Always a fan of Jill Shalvis, the pugs in this one drew me in! Shalvis writes with heart and humor-it's a deadly combination. My only hesitation to this one is that it has a lot of things going on-foster kids who didn't spend a lot of time together but bonded so deeply and quickly felt a bit farfetched. It took me awhile to suspend my disbelief but ultimately her humor and charm won me over and I fell into the story.

As a long-time fan of Jill Shalvis, I have come to expect certain things from her: that I will fall quickly into her writing; I will love her characters; and she will make me laugh. However, in The Forever Girl she went so far beyond my expectations that I may have a whole new list of anticipations for her next novel.

Maze, Walker, and Heather were foster kids who spent one amazing year with the Walsh family until a tragedy occurred that sent them to other foster homes. Caitlin, the Walsh’s daughter, has struggled to keep tabs on them and to keep them together as family. But three years prior, after a minor blow-up, they part ways, although for some, not entirely.

The dynamics at work in The Forever Girl were special. These friends/family come together to celebrate Caitlin’s marriage and its her intention that they should never drift away from each other again. There are hurts as truths come out with each character–mostly just Maze, Walker and Caitlin–finding themselves along the way.

In all of these years, Shalvis has made me laugh and sometimes grow teary-eyed, but she’s never made me cry. She did in The Forever Girl. She wrote so touchingly of their experiences, of trying to be tough when inside one is crying, when sometimes it’s just so tough. But, she also made me laugh. Smile as these characters danced together and remembered a time before. And, as always, Shalvis provided me with an escape, where I could fall into an author’s writing and just forget everything except for this wonderful story of once wounded people finding love and happiness.

While The Forever Girl is part of The Wildstone series, it is a standalone. If you’re a fan of women’s fiction, I highly recommend The Forever Girl.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Note: This review contains NO spoilers

I don't know what it is about Jill Shalvis' books, but I just love reading her stories... so far! I have not been disappointed yet. From the beautiful setting to the complex, sometimes complicated, characters, The Forever Girl is a story of loss, family, friendship, and love.

The Forever Girl made me smile, laugh, cry, and love as I turned the pages of this emotional and touching story of a family coming to terms of the tragedy that strained their relationships into adulthood, and how they rebuilt what they thought was lost, due to the secret(s) they kept from each other.

Anyways, with each standalone story in this Wildstone series, I am always taken away to a beautiful location while getting engrossed into these characters lives. Haven't been disappointed yet. Jill Shalvis continues to tug at my "heartstrings" with these passionate stories of relationships. The Forever Girl did just that... it took me on a moving journey of these characters' growth.

Maze had a falling out with her foster family with misunderstandings and guilt over what happened years ago. Her sister Cat is getting married and has got them all to promise to come for the weekend. She wants everyone to reconcile. Maze is dreading it as she thinks she is to blame and no one will be able to forgive her especially since she can't forgive herself. Heather shows up with a baby. Walker is still Walker. Can these characters find reconciliation, forgiveness, trust and forge a new path as adults? Emotional story of second chances and what makes a family.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Wonderfully written, heartfelt and a good balance of sad and wittingly funny. The characters are engaging and endearing, flawed and believable. I liked Maze even when I didn't agree with her. I will surely read this author again.

My first book by this author. It took a while for me to actually care about the main characters, a chosen family who fall apart after a tragedy. A bit too much insecurity and a bit too much whining. I realized about 1/2 way through that I really did like the characters and I was rooting for them. True sign for me that the author knows how to develop the characters in ways that keep the reader interested. Glad I read this book!. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

4.5 Stars
This is a beautiful story. I'm not gonna lie I teared up a few times while reading this. Heather, Cat, Maze, and Walker stole my heart. Little Sammie my heart as well. She's so adorable! This book packed in the heart and feels. We had a few things going on at once which pulled all the emotions out of me. This is a book that's going to leave a smile on your face once you done. This is a book you want to gobble right up, but you want to take your time because you're sad once it's finished. Maze and Walker deserve the HEA they should have had lone ago. All four of these characters are stepping back into Wildstone for the first time all together. It's huge step for Maze and one she didn't realize she needed. These characters are going to pull at your heartstrings. This is a must read!

The standalones of the Wildstone series from Jill Shalvis are releases that I look for as I have really been enjoying this family-oriented series. They have just the right amount of drama and romance and never fail to keep me turning the pages.

