This book really hit the spot, finding a satisfying blend of women’s fiction and contemporary romance. This can be read as a stand-alone, but fair warning that you will probably fall in love with the setting and people of Wildstone and want to read other books in this series.

I consider strong friendships, humor, and satisfying romance to be hallmarks of this author’s books, and this one delivered. This story deals with a group of young adults who forged bonds growing up through the foster system. I especially enjoyed how she so successfully incorporated that past into the characters’ backgrounds and frames of reference in a real way that was neither depressing nor stereotypical. This is a wonderful feel-good read.

One moment can change a number of lives. And that moment happened for three foster siblings and two blood siblings almost a decade ago. Now there are four of them. Caitlin, the steady heart of the group; Maze, the de facto leader who is skeptical of love; Walker, the loner who lurks in the background; and Heather, the youngest of them all.

The four of them haven't been in one place in years but now they are gathering for Cat's wedding to Dillon. Unfortunately, none of them seem to actually like Dillon. Which is going to be a problem since Cat has actually inveigled them all out to the family lodge a week before her actual wedding date and is asking them to stay. They each have their own reasons for not wanting to spend a week together but the family ties are too strong.
Most of the story focuses on Maze and Walker. Even though Maze brings a fake boyfriend, their attraction is strong and she finds herself drawn to the man she walked out on years ago. We also get glimpses of Cat and Dillon's relationship but, because their parts in the story are so brief, Dillon is more of a two-dimensional character. Heather, we see least of all though her story seems like it could have been interesting.

Three stars
Follows The Summer Deal
This book comes out January 12th
ARC kindly provided by William Morrow Paperbacks and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

I loved this book and it was simply wonderful.
I definitely recommend this book, series, and author.

After tragedy separates best friends Caitlin, Maze, Heather and Will as teenagers, they each go their separate ways. After not seeing each other for three years, Caitlin is determined to bring them together for her wedding. They have not seen each other for three years. Caitlin is having doubts about her fiancé. Maze is carrying the guilt from the tragedy years ago, Heather has a surprise for them all and Will and Maze still have feelings for each other. Can time together heal the wounds of the past? Another great read from Jill Shalvis!


Thanks to Jill Shalvis, William Morrow and Custom House

The Forever Girl tugs the heart strings and will run you through the gauntlet of emotion. Maze is wonderful, rebellious, full of life and everyone can see it but Maze. No one is harder on Maze than herself. She's a bundle of insecurity and low self esteem who accepts the blame for every bad thing that has ever happened. A foster child, Maze thought she had found her forever home when Cat's family took her, Walker, and Heather under their wings until tragedy struck. Guilt ridden, Maze has withdrawn from the others. Heather has her own secrets and struggles. Walker is doing his own secretive thing. Cat just wants her family back and she manages to bring them all home for her marriage. The chemistry between Walker and Maze is off the charts and Walker's back story is a little heartbreaking all on its own. Maze and Walker work on a second chance at love while the family works on forgiveness, understanding, and healing for a hard fought HEA. The characters in this book quickly become like the reader's best friends and make the ending oh so bittersweet. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from Netgalley.

I really liked the tension on this book. But the constant communication issues were exhausting. Not only between the hero and heroine bit between all the main characters. Also sometimes their inner dialogue seemed incongruous with their actions. Overall it was a sweet story and it was nice to see all the relationships improve.

This was my first Jill novel and I have no idea why it took me so losing to read her! I loved how you get not just the hero and heroines perspectives but some of the important side characters!

Maze and Walker have had a rough life but when it came to their attraction that was undeniable! Now as they converge together again for their “sisters” wedding Maze and Walker have to face their truths and start to heal. Through their healing; more than their relationship will mend they just have to find the strength to do it!

I loved this “family” I loved how resilient and through everything they didn’t give up on each other or themselves! I also loved the sentimental moments but more than anything I enjoyed how they called one another out and found a way to make light of situations and find some humor!

The Forever Girl is a phenomenal contemporary romance by Jill Shalvis. Ms. Shalvis has provided readers with a well-written book populated with an outstanding cast of characters. Maze went into foster care when she was a teen and was placed with Caitlin's family. Walker joined the family and then Heather. Until the night of the fire, when Caitlin's brother died. Every year they'd meet at the cemetery for Michael's birthday until the year things went bad. Maze hasn't seen the family of her heart since then. Now Caitlin has called them all home for her wedding. This is a story of tragedy, love, healing and trust. You'll find plenty of drama, laugh out loud humor, sizzle, angst and suspense between the pages of this book. I loved this story and look forward to reading more from Jill Shalvis in the future. The Forever Girl is book 6 in the Wildstone Series but can be read as a standalone. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

In “The Forever Girl” by Jill Shalvis we meet Maze and her “family”. As teenagers they were put together through the foster care system and as adults the glue that has held them together all these years, Cat, is getting married. But the reunion is weighted down by guilt, secrets, and painful memories.

