FOREVER THIS TIME

FOREVER THIS TIME                                MAGGIE McGINNIS

Forever This Time is the story of Josie Kendrew, who returns to her tiny Vermont hometown after ten years' absence when her father has a stroke, and Ethan Miller, her jilted high school sweetheart, who's taken her place as the CFO of the Kendrew family business: running Snowflake Village—a "Santa's Village"—style amusement park.

Josie, now a successful therapist with a Boston practice, isn't sure how she feels about being back in Echo Lake. In some ways, things have changed a lot; Ethan's got an MBA, seems to have something going with Molly, her childhood best friend, and he even owns the beautiful Victorian they'd always talked about buying together. But in other ways, the place is exactly the same, with reminders of the heartbreak that drove Josie away lurking around every corner. When Josie's "Little Sister" Avery died of cancer at the age of ten, the grief nearly destroyed her, and ultimately inspired her choice of career. It also caused a hurt so deep she knew she couldn't stay in Echo Lake, surrounded by memories. And she's not going to stay now; as soon as her dad's health improves, she's headed right back to Boston, to her therapy practice and her quiet apartment. To her lonely, safe life.

As for Ethan, he's not all that pleased to see the woman he once loved. It took a long time to pick up the pieces Josie left behind, he's proud of the work he's done to bring Snowflake Village into the 21st century, and he's worried that if Josie finds out about his project to honor Avery's memory, she'll get the wrong idea. He's not planning to make it easy for Josie to come back, and he's not going to pretend that all is forgiven. They can't just pick up where they left off… right? 

HUBBY'S REVIEW:

Josie Kendrew is back in Echo Lake Vermont because of a phone call she got from her mother saying her father had a stroke and is in the hospital. She left the town three years ago after her little sister from the big brother, big sister program passed away from cancer. The grief from her death plus her life at home she felt she had to get away, and that included the one person she loved and was looking forward to marrying. With his injury and not going to college, but staying to work with her father at the Snow Lake village, a Santa theme park open 365 days and everything Christmas she saw herself becoming her parents especially her mother and that was not a pretty sight. Now back she was helping her mother who she did not recognize by helping the one person she did not want to see Ethan Miller, the boy who is now a man 6’2” and still has his hair and actually looks better than she remembered. She is though back where she thought she would be 10 years ago working at the village, and by helping Ethan has her doing most everything that she hated as a girl growing up there. Some of the stuff I thought was mean after a while and hurtful especially one item, but she still did it. Her friend Molly which was in town even though she got a business degree was still pissed at her and did a few mean things to her. But the older people the ones that helped her as a kid growing up were still there for her and helping her now that she was back. The big question was is she going to stay this time? When she finds out what Ethan had been doing besides the park she is impressed and disappointed in herself for not believing in him more when they were 18. It was not Ethan who showed her but Molly, but she was being mean about it at the time. As she comes the grips with wanting to stay, and wanting to go back to Boston, and her practice. She finds herself torn what to do? Read the book I find out. A good story. I got this book from netgalley.  I give this 4 stars.