Cover Image: Chasing Forever

Chasing Forever

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Member Reviews

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆
M/M Romance

Malcolm, or Mal as he's known in the story, has fallen on some difficult times. After being severely injured, he is trying to figure out what his new normal is going to look like. When he is somewhat tricked into taking over the LGBTQ group at the school where he teaches, he never expected to find healing within that group too.

Brian Kenway is known as the town player. He never really has a partner for long. When he has to face his actions and what they might mean for his future, he has to face some strong truths that are hard.

Brian and Mal want to make their relationship work, but with a nephew who needs someone to fight for him, a person overcoming great physical injury, plus all of the baggage that Brian has from his home life, the reader has to wonder if they will ever make it.

This book took me a while to get into. I knew that it was part of the series. so I didn't want to quit reading, but I contemplated that a lot. For me, this story was just kind of blah at the beginning. Towards the middle, when you get into the more nitty gritty of each character's history, it became more of a developed story. Overall, while it was an enjoyable read, I didn't like it as much as the previous books.


Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
I really, really didn’t want to like Brian. Brian was a complete arse as Simon’s ex in the first book and there wasn’t much of any redemption in the second story. I only gave Brian’s book a chance because I really enjoyed the first two books – and I’m really glad I did.

Brian doesn’t change overnight. He’s slick enough to be off putting when he first tries to pick up Malcolm and his initial reaction to his nephew is pretty cold. But Brian’s backstory was enough to thaw my reaction to him and with Malcolm and Josh’s influence, he slowly becomes more human and more loveable page by page. Malcolm is a heartbreakingly wonderful character. He’s an inspirational, devoted teacher but his personal life is painfully lonely. A horrible accident stole his ability to run and hike – and it also stole his confidence and independence. At the start, I really didn’t feel like Brian deserved Malcolm but these two surprised me and they work well together by the end of the story.

Brian and Malcolm’s relationship is a bumbling, awkward thing from the start. These two don’t communicate and they’re both incredibly guarded. Theirs is a very slow burn romance that tried my patience at times.

Beyond the romance, I didn’t enjoy the story in this book as much as I did the first two. I enjoyed Brian’s slow build relationship with Josh, but I felt like the teens in Malcolm’s LGBT club took up too much space in an adult romance. The regeneration storyline didn’t come to a very satisfying conclusion and extra characters seemed to appear and disappear without any real continuity. I liked this story, but I do prefer the first two books in the series. These books should stand alone but readers will understand more about Brian if they read the series in order.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the third book in the series, and there are undoubtedly links across the books, but this is a rich story in its own right, so you could certainly pick this up and enjoy it as a standalone.

Mal has survived a catastrophic accident and is slowly recovering. He little expects to catch the eye of the suave Brian, who has a reputation as a player and a sharp businessman. But a combination of events and encounters bring these two men together.

I really enjoyed the way that the issues raised are dealt with in this book. The juxtaposition of Mal's twin's behaviour compared to the actions of Brian's. The need to support each other and the obligation to help others gives us a great insight into the real men under the pain and the mask. As well as the leads, we get to understand the importance of Donny and Vanessa in their lives. Kelly Jensen does a really good job of making us care about the people in this community.

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Two men, both afraid of getting too close and losing again, meet. One, Malcolm Montgomery, has had more than his fair share of knocks in life. His latest left him with two badly injured legs, and learning how to walk again. Countless surgeries, with potentially more to come, find Mal trying his best to see beyond not only the physical pain but also grappling with the depressing belief that he will never really measure up to anyone’s standards, and remain alone. Already fifty, the prospects of finding someone to take a chance on him are slim.

The other man is a serial cheater and renowned player, Brian Kenway. Only Brian knows the real reason he was never faithful to his partner of twelve years, but now Simon is happy with another man and Brian is alone. But, all that is about to change. A broken window and a runaway will invade Brian’s home and, eventually, his heart, but it will be the high school teacher who asks Brian to help with the school’s GSA who will turn Brian’s life upside down. Mal is just the sort of man Brian has never been attracted to before, but now all bets are off, and life is going to get very interesting for both Mal and Brian—if only they can learn to trust each other.

Brian’s story is the third installment in Kelly Jensen’s This Time Forever series, and it is probably the most gut-wrenching of the three. When we are finally privy to what makes Brian tick, it is staggering, horrifying, and brutally honest. Between his backstory and young Josh’s current situation, I think this may well be the novel that resonates with more gay men and women than any other. Suddenly becoming not only an uncle to Josh, but one that has to open not only his home but his heart as well, is profoundly challenging for Brian, and it exposes all kinds of memories that he would rather have kept buried. But Mal is there to help—sweet, lonely Mal.

