{"id":24713,"date":"2017-08-18T03:28:08","date_gmt":"2017-08-18T07:28:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/?p=24713"},"modified":"2017-08-19T03:49:49","modified_gmt":"2017-08-19T07:49:49","slug":"review-the-problem-with-forever-by-jennifer-l-armentrout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/?p=24713","title":{"rendered":"Review: The Problem with Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout"},"content":{"rendered":"

Buy:\u00a0 Kindle Ebook<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 Paperback<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Review<\/strong><\/h4>\n

4 stars<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is an emotional and dramatic YA read that is heartfelt, heartbreaking, yet still fun and so, so sweet. Beautifully written in a way that is all JLA.<\/p>\n

Mallory endured a horrific childhood, brightened only by the moments she got to spend with her foster brother, Rider, who would protect and comfort her \u2013 enduring beatings and abuse in order to spare her. When she finally escaped the hell of her upbringing, she also lost Rider when the two of them were separated. But she was lucky enough to be adopted as a teenager by the doctor who treated her for injuries in hospital, and she has been cared for and loved in a way she has never experienced before.<\/p>\n

In order to save herself as a child, she was conditioned to become silent \u2013 to hide from the danger as much as she could, and that behaviour has continued into her teen years, and she struggles to speak \u2013 so conditioned to being quiet. But she is taking a huge leap to claim her life back and after years of home schooling, she has enrolled in the local high school. She knows it\u2019s going to be a huge shock to her, but she finally feels ready. What she isn\u2019t ready for, is for her history to hit her in the face when on her very first day she encounters Rider at the same school. And from the moment they see each other, all of the intensity between them as children, is still very much there (and that reunion! Holy freaking epic!<\/p>\n

<\/span>Spoiler <\/div>
\u201cSay something.\u201d
\nI struggled to get the word out. \u201cWhat?\u201d
\n\u201cMy name.\u201d
\nI wasn\u2019t sure why he wanted me to say that, and I didn\u2019t know how it would feel to say it again after all this time, but I drew in a deep breath. \u201cRider.\u201d Another breath shuddered through me. \u201cRider Stark.\u201d
\nHis throat worked and, for a heartbeat, neither of us moved as a steamy breeze tossed strands of hair across my face. Then he dropped his notebook to the pavement. I was surprised it didn\u2019t burst into dust. His long-legged pace ate up the distance. One second there was several feet between us, and in the next breath he was right there in front of me. He was so much taller now. I barely reached his shoulders.
\nAnd then his arms were around me.
\nMy heart exploded as those strong arms pulled me against his chest. There was a moment where I froze, and then my arms swept around his neck. I held on, squeezing my eyes shut as I inhaled the clean scent and the lingering trace of aftershave. This was him. His hugs were different now, stronger and tighter. He lifted me clear off my feet, one arm around my waist, the other hand buried deep in my hair, and my breasts were mushed against his surprisingly hard chest.
\nWhoa.
\nHis hugs were most definitely different than they were when we were twelve.
\n\u201cJesus, Mouse, you don\u2019t even know…\u201d His voice was gruff and thick as he set me back on my feet, but he didn\u2019t let go. One arm stayed around my waist. His other hand fisted the ends of my hair. His chin grazed the top of my head as I slid my hands down his chest. \u201cI never thought I\u2019d see you again.\u201d
\nI rested my forehead between my hands, feeling his heart beat fast. I could hear people around us, and I imagined some were probably staring, but I didn\u2019t care. Rider was warm and solid. Real. Alive.<\/i><\/div><\/div><\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Rider has a reputation at school for being a bit of a bad boy. He remained in the foster system and though he has now found a good home, he spent years being moved from place to place, and he never really felt settled. And living in the lower class part of town, he is often unfairly dismissed by teachers and the kids at school. But there is no denying that he\u2019s gorgeous, and he immediately proves that his heart is as big as it always was, as he takes Mallory under his wing and once again becomes her protector, her touchstone, and her best friend.<\/p>\n