In The Forever Girl, four childhood siblings meet up again for a wedding. Caitlin, Maze, Heather and Walker have a bond formed by love and tragedy. It doesn't matter that they are not related by blood or that the last time they were together they had a disagreement. Caitlin wants her family with her for her wedding, so she schemes to get everyone together for the entire week before the wedding. She's the "fixer" of the group.

The story centers around Caitlin and her wedding and the tenuous romantic love between Maze and Walker. Of all of them, Maze carries a big emotional bag full of regrets and guilt over the incident that changed all of their lives. She's not thrilled to be there, especially with Walker. She loves him, but a prior meeting in Las Vegas didn't go quite as planned and they never really resolved their feelings and emotions from that fateful trip. Being together with him now is just painful for her now, mostly because she still loves him, but she doubts his feelings for her with good reason after the way they parted in Las Vegas.

It's a story of misplaced guilt, unresolved conflicts and emotions and love. There is no doubt that there is great love between the four of them, and Caitlin's wedding is just the catalyst to bring them together for resolution. I really loved Cat -- she's the mother of the group, always wanting to fix them. Over the course of the week together, they all find what they are looking for and by the end of the book, all of them are in a much better place.

I really did enjoy reading this story. At the same time, I did feel that this book is heavy in terms of all the history that needs to be shown between the four characters. Heather gets shorted a bit and I hope we get to read her story someday. I loved Maze and Walker, especially when they were together and how he expertly brought Maze around to seeing the truth of his love for her. Caitlin was a darling. There's just so much in this story that I thought it didn't dig as deep as it could. With four main characters to deal with, there was a lot to cover, which changed how I connected with the characters and story.

Overall another good addition to the Wildstone Series.

An ARC was provided by the publisher. This is my honest review.

In the newest Wildstone novel, Maze must reconcile her past with her future if she is to keep any of the few remaining family members she has left. And she must figure out exactly what a family looks like. For her, it means admitting that her foster brother may have been the love of her life and that she still has not gotten over feeling abandoned after a fire causes her to be rehomed from the only (foster) family she ever loved and who loved her.

Shalvis takes us on another journey through the minds and hearts of strong females as they grapple through life's big questions and who will be the people they can count on to help them make the important decisions. I cannot wait to return to WIldstone and Shalvis' amazing heroines.

3.5 stars

"The Forever Girl" was an emotional and engrossing story about familial bonds, friendships, secrets, forgiveness, taking chances, and navigating love. It's a romance and a women's fiction all in one. I was pulled in and quickly became invested. While I got frustrated at times with the lack of communication among the different characters it was also sort of the point of the story. So many of the issues and problems could have been easily avoided or fixed if they had talked openly.

Using humor, warmth, and compassion, Shalvis explores the bonds between family and their fragility: How do you find the courage to let people in? How do you know when to trust someone who says they love you? How do you stop running when things gets difficult? How do you know when walking away is the right decision? How do you know when love is forever? How do you forgive mistakes, both yours and other people's?

The focus is on the relationships between Caitlin, Maze, Heather, Walker, and Caitlin's fiance Dillon. There were a few surprises, some tender moments, and some funny moments. The bachelorette party scene was both hilarious and insightful. It was amazing writing and some of Shalvis's best. Once I started the book, I read through the night and finished it in one sitting. I loved seeing the interactions, even when they were painful, and I loved how compassionately Shalvis handled Caitlin's emotional issues. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up.

All I can say is WOW, this book hit all my emotions. This was such a easy book to fall in love with, I loved the characters in the book, lol all but Dillon's mom. Although this was book 6 in the series, it can very easily be read as a stand alone. The storyline touches on so many issues I am sure those in the foster care system feel each and every day. I would definitely recommend this book to others.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher and was under no obligation to leave a favorable review, all opinions expressed here are my own.

I love Jill Shalvis and this book showcases why! I loved everything about it and Jill's writing was on-point. I am excited to read what Jill does next!

I’ve been a fan of Shalvis for a long time and really enjoy her Wildstone series, where she tackles weightier subject matter while still managing to keep things somewhat lighthearted and there’s always a HEA. This entry does not disappoint. It deals with larger issues of abandonment, foster care, and guilt, among others, while still showing the importance of family, however it’s made, and the bonds that exist between members. Here we get a look into the relationships between Maze, Walker, Caitlin, and Heather, whose bonds were forged during one momentous year they spent as family and how the tragic end to that year continues to affect them years later. Set around the events during the week before Caitlin’s wedding, secrets and truths come out, and bonds are forged deeper than ever, especially for Maze. I devoured this in a single sitting after getting my hands on the audiobook. Erin Mallon does a fantastic job on the narration, using distinct voices for each character. Her sense of timing and pace are spot on, making the story a fantastic listen. If you’re a Shalvis fan, you won’t be disappointed. If you haven’t experienced her yet, pick this one up and you’re sure to find a new favorite author.

