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Forever Yours, Faithfully
When a simple crush turns into love, will the call of family or the ties of love win?
Greg Scott and Randy Williams have just begun their lives together when family and obligation come between them, forcing Greg to choose between family or his soul mate. Devastated by Greg's abandonment, Randy runs, taking on a new name and starting over. Randy never gets over losing Greg even when he finds a new partner, Mike. Tragedy strikes on September 11 and the world seems to be falling apart around him as Randy learns Mike is HIV positive. As war rages around Greg, he vows to find Randy to prove that "forever yours" doesn't come with an expiration date.
Greg Scott and Randy Williams have just begun their lives together when family and obligation come between them, forcing Greg to choose between family or his soul mate. Devastated by Greg's abandonment, Randy runs, taking on a new name and starting over. Randy never gets over losing Greg even when he finds a new partner, Mike. Tragedy strikes on September 11 and the world seems to be falling apart around him as Randy learns Mike is HIV positive. As war rages around Greg, he vows to find Randy to prove that "forever yours" doesn't come with an expiration date.
198 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 25, 2013
23 people are currently reading
125 people want to read
About the author
Sara York
153 books567 followersSara York, the author of Colorado Wild, twists words together to create worlds where characters make good and bad decisions that don't always work out so well. Romance and books have been a part of Sara York's life since learning to read. Sara York is a trans-male author writing gay romance. Coming out is the best decision Sara York has made. Live your life out loud. Sara York encourages you to be yourself.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
May 26, 2013
wow, an MLR cover that doesn't want to make me gouge my eyes out!
ETA-Really just too bittersweet and overly dramatic for me. I just wanted them to have a HEA, but instead there was drama, drama, drama, on top of more drama. Randy had to be the most unluckiest person in the world.
ETA-Really just too bittersweet and overly dramatic for me. I just wanted them to have a HEA, but instead there was drama, drama, drama, on top of more drama. Randy had to be the most unluckiest person in the world.
April 19, 2016
So this is how we ended up with 4 stars...
Well this one was a surprise and left me in a bit of a quandary. While I only gave the overall book a 3 star rating. I feel obligated to give the ending 5 stars because any story that can leave me as emotional at the end as this one did deserves 5 stars somewhere along the way and to me it was definitely the last few pages that earned those 2 extra stars, holy crap! I mean really, I absolutely did not expect it to grab me that hard.
'Forever Yours, Faithfully' is not a sunshine and roses kind of book and I don't mind that. Life is frequently messy and heartbreaking so I like it when there's a bit of that in my books it gives them a dose of reality and makes things more believable for me. This story did have a dose...it had a metric shit-ton!!! To the point where I was starting to feel like maybe even I'd found my limit on how much angst I could handle in any one story.
I started reading this book at 5 in the morning and somehow along with my daily real world obligations I managed to finish this before 8 p.m. last night. Now you would think that any reasonably intelligent person would have come to the realization that they were a little more emotionally invested in this book than normal given that I couldn't seem to really put it down...not me, I read on oblivious to it, my stomach tied in knots over the events transpiring between the e-pages. My brain raging against how fate seemed to be conspiring against our MC's, I needed to know dammit, I couldn't stop, I was halfway through supper when I realized I was still reading (something I never do because this is when hubby and I catch up on each other's day) I forced myself to put my book down as my patient other half smiled with tolerance at me and we chatted. Dinner dishes were cleared in record time and he went off to watch the news and I returned to Randy and Greg's story.
In the end I vacated the house for the sanctity and silence of our back yard. Also I needed some sunshine to lift my spirits things were just getting too depressing, I mean really what the hell else could go wrong for these two men?
And this is where I leave you this is where I don't tell you if things went horribly wrong or wonderfully right.