I think of all the characters in these three novels, Mal is perhaps the most sensitive and gentle. He is also nearly as lost as Brian is, and that is saying something. Mal may have a wonderful twin brother and a family who accepts and loves him, but he is still very much alone. After the man he invested seven long years with walks out of his life, Mal is left with little else than a house to redecorate and a heart that is convinced he will never measure up. Told all too often that he is just not good enough has left Mal gun-shy of ever going after another relationship, much less one with the likes of Brian Kenway. But bad boys are alluring, and Brian seems to fit the bill until Mal realizes that beneath the persona is a man who has been hurt badly and has closed off his heart.

Chasing Forever is a testament to the healing power of friendship and love. What changes for both these men is the chance to invest in one another. Once they take the time to really understand how they must both try to open up and believe in themselves, they can let down the walls and learn to love each other, and that moment is what we wait for with bated breath in this novel. Until then, we get the benefit of going on their journey, one fraught with miscommunication and mistakes but also rife with understanding and gentle kindness.

Chasing Forever is a beautiful love story all about second chances, and Kelly Jensen writes this kind of novel like no other. Fans of the series will love this one. I know I did.

Reviewed by Sammy

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Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Old wounds, new directions, and a forever worth chasing.

Malcolm Montgomery was a history teacher and track coach until an accident left him with two broken legs. He’ll recover, but life has knocked his feet out twice now. He’s not sure if he’s ready to try again, especially when it comes to love—and slick guys like Brian Kenway. Still, he needs help mentoring the school’s LGBTQ society, so he asks Brian to take some responsibility.

Brian has been hiding behind his reputation as a liar and a cheat for so long that he actually believes he’s that guy—until his nephew, Josh, turns up on his couch, tossed out for being gay. Brian has never considered being a father, but he knows all about being rejected by loved ones. Now Brian wants to be more: a partner for Mal and a role model for Josh.

But when Mal’s recovery is set back and the sad truth of Brian’s past is revealed, the forever they’ve been chasing seems even further from their grasps. It’ll take a rescue effort to revive their sense of worth and make Brian, Mal, and Josh into a family of their own.

If you haven't found Kelly Jensen's This Time Forever series, you seriously need to.  While each story uses a structure like a legacy home or lodge at its heart, it's the author's ability to create and bring to life a group of interlocked men of varying ages, often older than your usual contemporary romance, intelligent, each carrying more than their share of life's baggage.  Some are easily more damaged than others, some emotionally, others physically, some both. Through the stories we've met several of the characters over and over through their complicated relationship dynamics with each other, as couples form and ex's watch from the sidelines.

In Chasing Forever, one of those ex's, Brian is someone we've "seen" through other characters perspectives and the view hasn't been a pretty one.  Here Brian's past is revealed, the truth of the man  peeled back, and he's set on the path to redemption.  One reason? Mal "Malcolm" Montgomery, history teacher  and track coach who is trying to recover from a devastating hit and run accident.  Prior to the accident he was someone who defined himself by his physical ability...to run, to coach...to just do and now it's a struggle to just walk.  In these two amazingly complicated and damaged men, Jensen brings about both redemption, recovery, hope, love, and, finally an emotionally triumphant future.  All done within a realistic, adult plot with the expectant struggles, arguments, and hurdles to overcome.  What a joy to read!

Threaded through this romance is the series foundation that features, in this case, not a family house or lodge but a bar that needs saving because the historic structure is slated to   be  sold to a developer in town.  This is an ongoing battle in this series, as the developer has made an appearance in a previous story and I expect to see them again  in future novels.  How it all plays out I will leave out to each reader to discover for themselves.  It too is a rich, multidimensional element of this story, just as I would have expected from someone who clearly loves her old structures as much as this author does.

In fact, there are several other floating storylines here that will capture your heart, along with the characters that go along with them.  There are no people here that I could honestly consider "supporting" cast because each feels so meaningful to the town and each other.

It's like that with each and every story here.  For me they build on each other with their relationships, their place in the town, and in each other's lives.  This is one series I would go around waving at people, recommending the hell out of it because it's just that great.  Start with the first one and work your way here.  Get to know the town and its people.  Love them as I do.  Then you will know why I highly recommend this story, this series, and it's author.  And do the same.

