Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke’s "Forever Hold Your Peace" is a gripping and emotionally resonant exploration of love, regret, and the transformative power of second chances. Set against the picturesque backdrop of Napa Valley, the novel follows the intertwined lives of two women, Cammie and Anna, whose friendship is tested by secrets from their shared past and the complexities of marriage.

At the heart of the story is Cammie, a successful wedding planner known for orchestrating perfect weddings while secretly grappling with her own doubts about love and commitment. When Cammie’s estranged best friend Anna announces her engagement to Cammie’s high school sweetheart, Ian, old wounds resurface, forcing Cammie to confront unresolved feelings and confrontations she’s long avoided.

Fenton and Steinke’s narrative unfolds through alternating perspectives, offering readers an intimate look into Cammie and Anna’s inner struggles and desires. The authors deftly explore themes of friendship, loyalty, and the consequences of choices made in the name of love. As the tension builds and secrets are revealed, readers are drawn into a web of conflicting emotions and moral dilemmas that resonate with authenticity and depth.

The characters in "Forever Hold Your Peace" are vividly drawn and multi-dimensional, each grappling with their own hopes, fears, and regrets. Cammie emerges as a complex and relatable protagonist whose journey of self-discovery is marked by moments of vulnerability and courage. Anna, with her own secrets and insecurities, adds layers to the narrative, highlighting the complexities of female friendships and the enduring bonds that withstand the test of time.

One of the novel’s strengths lies in its exploration of the complexities of marriage and the impact of past decisions on present relationships. Fenton and Steinke skillfully navigate the nuances of love and betrayal, offering readers a nuanced portrayal of characters struggling to reconcile their past actions with their present realities. The novel’s exploration of forgiveness and redemption is particularly poignant, as Cammie and Anna confront their shared history and search for closure amidst the lush vineyards of Napa Valley.

The authors’ prose is evocative and atmospheric, capturing the beauty and romance of Napa Valley with vivid descriptions and sensory detail. The setting serves not only as a backdrop but as a character in itself, reflecting the characters’ emotional journeys and adding depth to the novel’s exploration of love, loss, and the power of forgiveness.

In conclusion, "Forever Hold Your Peace" by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke is a compelling and thought-provoking novel that celebrates the complexities of love, friendship, and the enduring bonds that shape our lives. With its richly drawn characters, evocative prose, and poignant storytelling, the novel is a must-read for fans of contemporary fiction and anyone who appreciates a story that blends romance with themes of forgiveness and personal growth. Highly recommended for its emotional depth, compelling narrative, and the authors’ ability to capture the intricacies of relationships with honesty and compassion. anything by liz and Lisa is an automatic read for me so I was thrilled to receive this ARC. it was a funny premise mixing bride wars (but with the moms) and lost loves and broken promises. I loved the character development and the light hearted romance, friendship, and second chance romance themes.

This book was not for me. I appreciate the publishers and netgalley giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

"Forever, Hold Your Peace" by Liz Fenton is a contemporary fiction novel that tells the story of Josie and Frank Moore, a couple who are about to renew their wedding vows on their 10th anniversary. However, on the day of the ceremony, Josie receives a note from an anonymous source that threatens to reveal a long-buried secret that could change everything.

As Josie tries to uncover the truth behind the note, she is forced to confront the past and make difficult decisions about her marriage and her future. The novel explores themes of love, trust, forgiveness, and the complexities of marriage and relationships.

A premissa de misturar histórias de casamento famosas da ficção na ambientação desse livro me ganhou; eu entendo bem de família barulhenta, então foi divertido acompanhar essa parte! A parte caótica foi bem divertida e conseguiu emocionar onde deveria. Só achei que algumas coisas aconteceram convenientemente demais, mesmo pra uma romcom.

Thank you to #NetGalley, the authors and the publishers.

The plot is a little bit too coincidental if you ask me but it happens. From best friends, like sisters almost, to practically enemies, and I understood why after the past story came out. One of my favorite scenes was when the two mothers (June [mother of bride] and Amy [mother of groom]) saw each other for the first time in over 25 years. You could basically hear the screech of a record as if a record was playing in the restaurant.

It's hard to believe that June and Amy were friends in college since they are total opposites now. June was bitter about everything from the past that happened between her and Amy, and now she's bitter that Amy is practically taking over the wedding arrangements.

No one seems to want to bury the hatchet but can they? Can these once best friends become friends again and more importantly, mothers-in-laws that can get along? There's much more with their exes too but I'll leave it like it is.

I liked the second half of the book more. Of course it ended the way it did.

Forever Hold Your Peace is an enjoyable romance novel that does a great job of nailing the high stress situations when planning a wedding.