What? Really how dare I? Well you see I long ago discovered that if I know the ending of a book to some degree it always spoils it for me. I'm never as emotionally distraught as the author wanted me to be or as over the moon with joy for the Happily Ever After that our heroes so richly deserved and because the ending of this book was for me the absolute best part I refuse to spoil it for others. So you'll have to wonder, did I go back into my house smiling and laughing because finally these two men found the HEA they so richly deserved or was I crying and raging because Karma had once again been a bitch to them...or you could read the book and decide for yourself.
And this is how 'Forever Yours, Faithfully' got a 4 star rating from me. 3 stars for the bulk of the book and 5 stars for an ending that totally blew me away. Split the difference and you have 4 stars. Happy reading...or....not?
Well this one was a surprise and left me in a bit of a quandary. While I only gave the overall book a 3 star rating. I feel obligated to give the ending 5 stars because any story that can leave me as emotional at the end as this one did deserves 5 stars somewhere along the way and to me it was definitely the last few pages that earned those 2 extra stars, holy crap! I mean really, I absolutely did not expect it to grab me that hard.
'Forever Yours, Faithfully' is not a sunshine and roses kind of book and I don't mind that. Life is frequently messy and heartbreaking so I like it when there's a bit of that in my books it gives them a dose of reality and makes things more believable for me. This story did have a dose...it had a metric shit-ton!!! To the point where I was starting to feel like maybe even I'd found my limit on how much angst I could handle in any one story.
I started reading this book at 5 in the morning and somehow along with my daily real world obligations I managed to finish this before 8 p.m. last night. Now you would think that any reasonably intelligent person would have come to the realization that they were a little more emotionally invested in this book than normal given that I couldn't seem to really put it down...not me, I read on oblivious to it, my stomach tied in knots over the events transpiring between the e-pages. My brain raging against how fate seemed to be conspiring against our MC's, I needed to know dammit, I couldn't stop, I was halfway through supper when I realized I was still reading (something I never do because this is when hubby and I catch up on each other's day) I forced myself to put my book down as my patient other half smiled with tolerance at me and we chatted. Dinner dishes were cleared in record time and he went off to watch the news and I returned to Randy and Greg's story.
In the end I vacated the house for the sanctity and silence of our back yard. Also I needed some sunshine to lift my spirits things were just getting too depressing, I mean really what the hell else could go wrong for these two men?
And this is where I leave you this is where I don't tell you if things went horribly wrong or wonderfully right.
What? Really how dare I? Well you see I long ago discovered that if I know the ending of a book to some degree it always spoils it for me. I'm never as emotionally distraught as the author wanted me to be or as over the moon with joy for the Happily Ever After that our heroes so richly deserved and because the ending of this book was for me the absolute best part I refuse to spoil it for others. So you'll have to wonder, did I go back into my house smiling and laughing because finally these two men found the HEA they so richly deserved or was I crying and raging because Karma had once again been a bitch to them...or you could read the book and decide for yourself.
And this is how 'Forever Yours, Faithfully' got a 4 star rating from me. 3 stars for the bulk of the book and 5 stars for an ending that totally blew me away. Split the difference and you have 4 stars. Happy reading...or....not?
i-dont-think-so
April 29, 2013Bittersweet and not for me :(
Thanks for the warning Susan.
Thanks for the warning Susan.
April 27, 2013
3.5 stars round up. It felt a bit stilt here and there and some part felt too... ham-handed.
Not a light read by any means and quite an effective tears inducing agent. Therefore, do not read this in public settings. Since you will be dabbing your red puffy eyes.
I was kinda hope that the story will concentrate more on their adult lives. However, the story progress from when they met at about 17 y/o until about 50% marker. Not my taste, since I do not like to read YA much but that was just my preference.
Overall, Ms. York put her MCs through the wringers, several times. Sometimes the event felt arbitrary, sometimes unconvincing
Perhaps this is one of those story of how lives were so unfair to some people and yet they overlook the flaws to find happiness in each other. On retrospect, this story is about all the external factors that keeps the MCs apart that there were hardly anythings about them adjusting, coping and struggling to being a couple. Each held so much guilt with how things were that I wondered if they could ever argue without feeling guilty.