Cover Art:  Natasha Snow.  It matches the other novels in the series in style and element perfectly.

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Chasing Forever is the third and final book in Kelly Jensen’s loosely-linked This Time Forever trilogy of novels in which the protagonists are all older (late thirties – fifty) men who find true love and happy ever afters. As soon as I learned this book would feature Brian Kenway, whom I met and didn’t much like in book one, I knew I had to read it; I confess to having a soft spot for reformed bad-boys, and I was eager to see how Ms. Jensen would turn him into a leading man and a character I could root for. When he turned up in Building Forever, intent on re-kindling his relationship with his former long-term partner, Simon Lynley, Brian came across as a smug, arrogant git, and I’m sure that, like me, readers were relieved when Simon made it very clear he’d moved on. Brian’s brief appearances in book two showed him in a slightly better light, although he was still living up to his reputation as an arsehole – a term he often uses to describe himself. In Chasing Forever, though, we finally get to see the real Brian Kenway – a man even he has trouble finding, buried as he is under the layers of self-protection and the smooth, glossy persona he’s constructed in the thirty-odd years since his family disowned him for being gay.

Mal Montgomery, a history teacher at the college in Morristown, has been on medical leave ever since he was hit by a car while out running and seriously injured. After months of recovery, he’s getting around on crutches and has been cleared to return to work after the Christmas break. It’s been a long and hard road towards recovery, and the fact that he may never run again – hell, he may never walk properly let alone hike or run – is weighing heavily on him. He’s having a drink at his usual bar on Christmas Eve, trying not to let his eyes stray too often to the handsome Brian Kenway, a man he knows by rumour to be a player and a total dick – when Brian slides onto the seat next to him and starts flirting with him. Mal isn’t sure how to respond; Kenway may have provided the fuel for many of his fantasies, but this is reality and a guy like Brian is completely out of Mal’s league, and would be even if Mal didn’t have two broken legs… so he deliberately ignores Brian’s subtle proposition and watches as the other man exits the bar to head home alone.

Arrived at his condo, Brian immediately knows something is wrong. There’s a cold breeze coming from the kitchen, and he discovers a broken pane of glass in the back door – but a quick survey reveals nothing moved or stolen. He’s about to call the police anyway when he enters his living room to discover a figure curled up on his couch, huddled in blankets. He wakes the intruder, who turns out to be a boy in his early teens with lips almost as blue as his dyed hair, and is stunned when the boy introduces himself as Joshua Kenway – Brian’s nephew.

Josh’s arrival is a turning point for Brian, although he doesn’t quite realise it at the time. He sees his own painful history repeating itself – Josh (who is fourteen) came out to his mother, Brian’s sister, and she threw him out – and Brian determines that Josh isn’t going to go what he went through when he was younger. He’s not at all sure how to parent a teenager (something I think most parents of teenagers will identify with completely!) and Ms. Jensen does a superb job of building their relationship complete with flaws and missteps and misunderstandings; Josh is a believable teen who is clearly adrift, hurt and in need of comfort and guidance, things Brian thinks (at first) he’s not capable of providing. But he very clearly is capable, and I loved seeing him grow into that parental role as the story progressed and his relationship with Josh evolved into one of mutual trust and affection.

Mal is a less ‘showy’ character than handsome, charismatic, troubled Brian, but there’s something about him that draws the eye so to speak, a kind of quiet, dependable authority that is second nature to him and which is very attractive. He’s reached a point in his life where he’s almost given up on having a lasting relationship; his self-esteem doesn’t seem to have ever been particularly high, but his accident and his worries about his long-term mobility have knocked it back even further, and he finds it difficult to believe that someone as gorgeous as Brian would want him. Fortunately for Mal however, Brian is determined in his pursuit and I really liked that the author gives them the time to get to know each other as friends before they embark on a more intimate relationship. Mal is quickly able to work out that the Brian he is coming to know is a far cry from the liar and cheat he believes himself to be, and that rumour paints him as, and to see the genuinely decent, caring man beneath the polished façade.

Ms. Jensen redeems Brian in pretty spectacular fashion, but does it subtly, without fanfare and, most importantly, without giving him a complete personality transplant; at the end of the book, he’s still the man he always was, but a stronger, more honest and happier version of him. The relationships at the heart of the story – Mal and Brian, Josh and Brian – are beautifully written, full of insight and tenderness; and all the characters – even the minor ones – are strongly drawn and the relationships between them well-realised. Most of all, though, I appreciated – very much – the maturity of these characters, not just because of their ages (forty-eight and fifty), but because they act like men with a lot of life under their belts who are able to recognise when they screw up and do something to put things right.

