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A review by lmrivas54
This Is Forever by Natasha Madison
5.0
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!
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!