The epilogue... I am not sure if it was necessary or just appropriate for the story...
I plow through this in one sitting just to get to know what happened next. But I don't think I will reread this again. This much angst is not for me.
Not a light read by any means and quite an effective tears inducing agent. Therefore, do not read this in public settings. Since you will be dabbing your red puffy eyes.
I was kinda hope that the story will concentrate more on their adult lives. However, the story progress from when they met at about 17 y/o until about 50% marker. Not my taste, since I do not like to read YA much but that was just my preference.
Overall, Ms. York put her MCs through the wringers, several times. Sometimes the event felt arbitrary, sometimes unconvincing
Perhaps this is one of those story of how lives were so unfair to some people and yet they overlook the flaws to find happiness in each other. On retrospect, this story is about all the external factors that keeps the MCs apart that there were hardly anythings about them adjusting, coping and struggling to being a couple. Each held so much guilt with how things were that I wondered if they could ever argue without feeling guilty.
The epilogue... I am not sure if it was necessary or just appropriate for the story...
I plow through this in one sitting just to get to know what happened next. But I don't think I will reread this again. This much angst is not for me.
August 14, 2017
Don't read this book if you want to be happy.
I would have given this book NO stars, but then I wouldn't have been able to write a review. The book is just wrong!!!!!! I hated it from beginning to end. I have never given a review like this, but it is depressing and heartbreaking!!!! I'm sorry, but be warned if you read this book. There is no happiness at all...and definitely no HEA!!!!
I would have given this book NO stars, but then I wouldn't have been able to write a review. The book is just wrong!!!!!! I hated it from beginning to end. I have never given a review like this, but it is depressing and heartbreaking!!!! I'm sorry, but be warned if you read this book. There is no happiness at all...and definitely no HEA!!!!
Read
April 29, 2013Sounds like my kind of story, however i can't read it knowing how it ends.
April 30, 2013
-1 star for what feels like just randomly throwing in a prison stint and the epilogue.
April 12, 2018
I’ve read this author before and wasn’t impressed. But that was a short short story so I decided to try again.
I’m still not impressed.
The characters were a bit one dimensional. There was no character growth on page. No soul searching. They suddenly appeared a bit changed, but you had no knowledge of what prompted the change.
Everything that was happening was told to you or conveyed by dialogue. There were a lot of things happening. Some of them must have been really emotional, but I never once felt that emotion. There was nothing really sucking me into the story and I had to force myself to finish the book. The narrative just felt sooooo dry and unengaging.
Gregg was the golden boy through out the book. Yes he was slapped with his family loosing everything, but he still rose above that and became successful in his career. He professed an undying love for Randy, but never took on an ounce of responsibility for the chain of events that actually kept them apart for more than 20 years.
Randy was a kid who grew up under horrible circumstances and who continued to get slapped by one horrific event after the other by life. It was just a bit too much drama. He was always the one who got the raw deal.
This was really not a book for me.
I’m still not impressed.
The characters were a bit one dimensional. There was no character growth on page. No soul searching. They suddenly appeared a bit changed, but you had no knowledge of what prompted the change.
Everything that was happening was told to you or conveyed by dialogue. There were a lot of things happening. Some of them must have been really emotional, but I never once felt that emotion. There was nothing really sucking me into the story and I had to force myself to finish the book. The narrative just felt sooooo dry and unengaging.
Gregg was the golden boy through out the book. Yes he was slapped with his family loosing everything, but he still rose above that and became successful in his career. He professed an undying love for Randy, but never took on an ounce of responsibility for the chain of events that actually kept them apart for more than 20 years.
Randy was a kid who grew up under horrible circumstances and who continued to get slapped by one horrific event after the other by life. It was just a bit too much drama. He was always the one who got the raw deal.
This was really not a book for me.
April 29, 2013
4 stars
Originally reviewed for Joyfully Jay
That’s right. I know you’ve got the song in your head now, too. It’s been stuck on repeat in my brain for days now, especially while I was reading this book. And just like the beautiful ballad, this book is amazingly sweet and professes a love that is not only strong, but everlasting and unconditional.