The romance between Mal and Brian is a delicious slow-burn and Ms. Jensen does a great job of building the sexual tension while at the same time setting into motion the couple of sub-plots that provide the story’s vivid backdrop. Chasing Forever actually has quite a lot going on, but I never felt as though the book was over-busy; the author very skilfully interweaves the various storylines so that nothing feels superfluous to requirements and readers are presented with a story that feels rich and full. It’s a poignant, emotionally satisfying novel and a terrific end to this thoroughly enjoyable series.

4.5 stars/B+

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Chasing Forever was my first book by Kelly Jensen, and I think maybe it wasn't the best book to be my foray into her work.

From what I gathered, Brian was the villain in at least one previous book, and I fully see why. I got to know him more during the course of the story, but a guy who cheats on his long-term boyfriend many, many times and acts like a jerk really doesn't get a ton of sympathy from me. I wouldn't want my friend dating Brian either.

I didn't quite understand why Brian felt such a draw to Mal, though I didn't hate them together. The chemistry wasn't jumping off the page for me, though I liked them more as the book progressed. I also wish Mal had more pizzazz as a character. He was a bit one-note. However, I really enjoyed that both of the MCs were in the 50-ish age range. Super refreshing.

I liked the side plot with Brian's nephew the most, and I thought that gave the story some much needed complexity and depth. Still, though I enjoyed the book, it felt a bit... bland. The pace felt slow, and even though I read the book relatively quickly, I wasn't dying to pick it up and keep reading.

A good read, but not a great one for me, unfortunately. However, I'm looking forward to seeing what else this author has up her sleeve.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

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I didn't want to like Brian, but he started working on me just a teeny tiny little bit in Renewing Forever so I knew it was inevitable. What I didn't expect was to adore him - that was a total surprise <3 I also didn't expect for Chasing Forever to be my favorite book in the This Time Forever series - but that just happened too. Well played Kelly Jensen, well played indeed...

So, what tipped me over the edge? It wasn't just one thing, it was a little bit of everything. The glimpse into his past, his determination to protect Josh and a few well kept secrets all added to my love of this seemingly unlovable character. Things aren't always as they seem and Brian had become quite adept and keeping his best traits well hidden.

There was a lot more to love about Chasing Forever besides Brian. The supporting characters were great, which included new characters as well as those from the previous books. There were a few characters that brought out the "momma" in me and made me want to jump into the book and shake some sense into them... I also liked the focus on second chance romance for all the characters in this series who thought they had reached an age where that chance had passed them by <3

Brian was the perfect way to end This Time Forever, but I'm still sorry to say goodbye to this group of friends. I'm really looking forward to what Kelly Jensen has in store next for readers. ;)

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Chasing Forever is the third and final book in Kelly Jensen’s loosely-linked This Time Forever trilogy of novels in which the protagonists are all older (late thirties – fifty) men who find true love and happy ever afters.  As soon as I learned this book would feature Brian Kenway, whom I met and didn’t much like in book one, I knew I had to read it; I confess to having a soft spot for reformed bad-boys, and I was eager to see how Ms. Jensen would turn him into a leading man and a character I could root for.  When he turned up in Building Forever, intent on re-kindling his relationship with his former long-term partner, Simon Lynley, Brian came across as a smug, arrogant git, and I’m sure that, like me, readers were relieved when Simon made it very clear he’d moved on.  Brian’s brief appearances in book two showed him in a slightly better light, although he was still living up to his reputation as an arsehole – a term he often uses to describe himself. In Chasing Forever, though, we finally get to see the real Brian Kenway – a man even he has trouble finding,  buried as he is under the layers of self-protection and the smooth, glossy persona he’s constructed in the thirty-odd years since his family disowned him for being gay.

Mal Montgomery, a history teacher at the college in Morristown, has been on medical leave ever since he was hit by a car while out running and seriously injured.  After months of recovery, he’s getting around on crutches and has been cleared to return to work after the Christmas break.  It’s been a long and hard road towards recovery, and the fact that he may never run again – hell, he may never walk properly let alone hike or run – is weighing heavily on him.  He’s having a drink at his usual bar on Christmas Eve, trying not to let his eyes stray too often to the handsome Brian Kenway, a man he knows by rumour to be a player and a total dick - when Brian slides onto the seat next to him and starts flirting with him.  Mal isn’t sure how to respond; Kenway may have provided the fuel for many of his fantasies, but this is reality and a guy like Brian is completely out of Mal’s league, and would be even if Mal didn’t have two broken legs… so he deliberately ignores Brian’s subtle proposition and watches as the other man exits the bar to head home alone.

