CarolineBecoming a teen mom at sixteen was not what I expected, but then again, neither was being a single parent. Still, I wouldn’t change my past because that boy is my world.Hockey is the only thing my son seems to care about, so I work two jobs to make sure he can play. I’d do anything to make sure he doesn’t suffer because of the bad decisions his father made.When he won a whole summer of … won a whole summer of hockey training, I knew in my heart he was going to have an amazing time.
What I wasn’t prepared for was meeting his new summer coach. He was magnetic, powerful, and a player—in all forms of the word. If my life had taught me anything up to this point,
it was how to avoid making bad decisions, and Justin Stone was the definition of a bad decision.
I could never be a woman his family approved of. Even if I wished I could be. [JS1]
Justin
Growing up as the son of a hockey God is one thing. Growing up as the brother of a second hockey God is another. I had big skates to fill, so it was a good thing I loved every second of it.
Summer was my off time, my time to let loose, but when they ask me to coach a hockey camp for underprivileged kids, I couldn’t say no.
But when she walked in holding a little boy’s hand, my heart stopped beating. Or maybe it started for the first time. T
hey were a package deal, and I knew this—wanted it more than I’ve ever wanted anything. It didn’t take long to realize that no matter what happened,
I would do anything to protect them.
She is the only one I want to be with.
When push comes to shove, I have to prove to everyone that this is my choice, and This is Forever.
[JS1]This seems awkward. Can you just delete?
more
Justin Stone all grown up! A hockey star, based in Edmonton, away from his New York family but happy now that he’s been there for some time. I loved reading about how initially he was so homesick that his parents went to visit him every other week, but he’s now all man, a gorgeous hottie, and heads a philanthropic charity that provides kids the opportunity to practice hockey with the greats. He’s proud and eager to start his new hockey summer camp, and little does he realize that he will meet the love of his life on the first day of camp. Make that two loves, since Caroline arrives with her eight year old son Dylan to the first day of camp and Justin is floored, first with Catherine’s green eyes, and then with Dylan’s incredible talent on the ice.
Caroline is a very downtrodden woman. Pregnant at eighteen, married at nineteen, her husband was the high school quarterback, full of promise and a brilliant future. That future disappeared when he was injured and then addicted to the pain pills. Eight years later, Caroline survives, thanks to her indomitable spirit, working two jobs and living for her boy, and trying to keep her druggie ex-husband away from them.
When Justin appears in her life, wanting to get close to her, she’s naturally reluctant. With years of bad luck, alone and reliant only on her hard work, she doesn’t like to be beholden to anyone, she solves her own problems. What she doesn’t know is that Justin shares the caveman personality inherited from his father, and he leads her a merry chase, dissolving all her problems, jumping over all her obstacles, and winning over her boy, with love, sweetness, compassion, empathy, generosity, and just plain tenacity.
There are some tear-jerking scenes, when the despair overcomes Caroline and you want to cry with her. But Justin always knows when she’s down and he’s always there to ease her burden. She’s hard to convince that there’s finally someone who wants to help her and love her, but Justin is determined. Dylan is a sweet and precious little boy who is always hungry, always eager to get on the ice and play. He impressed everyone with his talent.
I loved this story, loved all the characters and love it even more when the whole Stone gang rushed to Edmonton to meet Caroline and Dylan. I admired Caroline because in the face of the biggest adversities, she cries, dries her tears, and says “it’s another bump in the road”, and forges on. Admirable and respectable. I loved Justin’s “sweetheart” opening to sentences, which meant that he was going to ride over her complaints and convince her (by trickery) on doing things his way. He’s the perfect boyfriend!
Lovely story, entertaining, emotional at times, angsty and funny others, and totally, utterly lovely. Dylan is a beautiful little boy who breaks your heart when you see how he’s absorbing the love and attention that Justin bestows on him, and how he returns that love multiplied. This story really moved me and delighted me!
What a series and what a conclusion!