Randy Williams would never forget the day Greg Scott recruited him to play a game of soccer after school. It’s the same day that Randy discovered that the boy he had been pining for was also pining for him. The beginning of Randy and Greg’s senior year in high school was spent sneaking kisses behind closed doors where they were supposedly only study partners. They planned their future after high school together into their college years and beyond.
After Greg’s father confesses to an affair and bankrupting the family, Greg is broken. Not only has his family fallen apart, but now his plans for his future with Randy have to change. Greg has family obligations that he can’t fulfill in his small Tennessee hometown. Making the decision to join the Marines seemed like his only option. Explaining everything to Randy was the hardest thing he’d ever done, but Randy stuck by his side and promised to wait for him.
The day that Greg is scheduled to leave, tragedy strikes Randy’s family, changing his and Greg’s lives forever. Distraught and left alone with no family and no Greg, Randy leaves his hometown, changing his identity along the way.
Years later, Greg still hopes to one day find Randy, knowing in his heart that there is no one else for him, but as hard as he tries, he can’t find a hint of the man. It’s like he disappeared. As the years pass by, both men are faced with trials and fears – new lovers, the HIV epidemic, September 11th, war – but neither man has ever forgotten or stopped loving the other. When Greg does finally catch up with Randy, things have changed, but Greg vows to prove to Randy no matter what that his love is forever Randy’s, faithfully.
This book is wonderfully bittersweet. I’ll admit besides being by a wonderful author, I was attracted to this book for the title. It’s a story full of emotion – fear, sadness, passion, and…love seems like too weak a word. It’s a story that tugs at the heartstrings and doesn’t let go. And I loved every bit of it.
I am a huge music fan of all shades and sizes and love to pick out author’s interpretation of lyrics in stories. And as you know, if you know this song, the song itself is a beautiful declaration of undying, unshakable love. So is the book.
A pair of star-crossed lovers, Greg and Randy face decades of misunderstanding and circumstance that keep them apart. I love these two. I love their unfailing love. They move on with their lives. They even experience other relationships, but always in the back of their mind, they have hope to one day find each other. I love the growth of both characters as well – Randy especially. Randy lives his life on shaky ground – moving from one thing to the next, staying in a stagnant relationship, taking care of a sick but unfaithful partner. He can’t seem to catch a break. My heart broke for him several times throughout this book. I just wanted something in his life to go right, for once. Greg grows up to be a strong, stable, and responsible man, strong enough to support Randy and his shaky ground. He’s so accommodating and accepting. I absolutely adore them both. They are perfectly matched even after decades apart, truly a wonderful couple.
I don’t read a lot of HIV/AIDS stories. In my everyday life, having worked in the medical field for over ten years, I’ve seen the reality of the disease – the ups and downs. It’s a hard reality for me to face in real life, so I find it hard to face in fiction as well. That being said, the way this author handles the disease – the fears, the conditions, the treatments, and the future – it’s absolutely beautiful. This is a story that gives hope where there was once thought to be none. It gives hope to a very real, very possible future. It’s an outstanding story.
I adored the beginning of this book – the meeting, the experimenting, the growth of young love. It was sweet and angsty and everything a young, inexperienced couple should be, full of hope and ideals and romanticism. It’s also a wonderfully emotional book, a book that will bring you to tears before you realize it. That being said, the second half of the story is slower and doesn’t flow as well. A lot of time and development is skipped. Several years of growth are passed over with a “two years later” or “eight years later.” It seems that the author hit on a few major events in Greg’s and Randy’s live,s but I can’t help but feel that there was so much that readers missed out on.
Even so, this is a wonderful tear-jerker of a book – angsty, emotional, and beautiful. If you are sitting down to read it, make sure you have some tissue nearby. It’s a beautiful interpretation to a classic song of eternal love. I truly enjoyed Forever Yours, Faithfully and look forward to whatever Sarah York has up her sleeves next.