Another outstanding book by a gifted author! Sometimes family is made not out of a blood connection but of a tragedy. Maze attends her friends wedding only to be faced with the only man she has loved.

What did I like? The story has its dark and light points but the characters are a tightly knit bunch with a penchant being unable to communicate well. Most of them are fostered and don’t have the element of a traditional family. A tragedy that happened before their lives torn apart seemingly bleed past into present. This was a heart warming read on how a group of friends finally seem to come to terms with the past. Four stars!

Would I recommend or buy? Yes, great author and a great book! I really enjoy this authors works. This would make a great beach read!

I received a complimentary copy to read and voluntarily left a review.

Maze and the family she has had a falling out. To be honest something happened years before that tore them all apart. Each feels guilty for the tragedy that did it and can't seem to get past it. Three years ago was the last time they were all together as siblings of the heart. Now one of them is getting married. This story takes you on a journey to their pasts and their present and hopefully their future. This is one of the THE best books I have read in a while. I was late getting to read it but when i finally was able to sit down and start If possible I would have stayed up and it to the very end in one sitting. I love books that make you want to do that but hate them because I still have to get up for work and function so I can't. sigh... Two days it is then! Seriously makes you wish there were more pages in the book. The characters drive you nuts one minute and make you want to hug them the next. What more could you ask for?

Find out more about Jill Shalvis and this series here www.jillshalvis.com

Jill Shalvis wow’s us again with another trip back to Wildstone. Her ability to make you feel like you are a sister to Caitlin or Maze or wanted by Walker. When Walker looks through Maze’s soul it feel like he’s looking into yours. It’s heartfelt and wonderful and I couldn’t put it down. It had the signs of such such a great book. I can’t wait for the next,

Jill Shalvis is one of my favorite authors and she didn't disappoint with The Forever Girl!

I thoroughly enjoyed the escape of this book. I loved the relationships between all of the main character and the development of Maze and Walker's relationship. I hope to read Cat and Heather's stories in the future!

DNF

While I adore this series so much that I plan to read most of the books Shalvis has written, this one's a poor fit with me as a reader. Already in the Wildstone series, I prefer the more lighthearted, comedic installments, and this one very much doesn't seem like it's going to be that. I've take an instant dislike to most of the characters, and I also hate baby drama, which is clearly going to be present here. I'm sure it's delightful, but it's not one I think I would enjoy.

Can true love stand the test of time?

Maze has traveled to Wildestone to be the maid of honor in her estranged best friend / foster sister Caitlyn’s wedding. Caitlyn’s parents had fostered children and Maze, Walker, and Heather had become part of the family. After a terrible tragedy, Caitlyn’s little brother Michael was killed, and her parents were unable to care for the foster children. The family was broken up, but they share an unbreakable bond. Caitlyn has gathered them to spend the week together before her wedding. Maze must confront the demons of her past and realize what is important for her both in friendship and in love. Will she be able to make a better path forward?

I enjoy Jill Shalvis’s books. The characters are intriguing with interesting personalities and flaws. They have gotten a rough start in life, but they must figure out how to move forward with their lives and their relationships. The Forever Girl does have a great romance story with two prickly characters, Maize and Walker, but at heart, it is a story of family. Will this family be able to put itself back together after an unspeakable loss and move forward? I also loved Caitlyn’s story as the red flags were going off as she inched closer to her wedding. I love how the chapters were from different characters point of view and had a “to do list” for what the character needed to do to try to get them ready for the wedding. They were usually quite funny.

The Forever Girl is Book #6 in the Wildestone series. I have also ready books #4 and #5 in the series. They are all standalone novels with the same setting and some cross over characters.

I also must say – I love the cover of this book. It really puts me in the mood for spring!

Overall, The Forever Girl is a great contemporary novel with intriguing characters, romance, and family relationships.
Book Source: Review Copy from William Morrow. Thank-you!

Another fantastic addition to the Wildstone series by Jill Shalvis. As with all books in the series, this story stands alone. The book is so very well written. Jill's signature humor is interlaced throughout, with a touch of serious and of course.. romance. The characters and their relationships in this book is something to envy. I could not put this down :)

Thanks Netgalley, Jilll, and the publisher for the chance to read and review.