Justin is more than people think he is. He’s caring, compassionate and has a heart as big as my state, Texas.
Caroline is a single mom, making things work to the best of her ability.
Dylan is a kid that deserves the best.
Add all of these characters together and the story is simply the best. A slow burn that is filled with love, compassion, and chemistry! Job well done and five stars well earned!
Natasha Madison REALLY dialed up the emotion in this 5+ star read for me! I thought I knew what to expect with this sexy hockey hero and struggling single mom, but it was SO MUCH MORE!
I cried happy and heartbroken tears with this heartfelt story. At the core, was the bond of family, reinforcing that you don’t have to share bloodlines to take care of your own.
You’ll be rooting for Justin, Caroline and Dylan form the very beginning of this book, and I dare you to be able to put it down. It was that addictive! It was truly the perfect close to this series, and will have your heart thru the very last sentence.
This is hands down, my first top read for 2020! You need this story NOW!
Be still my beating heart! Never though Justin would steal the top spot in my heart but he did!! Natasha did a fantastic job with his book.
Natasha will steal you heart with this totally swoon-worthy romance. I was completely gripped from beginning to end. I have absolutely loved this series of swoon-worthy alpha males mixed with feisty females, this one did bring some drama to it but whilst it broke my heart (and I’m sorry to say made me shout at Justin’s family a few times) it was brilliantly written.
Soon as Justin meets single mum Caroline he is drawn in like a moth to a flame. There is something about this woman that calls to his soul and he will do whatever he can for her or be whatever she needs him to be. He has met his forever person.
Well done Natasha for another brilliant read. Not only did you give us a great slow burn romance but you brought all my old favourites back together <3
I don’t think I have read any Natasha Madison book that hasn’t touched me in one way or another. This book when I started I knew it was going to make me cry, and seriously I was hooked.
As the son of Cooper and Parker you just knew that Justin was going to be another freak God! And he was. Huge heart and sweet and caring and protective, what more do you want.
My heart just broke for Caroline. She needed some happiness in her life, she and her little boy.
But Justin had a long road ahead of him if he wanted this women in his life.
“I want to get to know you, and I want you to give me a chance.”
“You just feel sorry for me,” she says, trying not to let her voice get louder.
I look at her, and it takes me two seconds to step really close to her. “I feel a lot of things for you, Caroline, but sorry isn’t one of them.”
Everything about this story just gives you goose bumps and makes you giddy and excited and just plain #sigh. I don’t think I will ever get tired of reading books like this or books from this author. Natasha I am ready for the next one
What a phenomenal ending to a fabulous series. I loved Justin, Caroline and Dylan. They were the perfect little family. While reading this book I didn’t want it to end because it was sooo good and yet I couldn’t put it down because it was soo good! I just love the Stone family and loved all of them. It was great to have them in Justin’s book. I would definitely recommend this book and if you have read the other books in this series you will not be disappointed with this one.
Natasha saved the best for last. This book was EVERYTHING, I laughed and cried like never before. Justin was someone I was intrigued about since we had little peeks of him in the other books. He was so not what I expected, he is truly Matthews brother.
This book was a book about life, love, strength, and family. Justin had his head in the game, he has no time for nothing but hockey. So when Caroline walks into his life with the most amazing kid, his life gets turned upside down. Caroline and Dylan were everything, I cried so many times all because of them. While Caroline thinks she’s weak, she is seriously the strongest heroine ever. I loved her and her strength so much. Justin just didn’t want Caroline in his life, he wanted Dylan too.
Dylan was the best, gawd I loved that kid and his bond with Justin so much. This is the conclusion of the This is Series and it’s truly unforgettable. A must read!!!
I was granted an ARC from Wildfire Marketing and Natasha Madison for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Caroline has been a single mom since day one. Dylan has been the light of her life for the past 8 years. Dylan is a young super star hockey player who was granted a scholarship to play in Justin Stone’s foundation. Caroline has sacrificed everything for her son. She works two jobs so get herself out of debt, but also to shield Dylan from the things his father has done.