Arrived at his condo, Brian immediately knows something is wrong.  There’s a cold breeze coming from the kitchen, and he discovers a broken pane of glass in the back door – but a quick survey reveals nothing moved or stolen.  He’s about to call the police anyway when he enters his living room to discover a figure curled up on his couch, huddled in blankets. He wakes the intruder, who turns out to be a boy in his early teens with lips almost as blue as his dyed hair, and is stunned when the boy introduces himself as Joshua Kenway – Brian’s nephew.

Josh’s arrival is a turning point for Brian, although he doesn’t quite realise it at the time.  He sees his own painful history repeating itself – Josh (who is fourteen) came out to his mother, Brian’s sister, and she threw him out – and Brian determines that Josh isn’t going to go what he went through when he was younger.  He’s not at all sure how to parent a teenager (something I think most parents of teenagers will identify with completely!) and Ms. Jensen does a superb job of building their relationship complete with flaws and missteps and misunderstandings; Josh is a believable teen who is clearly adrift, hurt and in need of comfort and guidance, things Brian thinks (at first) he’s not capable of providing.  But he very clearly is capable, and I loved seeing him grow into that parental role as the story progressed and his relationship with Josh evolved into one of mutual trust and affection.

Mal is a less ‘showy’ character than handsome, charismatic, troubled Brian, but there’s something about him that draws the eye so to speak, a kind of quiet, dependable authority that is second nature to him and which is very attractive.  He’s reached a point in his life where he’s almost given up on having a lasting relationship; his self-esteem doesn’t seem to have ever been particularly high, but his accident and his worries about his long-term mobility have knocked it back even further, and he finds it difficult to believe that someone as gorgeous as Brian would want him.  Fortunately for Mal however, Brian is determined in his pursuit and I really liked that the author gives them the time to get to know each other as friends before they embark on a more intimate relationship. Mal is quickly able to work out that the Brian he is coming to know is a far cry from the liar and cheat he believes himself to be, and that rumour paints him as, and to see the genuinely decent, caring man beneath the polished façade.

Ms. Jensen redeems Brian in pretty spectacular fashion, but does it subtly, without fanfare and, most importantly, without giving him a complete personality transplant; at the end of the book, he’s still the man he always was, but a stronger, more honest and happier version of him. The relationships at the heart of the story -  Mal and Brian, Josh and Brian – are beautifully written, full of insight and tenderness; and all the characters – even the minor ones – are strongly drawn and the relationships between them well-realised.  Most of all, though, I appreciated – very much – the maturity of these characters, not just because of their ages (forty-eight and fifty), but because they act like men with a lot of life under their belts who are able to recognise when they screw up and do something to put things right.

The romance between Mal and Brian is a delicious slow-burn and Ms. Jensen does a great job of building the sexual tension while at the same time setting into motion the couple of sub-plots that provide the story’s vivid backdrop.  Chasing Forever actually has quite a lot going on, but I never felt as though the book was over-busy; the author very skilfully interweaves the various storylines so that nothing feels superfluous to requirements and readers are presented with a story that feels rich and full. It’s a poignant, emotionally satisfying novel and a terrific end to this thoroughly enjoyable series.

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Chasing Forever is the third book in the This Time Forever series, except each book is about a different couple (though some characters appear in all of them). I didn’t read the first book, but I did read the second, Renewing Forever, and while I liked parts of it, I also was a bit annoyed by the characters sometimes. However, this didn’t stop me from wanting to read Chasing Forever, especially since it focused on Brian, a character I was curious to know more about. He’s portrayed as a bit of a player, someone who lies and cheats and isn’t a terribly great person. Parts of these things are true…or at least, they used to be…but that’s a very simple definition of Brian. He’s so much more than the parts he shows.

In Chasing Forever, Brian meets Malcom, or Mal, Montgomery who is dealing with an accident that has thoroughly changed his life. He’s suddenly not sure if he can do all the things he used to love. I thought Brian and Mal were great together. They both genuinely care about one another, despite their various “issues” if you will. It was great to see Brian so gentle with someone. The other “main” character, so to speak, is Brian’s nephew Josh who has been kicked out of his house for being gay. This happened to Brian when he was around the same age, so it stirs up a lot of pain and memories. I really appreciated how Mal was there for Brian, though the big catalyst doesn’t really happen until close to the end (just FYI). Before that, it’s a matter of getting to know one another, taking care of Josh, and trying to figure out a way to also help other local LGBT youth who don’t have a safe place.

