This is a small town, second chance romance set in the wine region of upstate New York. Leyna inherits a restaurant from her grandfather and is dedicated to making it a success. Jay comes back to town to help out at his grandfather's winery while his grandfather is recovering from a stroke.
Jay and Leyna dated in high school but Jay broke Leyna's heart when he moves to France to make a name for himself in the wine industry. Due to an agreement between the grandfathers, Leyna and Jay are forced to work together when Jay returns to Sapphire Springs and, of course, their old feelings are resurrected.
For me, this book was just okay. I didn't dislike it but I didn't love it either. It didn't make me swoon. Jay seemed to have a decent amount of baggage and indecisiveness and Leyna seemed to forgive Jay for all the hurt he caused her much quicker than I expected.
That being said, I will probably read the next book in the series when it is available in 2021 but I don't know that it will immediately go to the top of my to be read list.

3 out of 5 stars!

When the hero returns to his family winery to help with the business after his grandfather's health scare, he learns that he'll be business partner with the heroine, his high school sweetheart. The heroine, taking after her late grandfather's restaurant, wants to prove that she can handle the business, even when it includes being in the presence of the man who broke her heart. As the couple learns to work together, they began to fall in love again amidst business and personal struggles.

I enjoyed the book with its great town vibes and distinct characters. Each character, be they the protagonist or antagonist, felt individually strong even with flaws. Though the progression of the couple's relationship was mostly smooth, I wanted more angst at the beginning when the couple learned to work together again and let their past be forgiven. I also felt that some problems that the characters went through were not to my taste. Otherwise, I did like the book and look forward to more books from the author.

**Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.**

Jay Wynter left Sapphire Springs And the Wynter Winery years ago to find his own Way. He left his high school sweetheart Leyna and broke her heart. Leyna took over her families restaurant Rosalina’s and did major remodeling after her grandfather passed away. Her grandfather and Jay’s grandfather Stefan had dreams of opening another Rosalina’s at the Winery. Leyna and Stefan make plans to do this but Stefan decides that Jay should come back and take over the winery. Leyna is shocked to see him and doubts that they can work together but decide to give it a try. They rekindle their romance but there are lots of hurdles for their romance and the opening of the restaurant. Enjoyed this book!

Thanks to Barb Curtis and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the book!

This book was a perfect debut and start for a new romance series! I absolutely loved the backdrop of the winery/vineyard alongside the Italian restaurant and adored the way the second chance romance unfolded between the two main characters, Jay and Leyna. Both were very likable as well as relatable and what I greatly appreciated was that they behavior and reactions in the story totally made sense given their history and how their lives unfolded since the first time they were together.

The importance and love of family in this book is a reoccurring theme that develops very nicely from start to finish. The author takes the time to delve into familial histories of the characters just enough, giving the perfect amount of backstory without weighing the book down with too much characterization. I appreciated that the author allows the minor characters to push against the initial expectations created and grow, investing the reader even more deeply into the relationships with them as well as the overall community of Sapphire Springs.

There is a little mystery to this book that I didn't see coming but greatly appreciated as it was wholly entertaining and brought everything together in the end. I also love how well the author trickled in information on certain characters, leaving breadcrumbs to what will surely be upcoming novels in the series (which I will most definitely be reading!).

Overall, this was an incredibly enjoyable read that kept me hooked from the beginning. It is an impressive debut and I am so glad I have a new romance series to enjoy.

A second chance at first love is a dream come true. Especially now, when we all need our dreams to come true.

I've always admired the few couples I know (very few) who made it from high school (or college) sweethearts to hand-holding, happily married twenty-five years later couples who don't even seem to realize how exceptional they are.

Jay and Lenya are cleverly portrayed as they accomplish the necessary growth needed to come together forever.

Congratulations, Ms. Curtis, on a lovely story.

This was a delightful romance. Former teenage sweethearts get a second chance. This is a small town romance set around a vineyard. The writing is picturesque I could see this town as i read the story.

Forever with You is Barb's first debut book! We are introduced to Sapphire Springs an adorable small town romance.

I saw one review that was upset on how much book time Jay's dyslexia took up. And I want to take time to address this. First, if you've never had a learning disability then it's not fair to judge on how Jay didn't feel confident in himself. Some suggestions were made on how unrealistic it was because Jay could have hired people to help him. In the book, the grandpa is confident on Jay's ability and even reminds Jay not to worry because they have staff that does accounting and the finer details. However, Jay still doesn't feel like he can do it.

Our school system tries to support students with learning disabilities. However, if you haven't visited an elementary school recently then I would like to remind you that often kids with learning disabilities sometimes leave their home classroom. Or the kids have an assistant help them in the classroom. Being different can lead to being picked on by classmates. In Jay's world he had a lot of messages for not being able to succeed. I think it's important to realize those feelings can be valid for any adult with a learning disability.

Back to the romance. Sapphire Springs is a lovely small town somewhere the Niagara Falls. It's the type of town, Bed and breakfast thrive and also has a winery community. Leyna is running her family's restaurant and is doing the best to keep her grandfather wishes alive. Her grandpa made a deal with his best friend to open up a restaurant at Wynter Estate. Leyna was okay with the idea until her ex, Jay reappeared. The romance is about second chances and love that always lasts.