The more Justin sees and hears about what Caroline has had to do and sacrifice for her boy, the more he wants to help out. Of course, Caroline is worried to let someone help her. Afraid that the help with go away one day and she will be left once more to pick up the pieces. However, Justin has been taking notes all his life from watching the men in his life fall in love. Now he is all in and willing to do whatever it takes to let Caroline see he isn’t going anywhere.
I can’t even begin to tell you how much expectation I had before starting this book. This book has now surpassed all the books I have read by Natasha Madison. This book delivered above and beyond what I expected. I was boo hoo crying 18% in! My heart ached for what Caroline went through and how she literally had ZERO help what so ever from her family and didn’t make friends easily. I am so glad that everything did change when she decided to let Justin in. That isn’t something easy to do when you are a single parent.
I highly recommend this book. You don’t have to read them in order, but I would suggest you reading Something So Right (Cooper Stone), Something So Perfect (Matthew Grant) and Something So Irresistible (Max Horton) books to fully understand the family dynamics. These men are cavemen and love fiercely.
4.5 Stars
This book is one you can easily get lost in. I couldn’t out it down. This book brings the heart and feels. The emotions were poring out of me while reading this one along with the characters. Justin, man is he such prime book boyfriend material. every woman deserves a man like him in their corner. How much family means to Justin is what I love most about him. My heart went out to Carolina and her son. Life has thrown some bad luck her way, but the day Dylan starts Justin’s summer hockey camp will change their lives for the better. It made me so happy to see how Justin treats her and her son. The epilogues were so great and made my heart so happy. This is a must read as well as the rest of the series.
Following on his family footsteps, Justin Stone has a foundation that offers a hockey camp for underprivileged children. It’s there where he meets Caroline, a down on her luck, hardworking single mother, and her son Dylan.
Justin is immediately attracted to the young mom and he soon takes it upon himself to help them out any way he can while making them part of his life.
This is a nice story about a man falling in love with a young woman and her child. His relationship with her develops fast, but the pièce de résistance is definitely the relationship with the child, how he embraces a kid whose lifeline is his mother and desperately craves the love and acceptance of an absent father who only comes to steal what he can to support his vice.
As in all the other books of the series, the family is a big part of everything the Stones do and they come to give support to the main characters in their time of need. This is always the part that makes the story fun and entertaining.
On the downside, I’m not an insta-love fan and this only made the story hard to swallow and a tad predictable for me.
Justin is all grown-up! This Is Forever was a sweet romance. I liked how Justin and Caroline developed their relationship. I enjoyed their interactions together as well as the ones with Caroline’s son Dylan. It was just endearing. I also liked seeing the rest of the Stone family and their significant others. They are a hoot as well as a loving family. There was also some action involving Caroline’s ex and it showed that love can conquer all. Overall a very heartwarming and fun story.
How do you feel about a love story that brings out all the feels?! This one has all the elements I love. Strong single mom full of heart, single ‘holy hotness’ hockey player and of course sweet little boy that ties them together. Add said hockey player’s crazy and amazing family who have shades of hockey royalty, well this story is a win win for me.
Plan to love Justin with his shades of “alpha ness” (haha) and Caroline, dedicated momma, as much as I did. There definitely are parts of this story that broke my heart. You get an up close and personal look at how drug addiction not only changes a person but destroys them. Sob.
