, and pain of the past.
I don’t think there was a character that I couldn’t relate to in this book, I loved the way that they all opened themselves up, but of course, I loved the relationship between Maze and Walker, but honestly, the best moment for me is when Jace dressed up as Elvis!
From lipsticks on mirrors to Elvis impersonators, you cannot but help to love this entire book.
Maze must attend the wedding of her estranged best friend. This turns into more than she bargained for. It becomes a walk down memory lane to some unpleasant memories. Maze must face up to these memories and her attraction to Walker.
This story has a lot of characters to keep up with but once you get the hang of who, what, when and where…it takes off like a rocket. I enjoyed the interactions between Maze, Cat, Heather and Walker. These people had me laughing out loud and wanting to slap them all at the same time. I also loved Maze and Walker! OMG…WHAT A GREAT TEAM.
No one does snarky like Jill Shalvis. I swear this author can make me cry, laugh and snort all in the same sentence.
Need a fun, sometimes serious romance…this is it!
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
One of my favorite books! The stories of family and friendship! The drama of family and friendship! The love of family and friendship! This book was so hard to put down, a definite page turner for sure. There are so many connections and stories going on – Maze and Walker, Maze and Cat, Cat and Heather, and so many more. The love and friendship and caring and forgiveness of others and yourself, I talked to the characters more than once and read pages more than once (I normally don’t do that). I will be re-reading this book and it received a coveted spot on the books-to-keep bookshelf. Highly recommend!
Super charming romance that will give you all the feels! Jill Shalvis nailed the complicated friends/family dynamic and kept me engaged, wanting to see how the ladies would work things out. Also loved the chemistry between Maze and Walker. A Wildstone installment not to be missed!