Title: The Forever Girl by Jill Shalvis
Wildstone Series Book Six
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction, Romance
Length: 400 pages
Book Rating: B+
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss
Summary:
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 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.
Review:
The Forever Girl by Jill Shalvis is a heartwarming novel of family, healing and love. While this newest release is the sixth installment in the Wildstone series, it can be read as a standalone.
Although Maze Porter, Walker Scott and Heather are now adults, their childhood in foster care still haunts them. They were lucky enough to be fostered with the Walsh family, but when tragedy struck, it tore all of them apart. The three remained friends with Caitlin “Cat” Walsh, but they have been slightly estranged for the last three years. With her upcoming wedding nearing, Cat maneuvers her family of the heart into spending time with her at her family’s lakeside cabin. Will their time together allow them to mend the fractures in their relationship?
Cat is excited about the reunion with Maze, Walker and Heather but she is nervous about her upcoming wedding. Many of the details still need taken care of but she is struggling to get them done. Cat is also concerned about her relationship with her fiancé Dillon as she realizes they might not want the same things. But she pushes aside her nerves and with a lot of help from Maze, her wedding plans get back on track.
Maze has allowed the guilt over tragic events to guide her relationship with her former foster parents, Cat, Walker and Heather. She is also emotionally closed off as she tries to protect herself from getting hurt again. Maze is also trying very hard to ignore her feelings for Walker but she cannot avoid spending time with him. The two of them are keeping a huge secret from their friends and Walker shocks her with an unexpected revelation.
Walker does not let much rattle him since he is calm under pressure. Although he openly shows how much everyone means to him, Walker does not reveal too much about his past. He is surprised by a recent, discovery but Walker decides it is up to Maze what to do about it.
The Forever Girl is a very touching novel that is emotionally compelling. The characters are beautifully developed with easy to relate issues. The storyline is engaging and the characters grow and evolve as the story unfolds. Walker and Maze are a wonderful couple but their respective baggage leads to misunderstandings and lack of communication. Jill Shalvis brings this delightful novel to a wonderful conclusion that will tug on readers heartstrings. Another outstanding addition to the Wildstone series that old and new fans are sure to love.