Cover: I love this beautiful cover by Zathryn Priest. It portrays the emotion of a long lost love that is this book and song. It’s simple, elegant, and perfect.
Originally reviewed for Joyfully Jay
That’s right. I know you’ve got the song in your head now, too. It’s been stuck on repeat in my brain for days now, especially while I was reading this book. And just like the beautiful ballad, this book is amazingly sweet and professes a love that is not only strong, but everlasting and unconditional.
Randy Williams would never forget the day Greg Scott recruited him to play a game of soccer after school. It’s the same day that Randy discovered that the boy he had been pining for was also pining for him. The beginning of Randy and Greg’s senior year in high school was spent sneaking kisses behind closed doors where they were supposedly only study partners. They planned their future after high school together into their college years and beyond.
After Greg’s father confesses to an affair and bankrupting the family, Greg is broken. Not only has his family fallen apart, but now his plans for his future with Randy have to change. Greg has family obligations that he can’t fulfill in his small Tennessee hometown. Making the decision to join the Marines seemed like his only option. Explaining everything to Randy was the hardest thing he’d ever done, but Randy stuck by his side and promised to wait for him.
The day that Greg is scheduled to leave, tragedy strikes Randy’s family, changing his and Greg’s lives forever. Distraught and left alone with no family and no Greg, Randy leaves his hometown, changing his identity along the way.
Years later, Greg still hopes to one day find Randy, knowing in his heart that there is no one else for him, but as hard as he tries, he can’t find a hint of the man. It’s like he disappeared. As the years pass by, both men are faced with trials and fears – new lovers, the HIV epidemic, September 11th, war – but neither man has ever forgotten or stopped loving the other. When Greg does finally catch up with Randy, things have changed, but Greg vows to prove to Randy no matter what that his love is forever Randy’s, faithfully.
This book is wonderfully bittersweet. I’ll admit besides being by a wonderful author, I was attracted to this book for the title. It’s a story full of emotion – fear, sadness, passion, and…love seems like too weak a word. It’s a story that tugs at the heartstrings and doesn’t let go. And I loved every bit of it.
I am a huge music fan of all shades and sizes and love to pick out author’s interpretation of lyrics in stories. And as you know, if you know this song, the song itself is a beautiful declaration of undying, unshakable love. So is the book.
A pair of star-crossed lovers, Greg and Randy face decades of misunderstanding and circumstance that keep them apart. I love these two. I love their unfailing love. They move on with their lives. They even experience other relationships, but always in the back of their mind, they have hope to one day find each other. I love the growth of both characters as well – Randy especially. Randy lives his life on shaky ground – moving from one thing to the next, staying in a stagnant relationship, taking care of a sick but unfaithful partner. He can’t seem to catch a break. My heart broke for him several times throughout this book. I just wanted something in his life to go right, for once. Greg grows up to be a strong, stable, and responsible man, strong enough to support Randy and his shaky ground. He’s so accommodating and accepting. I absolutely adore them both. They are perfectly matched even after decades apart, truly a wonderful couple.
I don’t read a lot of HIV/AIDS stories. In my everyday life, having worked in the medical field for over ten years, I’ve seen the reality of the disease – the ups and downs. It’s a hard reality for me to face in real life, so I find it hard to face in fiction as well. That being said, the way this author handles the disease – the fears, the conditions, the treatments, and the future – it’s absolutely beautiful. This is a story that gives hope where there was once thought to be none. It gives hope to a very real, very possible future. It’s an outstanding story.
I adored the beginning of this book – the meeting, the experimenting, the growth of young love. It was sweet and angsty and everything a young, inexperienced couple should be, full of hope and ideals and romanticism. It’s also a wonderfully emotional book, a book that will bring you to tears before you realize it. That being said, the second half of the story is slower and doesn’t flow as well. A lot of time and development is skipped. Several years of growth are passed over with a “two years later” or “eight years later.” It seems that the author hit on a few major events in Greg’s and Randy’s live,s but I can’t help but feel that there was so much that readers missed out on.