While I didn’t love Renewing Forever, I thoroughly enjoyed Chasing Forever and I’m so glad I decided to read it!

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It’s always interesting when a villain from previous book ends up being the hero of the next book. Brian Kenway is the serial cheater ex-boyfriend who walked out of Simon Lynley (the hero in Building Forever) after twelve years of relationship. Then Brian shows up again in book two, seemingly trying to make amends.

This time we find out more about who Brian really is and what secrets he keeps apart from everyone else in his life, including his best friend and Simon when they were together. This happens as Brian finds himself as a temporary place for his fourteen years old nephew who is tossed out for being gay as well as starting a new relationship with Malcolm Montgomery, a fifty years old professor, who is unlike the men Brian usually keeps his bed warm with.

For the most part, I think this book is able to redeem Brian. We learn about Brian’s past, the moment that scars him, and probably the big reason why he keeps sabotaging his relationship, especially with Simon. It may be a little easy answer – of course it has something to do with his past! – but it also provides some powerful moments in this book. I like the way Jensen brings Josh, the nephew, into the mix, as part of Brian’s catharsis proses.

I may not have too many opinion about Malcom – I admit, he is a little bland for me as a character. He has good family and friends. Malcolm might be recuperating from a horrible accident in this book, but he’s also a little awkward and a little too insecure. But Malcolm is also willing to take chances – and everything that builds Malcom as a character is what makes Brian finally let Malcolm to see all of himself.

They are not perfect but in their flaws, they are good for each other.

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As with all Kelly Jensen books, here we have another story of two good people making their way in life despite the obstacles placed in front of them. However, this third (and likely last) in the series packs a stronger punch as we have two protagonists fighting to rise above especially daunting setbacks (Brian Kenway's past and Malcolm Montgomery's horrifying car accident). I think most readers will resonate with the emotional impact of the story and appreciate that this book was saved for last.

Brian Kenway is stuck in a smallish Eastern town unsure what he will do with his life. Unable to understand his hurt over his former partner Simon's happiness, he is resigned to being considered the 'jerk' who cheated on Simon repeatedly. Malcolm, meanwhile, is a high school teacher and is recovering from an accident that destroyed his legs. Constantly in pain from physical therapy, he is taking each day one at a time. When they meet, there is a mutual interest. But first Malcolm will have to come to terms with Brian's past. And Brian will have to deal with the consequences of his teenage nephew showing up one day after being thrown out for being gay.

There are several threads in this last book: Josh, the young nephew of Brian, showing up half frozen and clearly having lived on the street in the Winter. Malcolm dealing with his physical therapy. And an historic building that the two want to try to save from being bulldozed. It makes for a good read and certainly these two protagonists are very nuanced characters whose emotional journey is well written.

I like that there are no super happy endings - things don't always work out but it is how the characters deal with the successes as well as the disappointments that make this book a quick and diverting read. Throughout the series, Jensen explores themes of fixing past mistakes, getting second chances, and people not always being what they (or others) seem.

In all, a very pleasant series - perfect for Winter reads by the fire or on the beach in Summer. You won't need to have read the previous books to enjoy any in the series, though of course the cameos are payoffs in each book. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

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This book is the third in the This Time Forever series, and it’s definitely my favorite.

The story is relatively simple—two men who are feeling beaten down by life find comfort and hope in each other. Former athlete Mal was severely injured when he was hit by a car and is having trouble regaining the ability to walk without aid. He loved to run, and that may be out of the question now, so he’s feeling crippled and old at 50. Brian has been unable to move on from a long-term relationship; even though he was a habitual cheater and the one who finally ended things, he just can’t let go of what could have been. Then Brian’s nephew Josh shows up at his house after being thrown out for being gay, and that raises a lot of old demons because it echoes Brian’s own past. With both Mal and Brian at a low point, the attraction that sparks between them gives their lives new promise.

Jensen does a wonderful job building the relationship between Brian and Mal. Brian may not have always been a nice guy in the past, but Mal’s need to be cared for calls to him, and he’s genuinely sweet in how he attentive he is to Mal. Mal is repeatedly warned off of Brian, but he sees a man who is more than his reputation suggests—someone who is good and kind but has a darkness inside that makes him doubt himself. The way the two of them support each other and build each other up as they fall in love is what gave the story life.

