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A review by vicki_cosy_books
Almost Forever: An emotional debut perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes by Laura Danks
I don’t make any secret of the fact that I’m a sucker for a good love story AND a good old sob. I love books that make me emotional, whether that’s by filling me with joy or breaking my heart. So when I first read the synopsis of Almost Forever I thought it might be a book I’d enjoy. What I wasn’t expecting was just how much I did love it!
Almost Forever isn’t a huge book (It’s published digitally only but I think the print page equivalent is about 260 pages) but WOW! does it pack a whole lot in. It tells the story of Fran, about to elope with her childhood sweetheart and love of her life, Paul, when tragedy occurs and her husband to be is suddenly critically ill and in a coma. Over the following weeks as Fran sits vigil over his bedside, she recalls the past, with flashbacks to the summer in her childhood when she first met him and his family.
I absolutely loved how the past and present was intertwined to tell what in its own way is an epic love story. As Fran struggles to deal with and come to terms with what has happened, we hear the most touching tale of young love. Of course, as with any great love story, it doesn’t always run smooth and with a “will they, won’t they” set of twists and turns, I found myself desperately hoping for a happy ending and willing them to get together.
I really got behind this pair of sweethearts and was completely carried away by the sheer romantic-ness of it! And it was so very romantic, without being sickly sweet. There’s a real class and sincerity about Fran and Paul’s developing relationship which I just adored! So the contrast between the past and the upsetting circumstances of the present were all the more stark, as all that hope and possibility turns to grief and despair making for an emotional roller-coaster of a book, which had me sobbing more than once.
Almost Forever surprised me. I was ready for a bit of a weepy, but what I wasn’t prepared for was just how intense it would be. While there’s some sad topics covered, there’s an overarching feeling of strength and hope running through this book. An intelligent and sophisticated romance, I’ll be adding Laura Danks to my list of authors to look out for in the future.
Almost Forever isn’t a huge book (It’s published digitally only but I think the print page equivalent is about 260 pages) but WOW! does it pack a whole lot in. It tells the story of Fran, about to elope with her childhood sweetheart and love of her life, Paul, when tragedy occurs and her husband to be is suddenly critically ill and in a coma. Over the following weeks as Fran sits vigil over his bedside, she recalls the past, with flashbacks to the summer in her childhood when she first met him and his family.
I absolutely loved how the past and present was intertwined to tell what in its own way is an epic love story. As Fran struggles to deal with and come to terms with what has happened, we hear the most touching tale of young love. Of course, as with any great love story, it doesn’t always run smooth and with a “will they, won’t they” set of twists and turns, I found myself desperately hoping for a happy ending and willing them to get together.
I really got behind this pair of sweethearts and was completely carried away by the sheer romantic-ness of it! And it was so very romantic, without being sickly sweet. There’s a real class and sincerity about Fran and Paul’s developing relationship which I just adored! So the contrast between the past and the upsetting circumstances of the present were all the more stark, as all that hope and possibility turns to grief and despair making for an emotional roller-coaster of a book, which had me sobbing more than once.
Almost Forever surprised me. I was ready for a bit of a weepy, but what I wasn’t prepared for was just how intense it would be. While there’s some sad topics covered, there’s an overarching feeling of strength and hope running through this book. An intelligent and sophisticated romance, I’ll be adding Laura Danks to my list of authors to look out for in the future.