As they prepare for the wedding Maze, Cat, Heather and Walker begin to realize that the tragedies of their past have kept them from the people that are most important to them but is it too late to get back to where they were.

A fun read with a lot of great characters. I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest review.

The Forever Girl
A Novel
by Jill Shalvis
William Morrow and Custom House
You Are Auto-Approved
William Morrow Paperbacks
General Fiction (Adult) | Romance | Women's Fiction
Pub Date 12 Jan 2021 | Archive Date 09 Mar 2021

Yes! Jill Shalvis does it again. A great romance that I can easily recommend to our readers. Thanks to William Morrow and Custom House for the ARC. Thanks to NetGalley also!

5 star

Jill Shalvis is one of my favorite romance authors. All of her books are auto-buys for me, and this book was no exception. This book had a wonderful storyline about second chances. i loved reading about maze and cat find their way back to each other.

When Maze returns to Wildstone for the wedding of her estranged bff and foster sister Cat, it means a reunion with her other foster siblings Walker, Heather and to deal with the tragedy that split them apart so many years ago. Which was Cat’s little brother Michael dying when their house caught on fire and that Maze blames herself for the blaze and Walker blames himself for not being able to save Michael. Cat is going crazy getting the wedding set up with her fiancée Dillon whose mother pretty much hijacked what was going to be an intimate family gathering into an over the top extravaganza that she doesn’t want. Cat invites Maze, Walker and Heather to the wedding and has them staying at the cabin with her and her fiancée but she tricks them into staying a whole week since the wedding isn’t until the next weekend. Maze and Walker haven’t seen each other since they got drunk Las Vegas married when Maze turned 21 and of course misunderstanding abound and they both think the other one left and thought it was a mistake. Heather turns up with a toddler daughter that nobody except for Walker knew about and Cat is shocked and hurt that Heather never told her even though she tried to keep in touch with everyone. So we have everyone just trying to work out their interpersonal issues as well as getting Cats wedding and all the last minute details done without Cat having a nervous breakdown.

I really liked this book. It was a really fast read and I liked how much growth you got with Maze and Walker especially since it was an ensemble and we did get a lot of Cat/Dillion and Heather/Jace it was focused more on Walker/Maze. Maze really had a great arc of growth in her character and how she finally left herself open to the possibilities with Walker and how neither her nor Walker were at fault for the fire that killed Michael or for not saving him. I really loved how much Cat finally grew a backbone and realized that what she wants matter and she shouldn’t keep trying to make everyone else happy that she should make herself happy. I loved Heather and Jace with how he was so good with her daughter and how much he was falling for her. Just so cute. So a really fun read and I hope there is more in this series with any of these other characters. I would like to see where they end up.

Thanks to William Morrow and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book in e-book form. All opinions in this review are my own.

Maze Porter works as a bartender while taking night classes. She returns to Wildestone, California, for her foster sister/ best friend’s wedding. Being home brings back unwanted feelings and memories. It also forces Maze to be around Walker Scott, the man she foolishly let go. Will Maze finally put her emotional and mental demons to rest? Or will she once again wreck a good thing?
Walker “Walk” Scott is a federal agent. He comes back to Wildestone to attend his foster sister’s wedding. Walker never really forgot what happened between him and Maze four years ago. Many heartbreaking revelations finally come to light. Will the wedding continue as planned? Can Walker and Maze overcome their emotional shortcomings? Will he convince her to be his forever girl?
Maze is the embodiment of dysfunctional. Her childhood before and after The Walsh’s, the family who briefly took her in, left a deep scar on her emotional state. I admire how Maze acknowledges her many issues and faults. She has no aspirations on being perfect; she is just content in being herself. What I adore the most about Maze are the sacrifices she makes for Caitlin. Maze understands that she cannot change the past, but she grapples with her inner demons to be there for Cat.
Walker is definitely a keeper! I like how he refused to allow his crappy childhood stop him from making something out of his life. He could have easily fell into drugs or become a delinquent. I adore how Walker looks after the few people in his sphere. There is nothing he would not do for them. What I love the most about Walker is his ability to understand Maze. They are kindred spirits, so he can anticipate her reactions and responses better than anyone.
THE FOREVER GIRL is book six in Jill Shalvis’ contemporary romance series, WILDSTONE. This story can stand apart from the prior five books and one novella, the only common thread being the setting. The formula of this series is more women’s lit than straight up romance. There is romance, but the storyline also focuses on the values of family and friendship.
THE FOREVER GIRL is an emotional tale of two troubled people overcoming their shortcomings for a second chance. I could not help but get personally connected with all the characters in this story. I cannot wait to see what Jill Shalvis has in store for the next installment.

