The Forever Girl: A Novel

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…

Jill Shalvis has a way of writing that pulls you in and engages you in the story from the outset and The Forever Girl was no exception. This book touched on so many different things from family, family of the heart, friends, second chances, love and forgiveness and it was definitely not short on emotion, humor or heart. Maze has come back to Wildstone for her friend Caitlin's (Cat) wedding and in the process, she reunites with the other two, Heather and Walker, who as teenagers made up the foursome that spent so much time together and were bonded by both wonderful memories and hardships. While the four of them have been apart for many years, when they find themselves under one roof again, many things revert back to "normal" pretty quickly, while there are other things that time has changed about each of them causing some issues and bringing things to the surface that weren't dealt with years before. Will they be able to re-establish the connections that they once shared or has time separated them too much? You really get a bit of everything with this book; romance, friendship and family. Each of the characters, along with the secondary characters, are well defined, so you find yourself rooting for each of them to end up exactly where they are supposed to be. This is another fantastic addition to the Wildstone series!

The Forever Girl is the 6th book in the Wildstone Series. It can be read as a stand alone novel or as a part of the series. Jill Shalvis is a master at creating heart warming stories that include something for every reader her books are filled with secrets, comedy, sarcasm, family dynamics, second chances, forgiveness, and suspense. She creates characters that really hit home with her audience. Her books are page turners that you do not want to put down. They are the perfect escape for times like these. Maze returns to Wildstone to reunite with childhood friends who were close once but broken apart after a tragedy. As adults they return for the wedding Cat who wants all of her “family” with her as she moves into her future. They have secrets, resentments and it all comes out through reminiscing while staying at the lake house. They fall into the roles of their youth without missing a beat. Though life has changed them they also all remain the same in some regards. This is their chance to see if they can work through their past and move into the future together stronger than ever. They go through all of the feels during this reunion anger, sadness, resentment, love, attraction and in some ways fear to move into the future as it should be. Do not forget your tissues because it is a tearjerker that will have you laughing out loud. The roller coaster of emotions carries you through to the very end.

This sixth in the Wildstone series was harder to get into than previous titles, but it ended well and with excitement. I mean, if it's not the bride wearing the wedding dress, and it's not the maid of honor wearing HER dress, who is? And why do each of them escape out a window to avoid going through with the marriage? Better yet, this family of misfits who make up a family of semi-sisters and and brother and their plus-ones for the wedding of Caitlin and Dillon come back together at Caitlin's bidding. Each has misgivings about the gathering after they'd all separated years earlier over misunderstandings and secrets that each has held tightly. But then there's little Sammie, the toddler no one else knew about. Or, well, maybe most of them, but not Walker, who helped Heather when he learned she was pregnant and alone. Then their Maze, who is certain that Dillon is the wrong man for Cat, but it's not her decision to make, even if she is maid of honor. As with other tales in this series, we see families made up not of blood, but of key compelling relationships and how from these gatherings we see the coupling of not one pair, but two, thereby increasing questions about how they will all end up, especially when one of the plus-one guys turns out to be attracted to Heather and her darling daughter. Doesn't she also deserve a good guy for a change? But will Maze accept what Walker is offering? Or will he turn tail and run to avoid seeing Maze do the same--again?

Jill Shalvis writes wonderful stories that include life events and love. If you enjoy reading these types of books, try out a Jill Shalvis book, you will not regret it!