🎧The Forever Girl by Jill Shalvis @JillShalvis @ErinMallon ‏ @HarperAudio #LOVEAUDIOBOOKS

Posted January 26, 2021 by Anne - Books of My Heart in Book Review / 16 Comments

Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.


🎧The Forever Girl by Jill Shalvis @JillShalvis @ErinMallon ‏ @HarperAudio #LOVEAUDIOBOOKS The Forever Girl by Jill Shalvis
Narrator: Erin Mallon
Series: Wildstone #6
Published by HarperAudio on January 12, 2021
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Length: 9 hours, 17 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
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three-half-flames
One StarOne StarOne StarOne StarHalf a Star

When Maze returns to Wildstone for the wedding of her estranged bff and the sister of her heart, it’s also a reunion of a once ragtag team of teenagers who had only each other until a tragedy tore them apart and scattered them wide.

Now as adults together again in the lake house, there are secrets and resentments mixed up in all the amazing childhood memories. Unexpectedly, they instantly fall back into their roles: Maze their reckless leader, Cat the den mother, Heather the beloved baby sister, and Walker, a man of mystery.

Life has changed all four of them in immeasurable ways. Maze and Cat must decide if they can rebuild their friendship, and Maze discovers her long-held attraction to Walker hasn’t faded with the years but has only grown stronger.

The books in the Wildstone series don’t seem to have much connection as far as characters or even locations, so you don’t really have to read them in order.  There is a romance or two in each, with much more of a life fiction feel.

Maze is a classic Shalvis girl, full of insecurity and a heart of gold.  Walker is actually, the same.  As foster kids, they have both been left and work hard not to love anybody again who could hurt them, or leave them.  The whole bunch is brought together for Cat’s wedding.  Cat is thrilled to have her family together after a few years of everyone off hiding their problems.

Now, a lot of things could have been straightened out more quickly with some adult conversation.  I sort of hate that but it is realistic, people don’t want to be vulnerable.  These folks are a mess.  Cat had a break down of sorts and Dillon was there for her.  But now he’s a dick, and his mother is a bitch.  Heather has a two year old, only Walker knew about the baby.  Maze has isolated herself and estranged herself from Cat’s parents.  Walker has been shot and yet trying to be there for all of them, even if they don’t know it.

I enjoy the talk between the members of this “family” and the support they give each other.  They do some real soul searching about what they want in their lives.  There is a pregnancy scare.  Everyone of them is looking hard at what they really want in their future.

Walker knows what he wants and works toward it but he’s not willing to be vulnerable. Maze knows what she wants but doesn’t believe she can have it or deserves it.  Cat is not sure she wants what she thought she wanted.  Heather is finally handling her life and ready for love.  They are start out struggling, but they make some real progress.

While they grapple to figure it out, we get to laugh and cry and hope and cheer for them.  I loved this story and I want to see just a bit more of the future but that’s unlikely the way this series is written.  Shalvis needs to write a Wildstone holiday story with vignettes of all our favorite Wildstone people and what’s happening with them for the holiday.

 Narration:

Erin Mallon is a popular narrator and I have enjoyed her performance throughout this series. Her male and female characters are differentiated in each book. The male and female voices do sound the same as characters from another book though. I really enjoy the husky quality of her male voices.  I chose to listen at 1.4x speed, just a little slower than normal.

Listen to a clip:

About Erin Mallon

Erin Mallon is an actor, writer and voice artist in NYC. Her naturally warm personality and youthful sound have proven excellent tools for the many young adult and romance titles she narrates. She has originated roles in the theater with Ensemble Studio Theater’s Youngblood Company, The Drilling Company, Mabou Mines, Incubator Arts Project and many more. Erin is a devoted volunteer at The 52nd Street Project, the voice of many TV and radio commercials, and was one of BACKSTAGE’s “Career Dispatch” columnists for 2012.

About Jill Shalvis

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

Rating Breakdown
Plot
One StarOne StarOne StarOne StarHalf a Star
Writing
One StarOne StarOne StarOne StarHalf a Star
Characters
One StarOne StarOne StarOne StarOne Star
Narration (Audio)
One StarOne StarOne StarOne Star
Overall: One StarOne StarOne StarOne StarHalf a Star
Anne - Books of My Heart
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

  • C21-Winter

Posted January 26, 2021 by Anne - Books of My Heart in Book Review / 16 Comments


16 responses to “🎧The Forever Girl by Jill Shalvis

  1. I have been hearing the best things about this book and I really find seeing the family support and understanding to be so impactful in stories. It adds that unique element that has a endearing appeal.

  2. I like that it’s more a life fiction since all their lives are intertwined from growing up in foster care. You’re right about why people won’t just talk about stuff though, as a reader, I get impatient with them for not doing it. 🙂 Sounds like a good one. I’ve got a couple of the earlier books and just need to get them read.