Maze Porter has had a tough life, but soldiers on, shoving bad memories of being in the foster care system to the side. She did have a loving foster family...until their lives blew apart with the death of her foster brother Micheal. All the kids in the family had feelings tied to his lass. His birth sister Caitlin, Maze, Heather and Walker dealt with the pain as best as they could, each bearing inner scars, after losing their incredibly close family after the fire that took Micheal’s life.
Now Caitlin wants her family to heal and brings them together for her wedding. They all have little secrets that come out and end up healing each other when misconceptions are revealed and handled by all.
This is a second chance romance with the added lesson that we need to discuss our feelings with our loved ones to avoid misunderstandings that could cause unneeded separations. This tale evokes a bit of sadness in some parts and happiness in others to end up as a sweet heartwarming tale.
I requested and received to my delight a NetGalley ARC and offer my opinion freely.

Jill Shalvis writes realistic plotlines and characters. I really loved the family dynamic of this story. And the relationship between Walker and Maze, battling the fears of their childhoods to finally understand and love each other, wow!
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The views and opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to HarperCollins Publishers and Jill Shalvis for the book.

I am a fan of this author’s writing and other stories. But I will say that this wasn’t one of my favorites. The blurb and story idea intrigued but as I started reading it just didn’t suck me in. This is one I just couldn’t get through as much as I wanted. I encourage others to give it a read because while it wasn’t for me, it could be an amazing read for someone else.

Forever and a day....
Jill Shalvis once again tugs at your heart strings and takes you on a roller coaster ride of emotions. In The Forever Girl we meet Caitlin, Heather, Maze and Walker who were all thrown together by Caitlin’s family taking them in through the foster system. Many know that system alone is not the best for many children and Jill does a great job at exploring the emotions, situations, hope and love that can come from creating your own family. This book is part of the Wildstone Series but since they’re all stand alone books, you aren’t left with a cliffhanger. I love Jill Shalvis books and despite receiving this as an ARC from the publisher, I would have bought this book anyway! I highly recommend this book!

I've read the first three books in this series but I don't recall meeting the cast of characters this book follows but I did fall in love with them all. From Mayhem Maze who I ached for over all her insecurities to the tough and mysterious Walker and even Heather's adorable little girl grabbed my heart. Each character is so complex and has their own issues that you can't help but feel for them all. I loved this book and cannot wait to read about the other siblings' stories.

I read a preview of the first chapter of this book and knew I wanted to read it as soon as it was available. What a teaser- I was sucked into the story so quickly by the emotional reunion of the 4 main characters in the cemetery! Maze, Walker, Heather and Cat meet yearly to celebrate Michael’s birthday in the cemetery; Maze, Walker and Heather were foster children that lived with Cat and Michael’s family for one year, until tragedy struck. What we know: during that time, they developed lasting bonds, but that something happened that left Michael dead and they were separated. Maze and Walker are avoiding each other, and we are left with the knowledge that something happened 4 years prior in Vegas that has put a wedge between them.

After that disastrous reunion, 3 years later Walker,, Heather, and Maze return to Wildstone to attend Cat’s wedding. Things have not been the same since their last meeting, and all does not seem well between Cat and Dillon, her fiancé only days before the wedding. Will they make it down the altar?

This book is part of the Wildstone series, but it is a complete standalone and you will not feel you are missing anything if you pick the story up here. This one was a big winner for me - I loved it from the start through to the end. The characters all have their issues, but it is clear that they all love each other, warts and all. They are a fun group, and the complications of getting Cat through the days leading up to her wedding kept things moving in the story. The thing I really think sets Jill Shalvis books apart from the rest are the quirky characters and how their stories are interwoven - the “love” in the story is not just romantic love. It is familial love, the love between friends, and the ties that bind people together.

Another heartfelt and fun 5 star read from the Wildstone series! I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

True friendships last forever despite distance or the years spent apart. In 'The Forever Girl' Jill Shalvis pens a tale of foster friends that become a surrogate family. When tragedy forces them apart, it tears the foundation that made Maze feel secure. Left reeling from the guilt and separation, they forged new lives. When their fearless leader Caitlin calls them home for her wedding, will they mend the cracks in their friendship?

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the early read in exchange for an honest review. #TheForeverGirl will delight her Wildstone series readers as Shalvis expertly weaves in the past to present why the friends are guarding secrets. The only problem with finishing the book, it will feel like 'forever' waiting for her next novel!