I very much appreciate this entire series. So many romance novels involve people in their 20s and 30s, but Jensen has chosen to focus on men who are at or approaching the dreaded age of 50. Love isn’t just for young people, and it’s nice to see an author recognize that fact.

Need a reminder that romance doesn’t have an expiration date? Read this book.

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

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I have read several books by Kelly Jensen and Chasing Forever didn't' disappoint. I have to admit that I haven't read the first two books in this series but I'm planning on reading them. This last book in this series is great. Mal was hurt badly by a hit and run driver and is recovering. Brian is player, cheats, and never commits. They are attracted to one another and eventually starts dating.
In the meantime, Brian's nephew arrives after he gets kicked out of his homophobe mother's house after he comes out. Brian doesn't accept at first but he allows him to stay until Josh's mom comes and Brians past come to light.
This story has angst, love, coming of age, and Brian and Henry are perfect together.

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This is a first for me from Kelly Jensen. I now know this book is the third in a series but had no clue before reading it and it didn't affect my enjoyment of the story or understanding of anything going on.
Mal is struggling with his mobility, having to use crutches after being hit by a car. As he was very active before, he finds it very hard to cope with the limitations he currently has. Being the shy, quiet man he is, he figures Brian would never go for a guy like him. Brian feels something towards Mal, a man he wouldn't normally try for. Both feel the attraction and connection but circumstances don't always work in their favour. Mal's physical ability is precarious, Brian's nephew shows up after being kicked out, and Brian's history is not something he wants to share with anyone. The two feel something but are not sure about moving forward.
This was a really good read! There is drama, emotion, relationships built and actions taken that draw you into the story and become invested of not just the two MC's but also some of the secondary characters as well, especially Josh, Brian's nephew. The attraction between the two feels natural and their relationship evolves naturally, experiencing several stumbles both literally and figuratively, sometimes creating those problems themselves. Each man has endearing qualities making you love them just a little bit more. Mal's stubbornness is both frustrating and admirable as he fights to get back his fitness and go back to work. Brian knows he's good at business but not so much at his personal life so getting himself in a position to have a relationship with Mal and be a good caregiver for his nephew is interesting to read. He faces thoughts about himself and his past that he struggles with but at the same time open to what is on offer in his future.
Kelly has created a wonderful world that these characters live in. There's friendship and family support, though not equally on both sides. Mal's connection with his twin is lovely to read, especially with what he's done for his brother. Brian's friendship with his best friend is what got him through his late teens and adult life so far, though she doesn't necessarily always like him as written in the first chapter! We have lightheartedness mixed in with so much drama as well as a very worthy cause that both men fight hard to get.
I definitely recommend this book and I'm going back to read the first two, which I'm sure are just as good as this one.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review

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3.5 Stars

This is the third book in the series and although there are characters from the other books, it could be read as a stand alone.

This book didn't capture me like the first book did. I never really got behind the whole Brian is a good guy now thing. It's difficult going from being a villain in one book to being a stand up guy in another. Especially when he's repeatedly deemed a liar, cheat and asshole by more than two different characters.

For the most part, I liked Malcolm's character, but he seemed to have more confidence at the start of the story than he did by the middle. He was pretty sure of himself and he spoke with cockiness when he and Brian bantered in the Colonial, but somehow when they got closer, he felt less attached.

I was hoping for more stability with Josh, Brian's nephew, as well. He needed a place where he felt safe and loved and he ran away twice. And Brian never used the L word with him. That kind of rubbed me the wrong way, honestly.

There was plenty that was great about this book. I loved the writing style and the fact that Brian and Mal were both overcoming major obstacles in their lives and they did it together. I liked that they missed out on a huge opportunity to save the Colonial, but didn't give up and made sure that they saw their vision through to the end. There were so many good moments and dialogue between both of them that it was easy to get wrapped up in their story.

I have really enjoyed reading this series and I'm excited to see more from Kelly Jensen.

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I was really looking forward to Brian’s story because he’s come across as such a complicated character in previous two books, and this ended up being an excellent conclusion to the <i>This Time Forever</I> series.

Brian Kenway comes across as abrasive and hard, but actually gives a lot to the community and especially helps LGBTQIAAP+ youth get scholarships and other help they may need trough the Smart Foundation. Malcom Montgomery is a high school history teacher who recently was injured in a hit-and-run that resulted in both his legs being broken and requiring several surgeries. Brian and Mal have seen each other around town, and finally make a connection at the Colonial, the local gay bar.