Even so, this is a wonderful tear-jerker of a book – angsty, emotional, and beautiful. If you are sitting down to read it, make sure you have some tissue nearby. It’s a beautiful interpretation to a classic song of eternal love. I truly enjoyed Forever Yours, Faithfully and look forward to whatever Sarah York has up her sleeves next.
Cover: I love this beautiful cover by Zathryn Priest. It portrays the emotion of a long lost love that is this book and song. It’s simple, elegant, and perfect.
August 20, 2017
4.75 stars
This is a realistic love story between two men. Passion drips from the pages as the couple fights small town judgement and family issues. Anger, fear and e eventual resentment later tear them apart. Prison, and the military force each of them to change. And then a chance encounter years later rekindles their love and lust. Is their love more mature and stronger when they meet again?
This is a realistic love story between two men. Passion drips from the pages as the couple fights small town judgement and family issues. Anger, fear and e eventual resentment later tear them apart. Prison, and the military force each of them to change. And then a chance encounter years later rekindles their love and lust. Is their love more mature and stronger when they meet again?
June 3, 2018
Sigh
Really good concept, the execution - not so much. Dialogue in the beginning seemed to be between 13 or 14 year olds instead of 17 and 18 year olds. There was a lot of plot and very little between the two MCs. I just couldn’t attach.
Really good concept, the execution - not so much. Dialogue in the beginning seemed to be between 13 or 14 year olds instead of 17 and 18 year olds. There was a lot of plot and very little between the two MCs. I just couldn’t attach.
April 10, 2016
Blog Post: http://lovebytesreviews.com/2016/04/0...
WOW, this book has turned out to be a surprise! I've read a lot of Sara’s books and I don't know how I missed Forever Yours, Faithfully. I loved this book, if there was a word that meant more than love I don't know it but that would be the one I'd use!
Greg Scott and Randy Williams are in high school together. They have three classes together which happens to be just enough that no-one questions them when Greg decides he needs Randy to be his study partner. Greg can't believe he screwed up the courage to put himself out there and risk telling Randy he's had a crush on him for years, he’s overwhelmed when Randy admits he's been in love with him for years as well.
They spend a wonderful couple of months together just before they are due to graduate and then everything seems to go to hell in a hand-basket. After Greg’s father admits to having an affair and losing everything over dinner on Christmas Eve, it's decided Greg and his mother would move out together because their family home was being repossessed by the bank. It’s not until Greg’s older sister mentions she was going to drop out of college because none of them could afford it that Greg decides he has to join either the Army or the Marines. He chooses the Marines and signs up the day he is supposed to return to school.
Randy can't believe how quickly his life has gone to shit. One minute Greg and he were planning their life together when they went to college and the next Greg tells him he’s signed up for 8 years in the Marines. For the next two months they decide to live together in Greg’s grandfathers cabin where they lose their virginity and just love each other. They make plans on how they can see each other and be together when Greg is on leave. The day Greg is leaving for boot camp Randy decides to go to his “parents” place to get the last of his things and drives up just as his father is bashing his mother to death with a metal pipe. After dealing with the police Randy has to see Greg but Greg is on the bus. his Sergeant stops Randy before he can say anything to Greg and accuses Randy of being a ‘faggot’ and was Greg a ‘faggot’ as well? Greg is so scared he says, no he's not a faggot and he doesn't know if Randy is but he's nothing special to Greg.
And that is the last time Randy and Greg see or speak to each other for sixteen years!
Over the years both Randy and Greg have different livers but no-one comes close to capturing their hearts like the other did when they were young and madly in love with each other. Greg never stopped looking for Randy even though he would never find him because Randy had changed his last name two years after Greg entered the Marines. Greg had a few mini relationships that always fizzled out when he would lose himself and call out Randy’s name. Randy got fake credentials and got into college and got his degree in computer sciences. He met a man Mike, they had a five-year relationship and then Randy discovered that not only was Mike HIV positive but he had full blown AIDS. Thank god they had always been careful they always used a condom and never shared razors, Mike would never allow Randy to give him blow-jobs either. It wasn't very long after Randy found out about Mike that he was burying him, thank god all of his tests came back negative.
