Karen Cimms' Forever And Always Review!

Forever and Always

By: Karen Cimms

Release Date: November 28, 2022

Publisher: Lone Sparrow Press

Author Website: https://karencimms.com/

5 Stars

Karen Cimms captures all the feels of small town romance with rockstar flair in the first book of her new Gravel Hill Boys series, Forever and Always!

Ms. Cimms sets the stage in her work with all the insecurities of young love left to simmer and brew over a six-year separation instigated from the immaturity and miscommunication of her leads. Now Beau Edward Taylor is a country music star and Brooklyn Anne Barnett has been dealt more than her fair share of life's hardships. When a happenstance encounter forces the two high school sweethearts to confront their heartbreak and find the unanswered questions that lingered and prevented them from moving on from each other, the feelings that surfaces were explosive. Emotional and volatile, this reunion offered some challenging and steamy confrontations as well as a mountain of regrets. All the festering hurt they each held close came to the surface as the reality that maybe the time they lost never needed to happen.

As truths were revealed it became apparent that there were more than just Beau and Brooklyn's individual actions involved in their estrangement leaving readers to work through the layers of their breakup with them. This author did a fantastic job of conveying the intensity of this couple's feelings and hurts. Details flourished in this story giving readers a complex view into this pair's schism as well as providing moments that built up for some unexpected twist simultaneously shedding light on their breakup. The supporting cast of characters in this work was well rounded and richly devised, grabbing reader’s attention and adding to the story being told in memorable ways. While there was no shortage of angst in this work there was a nice balance of hope and humor.

Karen Cimms shares unfiltered portrayals that give her audience people that are relatable in their vulnerability. Her ability to bring to her readers a familiarity with her characters provides a reader / writer bond that is intense and rare. This author is always one step ahead in her work keeping her readers easily engaged even as they are caught up in the substance of her writing. Forever and Always, full of tears, laughter and love the perfect start to a new series!

*I was given an advanced copy. All opinions expressed are my own.*