The Forever Girl is a fun look at a group of dysfunctional friends trying to get through life and figure out how to best support each other. I love the characterization and the interactions between the different relationships. This was a group that I didn't want to leave at the end of the book.

This is (what I imagine) may be the start of a new series for Shalvis. I have to admit, the beginning prologue was confusing for me because all the main characters were introduced at one time and a big back story was known by them all but not the reader. It took me a while to "get" what was going on.
The main thrust of the story is one of the characters CAITLIN is getting married and she wants all her foster sisters and brother there for the wedding, but they've all been disconnected since a big fight occurred in the prologue. She tricks them into coming to her wedding and then the story really starts.
The two characters most written about are Maze and Walker. This is their love story.
There are a great many twists and turns and a few really big secrets each of the siblings are holding onto in this book and they are effectively dealt with along the way.
WHile Shalvis has moved to writing more woman's fiction than straight romance, love is still alive and well in this book.
Thank you to Netgalley for a sneak peek. The title is perfect for the story that's told here.

Although, I usually can never put down a Jill Shalvis's book; it took me a moment to really enjoy this story. I didn't start loving the book or the characters until half way through the book. However, because Jill does romance well, she delivered at the end with a great happy ending.

These are the books helping me through the past several months. I can alway count on Jill Shalvis to deliver some laughs! This book had plenty!

Beautiful story of friendship, life and secrets. A reunion takes place due to a wedding and we see these wonderful characters come to life. A great story and a romantic one as well.

Touching story of relationships, past and present, that has many layers, each waiting to be exposed for good or bad.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

We are tugged, and not gently by any stretch of the imagination, into a war between a group of unorthodox siblings in what was a unique family unit. Two birth children plus three fosters make up this amazing group that learned what love and family was all about. The three fosters had been dragged through the system with the scars to prove it. I was so shaken when one of the foster kids reminisced about his entry into the Walsh family at sixteen. It was the first time in all his life that he had unpacked. May not sound significant but to a boy who changed houses, not homes, from two turned over to the system unpacking was an uncommon ritual. It meant staying. Which was equally foreign.

It’s moments like that when you again realize that Jill Shalvis has created not only amazing characters but a world. For Heather, Maze and Walker their world kick started when the Walsh’s took them in. Made them a family. Gave them friends and support. But as in real life stuff happens and the universe often tips. These kids didn’t have enough of a foundation to hold on tight and when we meet them in THE FOREVER GIRL they are adults dealing once again with resettling their tipped world.

Compelling tale that unfolds slowly exposing the events that have shaped them starting at very young ages and now as adults since they still carry the wounds. Harsh memories are difficult to just erase. What you hope for are new happy ones that can blur or at least relegate them to deep recesses of the mind.

THE FOREVER GIRL is told from the perspective of Maze and Walker who kept several things secret from their group. They know each other very well but have unanswered questions about how they got to this point and where to go from here.

People look for a chance to belong. Sometimes to a group, a family. Or just to one special person. Walker wants to belong to someone. Someone who would not turn away. To Walker Maze was that person, only he couldn’t prevent her from running from him, from their friendship. She was that important. But the problem was with Maze. She didn’t feel as if she was important to anyone. In fact she felt almost a burden, a person looking in, not a true valued member. Coming to a Walsh family wedding could be the most important time for both Maze and Walker.

As with any Jill Shalvis book THE FOREVER GIRL is hard to put down. You are exquisitely drawn into the lives of these characters. All of them have an amazing role to play in this tale. When you open THE FOREVER GIRL you enter a world only imaginably created by Jill Shalvis. It is that good and well worth the price of admission. THE FOREVER GIRL is due out early 2021. Put it on your must read list.

I love Jill Shalvis but this is my far the best she has written. I laughed so hard during certain parts. This is the type of story that can be continued and I hope she does. I felt especially close to the characters as if I knew them personally. While there are parts that could be considered sad, and sexual parts (which I skipped over) I though this was very enjoyable.

So heartfelt! I love this story of four friends, once so close in childhood, long separated, and now thrown back together again in an idyllic beach setting.