As I was reading, I predicted who the second couple would be in the next book. I look forward to the second in the series and for more books by this author.



Thank you Forever and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Forever with You is a great read! This return to first love novel does an excellent job of depicting the power of communication. The lack of sharing feelings and rationales for decisions that affect others is the key to a wide variety of conflicts. Miscommunication or missed opportunities for clear communication is disguised under an umbrella named “love.” The tangled lives of the main characters, their friends, parents, and grandparents are wonderfully explored and straightened out. The loss of loved ones makes a most poignant statement about the importance of truths and the need for them to be communicated before it’s too late for clarity.

This is a charming second chance romance set in a small town. Jay left the family winery business to make it in his own. He is now back and has to face his high school Leyna as well as now work with her. Leyna is not thrilled with Jays return especially while trying to open a new restaurant. The romance between Jay and Leyna was not rushed. They took their time to get through their history together and found themselves falling for each other again as adults. It was a sweet romance with wonderful side characters and the obstacles were realistic. It was fun read which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Thanks to Forever for making this book a Read Now on NetGalley (found out about it through an Instagram story)! I'm no wine expert, but I think this book unfolded like a glass of wine is supposed to - takes some time to get into, but gets better once you let it breathe a little. Some parts were a little clunky (mostly thinking of the setups for the following books in the series) but overall an enjoyable read.

I enjoyed this book! Barb Curtis does a great job of developing the characters and helping you understand how their lives are connected and how that affects their story. It was intriguing to read about a winery and learn a little about caring for a vineyard. I thought the relationship between Leyna and Jay was really sweet -- as well as Leyna's friendship with Emily. It's a great small-town, second chance romance with a little mystery involved -- if you like romance, you'll like this read!

*Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.*

Synopsis:

Jay Wynter wants to be successful on his own merit. That's why he left Sapphire Springs and his family's winery to build a career from scratch. But now that he's successor to Wynter Estate, Jay must return to his small hometown to face everything, and everyone, he left behind-especially his high school sweetheart, who happens to be his stunning new business partner . . .

Leyna Milan knows family legacies come with strings attached, but she's determined to prove that she can run her family's restaurant. Of course, Leyna never expected that honoring her grandfather's wishes meant opening a second location on her ex's property-or having to ignore Jay's sexy grin and guard the heart he shattered years before. But as they work closely together, she begins to discover that maybe first loves deserve a second chance .

I just love second chance romance. This was a good read, not great or wow read just plain solid good read. I love a small town romances. So when I read a synopsis I just needed to read this book.
As I said this was a good book. I just didn't really connect with the main characters, or felt their connection. This is more a family book than romance book. I get idea for this book series, yup it isn't a stand alone, and I think I need to read the next one...
This is at solid 3 stars. Not bad not great, just in the middle.

Leynas best friend is Emily. Emily may run for town council. I liked the characters. A festival is coming up

This was such a cute little romance. It reminds me of one of my greatest joys - hallmark romance movies (although I always feel books are so much better). Jay and Leyna have great chemistry. I love their story arc. I also adore how Jay's initial leaving wasn't played off as a mistake. Instead, most characters looked at it as something that needed to be done in order for the two characters to grow. I think far too many times books romanticize this "high school sweetheart" romance. Instead, Forever with You gives the trope it's due while also underscoring the need for individual growth when coming into adulthood. I absolutely loved that.

I think the pacing of the story was perfect. I never felt like we were just getting unnecessary cutesy information, but seeing real growth in the characters and their relationship. I also thought the overall story arc was interesting (and included a twist I didn't see coming). Such a fun read that left me grinning from ear to ear.

This light-hearted romance was just what I needed. I have been in a bit of a reading rut lately, unable to concentrate & uninterested in anything too complex, or politically or socially charged. Basically, uninterested in most of the books that I typically read. Both my virtual & physical TBR piles are brimming over and yet I could not stay focused. This sweet story was uncomplicated & I knew that it would have a happy ending. Sometimes that is just what you need. I enjoyed the characters, their backstories, & how they both had weaknesses that they could help each other with, not just a heroine that needed to be saved.
I am looking forward to the next installment in the series.

A teenage love affair gets a second chance when two family businesses consider a partnership, forcing Leyna and Jay to confront their past and the insecurities that separated them.

I am a sucker for a second chance love story. Overall, I enjoyed this debut novel and would absolutely read another book by this author. This book clearly sets up a series and I would be interested to see those other characters again.

Two things frustrated me about this book. Firstly, I thought too much was made on Jay’s learning disability. He seemed like an incredibly successfully vintner and a problem-solver. He seemed like the kind of guy who would have figured out a work around: hired an assistant, had a pdf reader, etc. So I had a hard time believing that Jay would let his learning disability stand in his way.

Secondly, I wanted a little more from this book, more showing and less telling: to know the ways the characters have changed during their time apart, to see how they “rediscover” the things they missed about each other, to see a gradual shift toward trust after profound heartbreak. But I think it’s a good sign when you want more from book, when you like the characters enough to want more of their story!