When Olivia and Zach meet in a whirlwind romance in Italy, and decide to get engaged all is happy until they return home back in the States. Is the honeymoon phase over before it even starts as they now have to tell their two sets of divorced parents the good news. In my opinion, Fenton and Steinke write with such clarity from the parents' perspectives. Past romances and divorces shade the adults opinions of this "too quick" romance. The twist in the middle of the plot not only give a bit of drama to an already frayed tension, but also throws this novel into a bit of absurdity. It all comes to a happy ending in the end, but readers weren't completely sure this novel was going to have a happy ending the entire time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for allowing me to read a copy of this novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of Forever Hold Your Peace by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke in exchange for my honest review and opinions. I have been waiting (and waiting) for a new book to come out from these two and was beyond excited to see this AND get approved to read it ahead of time. This book is FANTASTIC and I finished it in one day (Nothing else in my house got done but that is OK). This is a great, fast easy read that will keep you engaged from page one to the very last word. Do yourself a huge favor and pick this up the first chance you get and clear your schedule!

Forever Hold Your Peace wasn’t my cup of tea. Largely described as lighthearted and emotional, I just didn't feel it.

Despite having the couple, the parents, and a grandparent, I couldn't connect with any of them. I found them to be immature and whiny for most of the book, which made it less enjoyable for me.

Early on, social media was mentioned constantly and along with other things, felt repetitive.

This book has so many wonderful reviews, so perhaps I just wasn't the right reader for it. 2.5 rounded to 3 ⭐️ out of 5.

This book sold me on the initial pitch of Father of the Bride meets Bride Wars, even if I am often wary of co-authored novels. This was loads of fun. As someone from a messy family, I love reading about them, especially when there's a wedding in the background. This has all the fun of a chaotic 90s wedding family rom com, and surprisingly emotional.

This was pretty cute! It is described as "Father of the Bride" meets "Bride Wars", and I'd say that it's pretty accurate. Overall, its funny and enjoyable but not particularly memorable. I will definitely recommend this to patrons.

Forever Hold Your Peace was fun read that is a perfect escape. Not heavy or too deep, just a fun and light read. There were so many times that I was laughing at loud as some of the mother's escapades. There were equally as many tender and emotional times as well. I appreciated this fun story about divorce, in-laws, and finding true love.

This book was chaotic and fun. The description is certainly right about it being like Bride Wars and Father of the Bride which happen to be two of my favorite rom-coms. If you love romances, you will love this book. I would also recommend it for fans of Debbie Macomber, Danielle Steele, or the Hallmark Channel. It was super cute, fun and entertaining to read, and it would make the perfect movie!

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I love this dynamic duo writers who have been best friends forever. They’ve written another enjoyable book and this time in a true romantic comedy style. Two friends from college are brought together in a sometimes funny and other times poignant way. The characters are complex yet relatable and I read it quickly to find out what happens. I’m hoping this one is made into a limited series.

I enjoy this author duo a lot and this one is really nice! This a family drama set around a wedding & a lot of it was just over the top, but also believable. My most sincere thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary advanced digital review copy. The rating & any opinions are my own

I love reading about messy wedding drama, so that's what initially attracted me to this book and its premise. I also love second chance relationships when they are well-done, like this one is. I think this book is a fantastic "beach read" vibe but with the extra bonus of so much warmth and heart plus a smart, well-executed premise. I could totally see this being a movie!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the gifted eARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

One of my favorite duo's ever!

This almost reminded me of the movie "You Again" in a weird way an in theory but it was so much more
I was in desperate need of a light book and this one hit the nail on the head.

Two moms, who were best friends and haven't spoken in over 2 decades come together when their children (who have no idea about the history) are engage. But there is so much more these two kids don't know about their families pasts TOGETHER

There is a lot of family drama (which actually made me feel normal since my family has so much drama lol) but this is also a fun book to read!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC

Forever Hold Your Peace brought me back to Liz and Lisa’s first books…. I loved absolutely everything about this story. The Humor was spot on, and characters were instantly loveable. Would definitely recommend.

Olivia and Zach met on a whirlwind trip in Italy and immediately fell in love. Upon returning to the states, engaged, the two have to tell their parents and hope for their approval. Both sets of parents are divorced and have significant issues with the marriage being so quick and at such young ages. But this isn't even close to the drama that is to come when both mothers meet each other for what is supposed to be the first time over brunch. When they come face to face, the mothers know each other fart too well. They were once best friends, before one night, their friendship and a coming marriage were destroyed. This story was straight out of the movies. It had everything you would want in a book. Thank you, NetGalley for the eARC. 4 stars.

FATHER OF THE BRIDE is one of my favorite movies, and when I heard that FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE was compared to it and written by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke, I had to read it and I am happy to say that the comparison was spot on.
Two ex-best friends brought back together when their children unexpectedly meet and fall in love. The two mothers spend their time trying to one-up each other in trying to plan the perfect wedding, forgetting along the way that it isn’t about them. Throw in family secrets, betrayals, and, ultimately, forgiveness and you have an entertaining and satisfying read.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the novel. All opinions are my own and freely given.

3.5 rounded up to four. Cute story and the Rose Parade towards the end was the perfect moment.

I admittedly made the mistake of going in blind without reading the synopsis. I love Liz & Lisa and simply expected a suspense. I kept waiting for the shoe to drop. *facepalm*. This was a sweet novel and I thoroughly enjoyed it.