Forever Grace

Forever Grace is set in the same universe as Gwynne Ever After, and there are some short appearances of the characters that inhabited that story. A part from them, there are only a few characters present during most of the story, Grace and her three nieces and nephews, and Sean. At the beginning of the story, it was clear that both Grace and the children were afraid, and their fear didn't have anything to do with being in a cabin away from civilisation. And those children were so well-behaved most of the time it was quite clear they had gone through a trauma that made them very careful about how they acted, and what they said.

As the story moved on, there was a lot of tension between Sean and Grace, and Forever Grace showed that they were both keeping something back, that they both had preconceived notions about what was or not appropriate when meeting someone new they were attracted to. I enjoyed that Sean especially realized that all the rules he had made for himself about not ever being involved with a woman who had kids was based more on the way his mom had acted when he was a kid than with what he himself thought of children.

Danger was always looming on the horizon in Forever Grace... as the story unfolded, we learned more about why Grace was taking care of her sister's children. How her sister had ended up in the hospital. And of course, why they were hiding out there in the wilderness jumping at the slightest noise that seemed out of place. And all of their intricate stories were heart-breaking in their own ways. I had my heart beating so hard in my chest towards the end, when what Grace had kept the children hidden from showed up to annihilate everything Grace loved.

Written in third person, past tense, the story unfolds quite slowly, at a pace that is like the rhythm of nature in fall. Captivating characters and a strong story made Forever Grace one of my favorite reads of this summer.

Forever Grace is a great book that will make you laugh and cry. Linda does a fantastic job of creating characters that you care about. I always look forward to her new books.

Forever Grace, Linda Poitevin Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews Genre: Romance, I loved the first book in this series, and this one features Gareth’s cousin Sean. ( There are cameo appearances by Gareth, Gwyn and the kids) It’s not a book full of hot, steamy sex, but a romance that builds slowly, where the couple learn about each other, and the circumstances throw them together, letting them see sides of each other than may otherwise have been hidden. Sean is recovering from some severe injuries caused by an incident at work – he’s a cop. He’s come to film star Gareth’s secret hideout, an isolated cottage far away from crowds. Grace is looking after her three nieces and her nephew in the cottage next door, under the impression no-one else will be around. Once they meet it’s soon clear to Sean that the story she gives out about the little family doesn’t add up. As a cop his curiosity is piqued, and he wants to know more – why are they there, where are the parents, why aren’t the older three at school? Its a lovely read, with some great humour, Grace’s cooking and the kids advice to Sean to bin it.... I loved Grace. She’s upturned her whole life to look after the kids, and I needed to know – like Sean – just what they were escaping from. When I found out it was heart-breaking, and the kids actions made so much sense. they were great characters too – acted exactly as I’d imagine kids in their position would. Josh, ten going on fifty at times, I wanted to hug him. He’s seen things no kid of his age should, and was so protective of his sisters and helpful to Grace. The girls too each had their own personality and were wise beyond their years, apart from baby Annabelle, who was so young she missed most of the fear. I loved the “stuffies owie” episode!! Toddlers – when they get an idea often they just won’t be moved, and again I could envisage that scene so well. Its a really sad situation – fictional of course, but incredibly well portrayed, and sadly is real life for far too many families. Grace and Sean were two people that under normal circumstances would be unlikely to ever meet, and yet they were perfect for each other. There’s a beautiful romance developing but its only part of the story, its not a sex all the way book, but one that covers serious issues and had a solid suspense mystery behind it, and is balanced from the serious side by some wonderful humour .

Stars: Five, a beautiful read. ARC supplied by Netgalley and publishers