We’ve been separated. But we had never really been apart.<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

They are so freaking cute together! True friends, but with feelings that go so much deeper than that, and there is this wonderful blend of sweetness, innocence, honesty, innocence and intensity, and you can feel it as things start to shift for them and every moment of it was just gorgeous.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want you involved in any of that.\u201d
\n\u201cBecause you care about me?\u201d
\n\u201cOf course.\u201d I narrowed my eyes. \u201cI don\u2019t want to worry about you getting hurt.\u201d
\nHe stepped in and his other hand settled just above my hip. \u201cBecause you want to be with me?\u201d
\n\u201cYes.\u201d That word was easy to speak.
\nRider smiled then and the right dimple appeared. \u201cYou want to be my girlfriend.\u201d
\nI opened my mouth and then I laughed. It sounded strange after the seriousness of our conversation, but the statement was sweet and silly.
\nHis cheeks pinked. \u201cNot sure how I feel about that laugh,\u201d he teased. \u201cBut I do love the sound of it.\u201d
\nMy breath caught at the word. Love. Oh, gosh, was that what was happening here?
\n\u201cSo do you? Want to be my girlfriend?\u201d he asked, and then chuckled. \u201cProbably should\u2019ve brought this up before I kissed you, but I want…I want to see where this goes, Mallory. I feel like we got a second chance, you know? I\u2019ve been thinking that since I sat down in speech and saw you sitting there. We have a second chance. And who gets second chances?\u201d
\nI searched his gaze, feeling a rightness deep in my chest. I had thought the same thing before, about second chances.
\n\u201cI don\u2019t want to pass that up.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The romance is really sweet. It\u2019s a true reconnection of soul-mates, with a wonderful friendship and a love story that is paced perfectly, age-appropriate and it\u2019s beautifully swoony, but still with the teen awkwardness and \u2018realness\u2019 that JLA writes so well.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just never thought I’d get to see how beautiful you’d become\u201d
\n\u2026
\n\u201cYou’re beautiful, too. I mean, you’re hot,\u201d I blurted out. \u201cBut I always knew you would be.\u201d my eyes widened as I realize what just streamed out of my mouth, and his grin to turn into a smile. \u201cOh my God, I did not just say… any of that out loud.\u201d
\n\u201cYou did\u201d
\n\u201cUgh.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

But as gorgeous as Rider and Mallory are together, their relationship faces its challenges \u2013 they live very different lives, which leads to all sorts of difficulties, and the reality of that is shockingly heartbreaking. And they\u2019ll need to pull together just like they always have in order to get through it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI might’ve saved you all those years ago, but now you’ve saved me.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

More than just a romance, this is a story of Mallory\u2019s journey as she fights hard to reclaim her life and find her way forward, and I loved the strength and determination she showed in doing just that.<\/p>\n

This is a great read. It\u2019s sweet, emotional, romantic and dramatic, it made me laugh and it broke my heart, and I loved it.<\/p>\n

Rider \u2665 Mallory<\/i><\/b><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

4 stars.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

For similar books, check out our YA Recommendations<\/a> page<\/strong><\/h4>\n

And see our Jennifer L. Armentrout Author Spotlight <\/a>for more great reads<\/strong><\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Buy:\u00a0 Kindle Ebook\u00a0 |\u00a0 Paperback Review 4 stars This is an emotional and dramatic YA read that is heartfelt, heartbreaking, yet still fun and so, so sweet. Beautifully written in a way that is all […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4314,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","yasr_overall_rating":4,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"Product","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[52,25,9,12],"tags":[43],"class_list":["post-24713","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-friends-to-lovers","category-romance","category-young-adult","tag-jennifer-l-armentrout"],"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":false,"span_bottom":false},"number_of_votes":0,"sum_votes":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/The-Problem-with-Forever.jpg?fit=150%2C226&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7gaNL-6qB","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24713","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=24713"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24713\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4314"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=24713"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=24713"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=24713"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}