I really loved how both Malcom and Brian are a little broken inside but are also survivors. I also really loved the ways they supported one another and helped each other find their way into being themselves loudly. There were many sweet moments while also having a lot of intensity and development.

I do wish Josh had been a little more fleshed out; at times he felt kinda slapped into the story to further the plot rather than an individual character. That said, I did love him and his relationship with Brian. It hurt knowing they had a shared history of being kicked out by family for being gay, but I liked how that common history helped them bond and support each other.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and loved Brian’s story, heartbreaking as it was. I wish there had been more Josh to it, but I loved the elements of community and coming together, as well as the lovely family dynamics with Mal’s family, and especially his brother.

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4* Who knew Brian would turn out to be villain who's not a villain? Best tale of the series.

This book is the 3rd in the This Time Forever series, and until I started reading it, I hadn't clocked about the relevance of the title of the series. Now that I have, I think it's lovely that the author has gone with older leads, who've lived, loved, lost, taken stock and realised what's important, and now they've found love again - this time, forever. And yes, in this book in particular, with all that happens to Brian, the not-so-baddie, it really does feel like it's forever.

After reading book 1, I had no clue that the villain of the piece, Brian, who I really didn't like, could be turned into lead man material. I mean, he'd been the guy obsessed with money, the opportunistic one, the one who left his ex in order to manipulate him, the one who'd cheated... so, not a hero, right? Well, here we see a very different side to him, mainly because of the arrival of his nephew, Josh. TBH, it almost felt like Brian and Mal's romance took a back seat to the decency that I started to read about and see in Brian, and the love and protectiveness that he'd begun to feel for a 14yo kid, and his effort on behalf of Josh's school's GSA and the community. And, the beauty was that I believed in him, because the author wrote him so well, revealed him in layers, and made me feel for him. For Brian, the one who'd been painted a baddie in book 1, and reading this book and how it pans out, I suspect it was deliberate, and I think it was a good move. It made this book all the more poignant for me, because his real nature had been obfuscated. Very much so.

The romance in this is sweet - one guy who's a go-getter, rich and sophisticated and suave, falling for a mild, sweet, hometown guy of a schoolteacher, and it worked. It worked because they were opposites, but opposites who could tell the truth and who cared,and because they were RL flawed, mature men, not model-types as abound in pop MM.

I liked book 2 of the series better than the first, but I think the author saved the best for last with this one. And, yes, we get to see brief appearances by the other leads, with Simon and Charlie from book 1 having been together for over a year now (and Simon and Brian end up clearing the air, and I think, getting on the right ground to rebuild their friendship), and Frank from book 2 seeming a hometown guy than the sophisticated, flirt-with-everyone guy from book 2.

Again, though, it hurts to see a parent rejecting her child because he's different, because he doesn't meet what she feels is the right criteria for a human being, and to hear what Josh was called and what he went through, was not nice. But, it sadly didn't surprise me, as this is something that seems to be a common in RL. It made me hate Ellen, and again it made me think that some parents don't deserve to have kids, and don't deserve the honour of the name 'mum' or 'dad'. And, once again in 2018, this was a book where I read between the lines, and think I saw an author's discontent with her country's current government and leadership and attitude to anyone who's not heterosexual. It wasn't overt, just a passing phrase, but it once again reminded me that authors in MM have a voice that can be used for more than a bit of escapism, for the good of the LGBTQIA community. And here, it was done entirely organically, but it hit me. I hope it hits others and makes them think.

ARC courtesy of Riptide Publishing and NetGalley, for my reading pleasure.

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Intimate, sensuous, and timely!

Chasing Forever is a passionate, heartwarming tale that takes us into the lives of Malcolm and Brian as they each must learn to cope with the baggage from their past, overcome their insecurities, fight for what they truly want, and work together to create a haven for the kids in their community.

The writing is sincere and heartfelt. The characters are flawed, caring, and genuine. And the plot is an alluring, push-pull storyline filled with friendship, family, tension, responsibility, support, humor, shameless flirting, angst, heartbreak, and unconditional love.

Overall, Chasing Forever is a well written, provocative, emotional story by Jensen that does an excellent job of highlighting the challenges, prejudices, and ignorance faced by those in the LGBTQIA community and reminds us just how much guidance and support all teens require when discovering and embracing their sexual identity.

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