Forever Again, Shannon Stacey
Forever Again by Shannon Stacey
ISBN: 1-59998-001-0
Length: Category
Price: $4.50
Genre: Romance/Contemporary
Publication Date: January 3, 2006
After fifteen years apart, after a disastrously brief 13 day marriage, Gena Taylor and Travis Ryan run into each other again. Unfortunately, it is when Travis arrives at Gena's inn with his new fiance.
Travis hasn't told his fiance, that he was ever married before, let alone the reason why. He's still trying to forget that he was conned into marriage by a fake pregnancy after one night with Gena all those years ago.
However, the pregnancy wasn't fake, but Travis never stuck around to find out. Now Gena isn't sure whether to introduce him to his fifteen year old daughter, Mia, or to continue to keep the secret from the only man she ever truly loved. The man who devastated her when he accused her of being a scheming lier.
As they struggle to find solit footing for this new relationship, trying to be good parents to Mia and form that relationship for her, they are overcome by both the past and the passion they are trying to deny.
I picked up this book last night because I was in the mood for a nice solid romance, without any twists and turns (no paranormal, no romantic suspense, etc. - just straight romance) and I like this author's romantic suspense/adventure (The Devlin Group) series, so I thought why not. Although not usually a fan of the surprise/hidden pregnancy stories, I was willing to give it a shot.
I'm glad I did. I read this straight through and fell in love with the characters, especially Gena and her daughter, Mia. I wanted to kick Travis' ass on several occassions, and frankly still do a bit, but he did manage to redeem himself in the end. I wish he hadn't been so bent on villifying Gena when I believe he was the jerk in the first place. However, if he hadn't then there wouldn't be much of a story and frankly, this was done so well that even though I normally hate heroes like this, Ms. Stacey made it work.
My only problem was the head hopping. Ms. Stacey did seem to make it fairly clear that it was a switch, but (anyone who has read any of my reviews will know this) I hate any head hopping. I prefer to stay in one character's head per scene. It was the only thing that detracted from my total enjoyment of this book. And she did it well enough that I was able to ignore it after a while. To be fair to Ms. Stacey, I recently read my first JD Robb (aka Nora Roberts) book and I had the same problem. Ms. Roberts wrote her story so skillfully that the head hopping didn't bother me nearly as much as it always does. I would say that Ms. Stacey has written her story just as skillfully.
Overall, when the story was said and done I had a lump in my throat and I was so glad I'd read it. It was a wonderful, feel good, contemporary romance that lived up to its promise of Forever Again. I'm still smiling this morning when I think of it. It reminded me of the romance stories I read when I was younger, before I got caught up in needing suspense, action, adventure. A time when I was happy to feel the romance and get my happy ending. A time when I dreamed that I was every heroine, just waiting for my hero. Thank you for taking me back.
I give this 4.5 (reduction is purely for the head hopping)
Labels: Rating 4.5
posted by Michelle @ 9:15 a.m.
Comments: 0