The beauty of this story is it truly is a tale of resiliency. Sigh. You see how love always shining the brightest. Peppered with some juicy sexiness, all I can say is yum. Not going to lie, salivation was an issue several time. Eek! Awesome five star worthy book. Happy Reading Everyone! XOXO
My first Natasha Madison book was about Justin Stone’s parents, Cooper and Parker in Something So Right. I fell in love with her writing, her story telling, her characters! I am thrilled to finally read Justin’s story. I’m devastated to see this series end. It is one of my all time favorite ever. This is Forever might end up being my favorite book of all. Justin is his own man for sure. But he encompasses so much of his family in him! You see his mother his father his brother his sisters and in laws in his personality. Natasha, you did a terrific job bringing his story to life! Caroline is his perfect forever match and Dylan is an amazing kid. This whole family is on my permanent bookshelf and I guess I’ll just have to start at the beginning and fall in love with them all over again! 5 well deserved stars! I loved it
4.5 nearly perfect stars for this one! If you’ve read the whole series and I mean going back to the beginning to the start of this hockey family dynasty then this book might tug at your heart strings a bit as it is VERY reminiscent of where it all began with Cooper Stone and Parker…
Loved that the author brought it full circle and wrapped up the family this way. More of an emotional read and it was just what I wanted/needed. Well done and a great way to end things.
This for me is the best book in this series. Justin’s story has been a long time coming. We’ve seen him through all the other books right from when he is a kid. But what makes this special is that he becomes a beautiful man that his parents and family should be more than proud of.
This book is so heartbreaking I found myself in tears so many times. I cried for Caroline, what a brave, strong and fantastic mum is woman is. I cried for the hand she had been dealt. I cried for how she had been treated and I cried because she always put Dylan first. She did everything possible for him never to be affected by what was happening.
Now Dylan for me was the character of the book. I swooned for Justin and how he was with Dylan. But Dylan was a beautiful little boy with such a heart of gold that was always Starving, that always wanted a snack and was totally happy with whatever he is given. No matter how small it was and even if it was not new.
This book shows me just how special Cooper and Parker are, they are where it all began, how they created a family of really special people. Justin as a person is a complete mixture of siblings and parents. He has such love, heart, and passion for what he believes in. Making him a beautiful man. A family man. And in Caroline and Dylan he finds his home.
This book is a total recommendation from me. I totally loved it. I really hope it doesn’t end there. Dylan so needs his own story.
Reviewer: Donna
This Is Forever is the perfect culmination for the “This Is Series”. Natasha Madison has outdone herself with this one. She touched on so many different topics and stereotypes and she completely knocked each of them out of the park. With this book (number 4 of the series) she gives us all a picture of what family love is all about. It does not matter if that family is small or if that family is the size of the Stones,
Justin Stone may be the youngest but he is another chip off the Stone block and a force to be reckoned with. While people may think they know him from his on court actions, it is always amazing when people find out the man behind the mask. Justin in a gentle man, but he is a man that is coming into his own, with a respect for others and a passion for what is right…no matter the situation.
Caroline is powerful. There is no other way to describe her. But her power is all about what she knows to be true and correct. Her love of family and her acceptance of life’s hardships…let alone her ability to keep a smile on her face with each new hurdle… are reasons why she is loved and envied by those who know her. She is not a pushover and she is fierce in that momma bear style.
Natasha Madison not only puts these two forces in the same circle, but she also made them learn to recognize and respect the assets of the other. Through it all, their attraction only grows. Heartwarming, touching, insightful, scary, angsty and steamy are some of the words that come to mind when thinking of this story, and I am happy to say this story is worth all the stars.
First Read of the year, and I am shaken by what Justin has become. This guy who in previous books was a plain guy, chill guy, turned into THE MAN. I am still at a loss for how to explain this heartfelt, family is everything end of this series. I have been with this author since the beginning, Justin’s Dad, Cooper Stone, Something So Right, was her first release and I have never read a series (technically 2 series) that has stayed so true to every single character.
Justin has a workshop for kids who love hockey, most of these kids are lower-income, don’t really have the money to get noticed or help, He is overseeing and participating in the entire workshop, he meets a struggling single Mom Caroline whos son Dylan in part of the workshop. Caroline has it rough, and I know that people saying its exaggerated, for pity nope I cried because I have been in a similar place. Justin who is a get around kinda guy finally finds something worth fighting for a family.