Sixteen years after they last saw each other it was at a club where Randy was being manhandled by a thug marine who wouldn't take no for an answer that Greg and Randy see each other face-to-face again. They arranged to meet up for coffee the next day. The coffee never happened as Greg was deployed to Iraq because America had just declared war after 9/11. Of course Randy knew nothing about this and once again Greg couldn't find him because of his last name. Because Greg couldn't find Randy he saw no reason not to sign up again, so all-in-all Greg does twenty years in the Marines and he retires a highly decorated Captain.
After all is said and done Greg decides to return to Pigeon Forge where they grew up to try to find Randy because the half-life he’s had for the last twenty years is more than he can take. Unbeknownst to Greg the day he stood Randy up is the day Randy got rotten drunk and stopped a man from beating a woman to death by unfortunately beating him to death and it had to be a Senators son! Randy ended up doing five years for manslaughter, whilst he was in prison he was raped repeatedly and though he never contracted anything in the five years he was with Mike he wasn't so lucky with his five years in prison. Randy left prison HIV positive, to say he is devastated would be an understatement, he’s shattered.
Greg and Randy do reconnect and they do get past the twenty years they lost. A warning for you, you are going to need lots of tissues to get to the end of this book but my god is it worth it! This is a very heart-warming yet, heart wrenching love story about two men who can't seem to find their way back to each other for such a long time. But when they do reconnect, OMG, it's so worth the wait!
WOW, this book has turned out to be a surprise! I've read a lot of Sara’s books and I don't know how I missed Forever Yours, Faithfully. I loved this book, if there was a word that meant more than love I don't know it but that would be the one I'd use!
Greg Scott and Randy Williams are in high school together. They have three classes together which happens to be just enough that no-one questions them when Greg decides he needs Randy to be his study partner. Greg can't believe he screwed up the courage to put himself out there and risk telling Randy he's had a crush on him for years, he’s overwhelmed when Randy admits he's been in love with him for years as well.
They spend a wonderful couple of months together just before they are due to graduate and then everything seems to go to hell in a hand-basket. After Greg’s father admits to having an affair and losing everything over dinner on Christmas Eve, it's decided Greg and his mother would move out together because their family home was being repossessed by the bank. It’s not until Greg’s older sister mentions she was going to drop out of college because none of them could afford it that Greg decides he has to join either the Army or the Marines. He chooses the Marines and signs up the day he is supposed to return to school.
Randy can't believe how quickly his life has gone to shit. One minute Greg and he were planning their life together when they went to college and the next Greg tells him he’s signed up for 8 years in the Marines. For the next two months they decide to live together in Greg’s grandfathers cabin where they lose their virginity and just love each other. They make plans on how they can see each other and be together when Greg is on leave. The day Greg is leaving for boot camp Randy decides to go to his “parents” place to get the last of his things and drives up just as his father is bashing his mother to death with a metal pipe. After dealing with the police Randy has to see Greg but Greg is on the bus. his Sergeant stops Randy before he can say anything to Greg and accuses Randy of being a ‘faggot’ and was Greg a ‘faggot’ as well? Greg is so scared he says, no he's not a faggot and he doesn't know if Randy is but he's nothing special to Greg.
And that is the last time Randy and Greg see or speak to each other for sixteen years!
Over the years both Randy and Greg have different livers but no-one comes close to capturing their hearts like the other did when they were young and madly in love with each other. Greg never stopped looking for Randy even though he would never find him because Randy had changed his last name two years after Greg entered the Marines. Greg had a few mini relationships that always fizzled out when he would lose himself and call out Randy’s name. Randy got fake credentials and got into college and got his degree in computer sciences. He met a man Mike, they had a five-year relationship and then Randy discovered that not only was Mike HIV positive but he had full blown AIDS. Thank god they had always been careful they always used a condom and never shared razors, Mike would never allow Randy to give him blow-jobs either. It wasn't very long after Randy found out about Mike that he was burying him, thank god all of his tests came back negative.
