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A review by erinnaissance
Forever with You by Heatherly Bell
2.0
2:5 Stars Mild spoilers.
I listened to the audiobook version of this story. I think this is a book I would’ve preferred to have read but I needed something that I could listen to while driving or walking or multitasking. I struggled with not being irritated by the narrator’s voice for Sophia. I found the voice to be whiny but then I also found the character to be insufferable towards the end of the story. I found Angie the chef to be also self-centered and a bit narcissistic about her occupation. It’s rare though that I actively root for a character to not have the HEA with the main love interest. In this case, I was hoping Riley would head for the hills.
Sophia was 29 years old and while I could understand her immaturity as a newlywed in the backstory, by the time in which she had started her reconciliation with Riley, her wanting her husband to have a different occupation just to make her feel more secure seemed incredibly self-centered and immature. Her father implied this, her friends and her sister-in-law basically came out and said it to her face and yet she seemed to be clueless about the inappropriateness of her stance. And there was some internal monologue line where she thought they’d eventually get back together once he finally came around to her way of thinking. That’s when I was yelling at the audiobook. I didn’t think I could take one more whiny minute of whiny Sophia. ENOUGH! Sophia, you’re not a victim. Put on your big girl panties and be grateful that somebody actually loves you when you’re forever on speed dial for wahmbulances!
This was my first time with a Heatherly Bell novel. I can’t say that it will be my last but I’m also not in a hurry to hear the other love stories in Starlight Hill.
I also found it a bit implausible for Lucy, Riley’s sister, to be an addict who was not doing more wreckage to her brother’s life. Knowing a lot of people in Al-Anon recovery, I have heard multiple stories of how people who abuse drugs (and meth specifically) as tending to put their addiction above EVERYTHING (meaning they steal...from everyone!) Lucy didn’t seem quite sick enough.
I listened to the audiobook version of this story. I think this is a book I would’ve preferred to have read but I needed something that I could listen to while driving or walking or multitasking. I struggled with not being irritated by the narrator’s voice for Sophia. I found the voice to be whiny but then I also found the character to be insufferable towards the end of the story. I found Angie the chef to be also self-centered and a bit narcissistic about her occupation. It’s rare though that I actively root for a character to not have the HEA with the main love interest. In this case, I was hoping Riley would head for the hills.
Sophia was 29 years old and while I could understand her immaturity as a newlywed in the backstory, by the time in which she had started her reconciliation with Riley, her wanting her husband to have a different occupation just to make her feel more secure seemed incredibly self-centered and immature. Her father implied this, her friends and her sister-in-law basically came out and said it to her face and yet she seemed to be clueless about the inappropriateness of her stance. And there was some internal monologue line where she thought they’d eventually get back together once he finally came around to her way of thinking. That’s when I was yelling at the audiobook. I didn’t think I could take one more whiny minute of whiny Sophia. ENOUGH! Sophia, you’re not a victim. Put on your big girl panties and be grateful that somebody actually loves you when you’re forever on speed dial for wahmbulances!
This was my first time with a Heatherly Bell novel. I can’t say that it will be my last but I’m also not in a hurry to hear the other love stories in Starlight Hill.
I also found it a bit implausible for Lucy, Riley’s sister, to be an addict who was not doing more wreckage to her brother’s life. Knowing a lot of people in Al-Anon recovery, I have heard multiple stories of how people who abuse drugs (and meth specifically) as tending to put their addiction above EVERYTHING (meaning they steal...from everyone!) Lucy didn’t seem quite sick enough.