Just Read this story, I promise you will more than love it. It has everything, I don’t want to say Goodbye to this Family
I fell in love with Natasha’s writing after reading her first book, Something So Right. At the very end of that book, baby Justin is born. Never in my wildest dreams did I think, 3 and a half years later, I’d be even more in love with Justin than I am his father, the Cooper Stone.
This book takes the family story full circle, in SSR Cooper falls in love with single mom Parker, whose young son is a gifted hockey player, and the same happens to Justin in this story, Justin falls for single mum Caroline, and her young son Dylan, who is event more gifted at hockey than the Stone men. Be prepared to not only lose your heart to Justin, but also to Dylan, the sweetest 8 year old ever.
This story will decimate your heart, it will take you on a journey that will have you sobbing your heart out, at the same time as swooning at what an amazing man Justin is and laughing at the family’s antics. Justin continually shows how he not only loves and cares for Caroline, but also takes Dylan under his wing on and off the ice and teaches him how to be a good man. He gives both Dylan and Caroline the one thing that’s been lacking from their lives, the love and affection of family.
As with all the books in this fantastic series, amongst the heavy is the light relief that comes in the form of the Stone family ties, the bond between Matthew and Justin is strong, Matthew not only guides Justin in what to do when it comes to Caroline, but he does it in such a way that you will be crying with laughter.
I loved Caroline and Justin’s HEA, it’s the story you didn’t know the series was missing until you read it, then everything finally clicks into place and you are content with the ending this family has…. Until Natasha finally relents and writes the next generations stories (Jack and Evie anyone?!)
I would give this book a million stars if I could, this is Natasha bringing not only her A game, but all the game in the world, she smashed this one and I can’t recommend it enough.
Caroline never expected to be a teen mom. When she marries the father because her family kicked her out when she refused to give up her baby, she also never expected he would become an absentee father, drug addict and thief. She’s never had the love or support she needed. But, she’d do anything for her son, including work multiple jobs and do without so he can play hockey. All she wants is for him to be happy, healthy, safe and know that he is loved.
Justin seems like he has it all. He’s an NHL star (along with his father & brother) and comes from a very loving and supportive family. Wanting to give others the opportunity he had, his foundation offers a free hockey camp for disadvantaged children. He expected the camp to be a good time, but what he never expected was Caroline and her son, Dylan. From just one look something changed in Justin and he’s gone from carefree bachelor to wanting so much more. Now, he needs to convince Caroline that this isn’t charity or a fling . . . it’s forever.
I loved Caroline, Justin & Dylan so much. This book had all the feels!!! Caroline is such an amazing woman and mom. I loved that Dylan is always put first, and he is really a great kid and his character adds so much to this story! And I adored that Justin immediately knew he was all in . . .he never had a doubt and it was amazing to watch him gain Caroline and Dylan’s friendship, trust and love. And, watching him turn to and listen to his brother Mathew, the original caveman himself, for advice was priceless. While this couple rocked, my favorite parts were watching Justin fall in love with Dylan. It was sweetness overload in the best of ways.
I adore the Stone men from Cooper down to his sons. And, the women are just as amazing and tough. I fell more in love with this couple, family and story with every page, and by the time the book comes full circle in the epilogue, I was smiling ear to ear. 5 stars for This is Forever!
Do you like a romance set around the game of hockey? Do you like family sagas? Are you a sucker for a kid who isn’t a brat? Are you the type that a good storyline engages? Do you root for the underdog? Can you empathize with a young woman who has always been down on her luck? Do you like Alpha Males? If you answered yes to any of these, then I know you won’t be disappointed when you read this book. I loved Justin and Caroline’s story. Yes, this is a part of a series. Could you read it as a stand alone? Maybe….but you’d be a lost soul if you didn’t read the others. I loved everything about this book. I shed a few tears, laughed some, smiled a lot, and shook my head at some of the low angst moments. Dual point of view. No cliffhanger.