Sixteen years after they last saw each other it was at a club where Randy was being manhandled by a thug marine who wouldn't take no for an answer that Greg and Randy see each other face-to-face again. They arranged to meet up for coffee the next day. The coffee never happened as Greg was deployed to Iraq because America had just declared war after 9/11. Of course Randy knew nothing about this and once again Greg couldn't find him because of his last name. Because Greg couldn't find Randy he saw no reason not to sign up again, so all-in-all Greg does twenty years in the Marines and he retires a highly decorated Captain.
After all is said and done Greg decides to return to Pigeon Forge where they grew up to try to find Randy because the half-life he’s had for the last twenty years is more than he can take. Unbeknownst to Greg the day he stood Randy up is the day Randy got rotten drunk and stopped a man from beating a woman to death by unfortunately beating him to death and it had to be a Senators son! Randy ended up doing five years for manslaughter, whilst he was in prison he was raped repeatedly and though he never contracted anything in the five years he was with Mike he wasn't so lucky with his five years in prison. Randy left prison HIV positive, to say he is devastated would be an understatement, he’s shattered.
Greg and Randy do reconnect and they do get past the twenty years they lost. A warning for you, you are going to need lots of tissues to get to the end of this book but my god is it worth it! This is a very heart-warming yet, heart wrenching love story about two men who can't seem to find their way back to each other for such a long time. But when they do reconnect, OMG, it's so worth the wait!
September 28, 2016
In 'Forever Yours, Faithfully' by Sara York we meet two men, Greg Scott and Randy Williams, bonded together heart and soul by an enduring love and wanting to spend the rest of their lives together; but fate intervenes. It seems Randy and Greg have some very tough life lessons to learn before they can finally be reunited. The only thing that keeps them going is the echo of their theme song: 'Forever Yours, Faithfully.'
I admired Greg Scott for the love he showed his mom and sister when things fell apart in their family and for his willingness to step up and come up with a financial solution to keep them going. He was young and could only see so far into the future. He thought he could do that and still keep Randy, but he soon finds out how improbable that is.p Even though he never gives up looking, his dream of being with Randy slips further and further away with each passing year. I also admired Greg for succeeding in the military even though his heart ached for Randy. It takes more than love to maintain a relationship; it takes a lot of hard work. Greg really steps up when he finds Randy again and is determined, regardless of the circumstances, to never let him go again. Love forgives all things.
I don't think I've ever felt as sorry for a character as I did Randy Williams. His life from the very beginning is awful. His parents are scum, he lives in a bad neighborhood in a crummy house. He's constantly afraid for his welfare and has no nurturing from his parents. Greg is the only good thing in his life and he's attracted to him like a moth to a flame. The fact that Greg feels the same was is a small miracle. They form a bubble around them of love and nurturing, but the bubble is soon bursts. Randy is such a good young man with a brave, caring heart. He loves Greg with everything he has to give. Starting with his first rejection, my heart began aching and never stopped. I was overwhelmed by the bad circumstances that plagued Randy. I wondered how one person could deal with all this and could even been sane, much less able to forgive and love again. I'm happy for them, of course, but, seriously, I think it would be highly improbable that Humpty Dumpty could be put back together again, with any kind of glue that love could provide.
I dealt with the first part of this story fairly well. It was angsty and some sad things happened, but I was still hopeful that some day they would get back together. The second half of the story broke me. I began to realize that even if they did reunite, too much had happened; they would be so different from the boys who fell in love that it would never work. If you like your stories with wonderful characters, but a great deal of heartbreak, angst, sadness, hot sex, and an ending with reconciliation and redemption, this might be a book for you.
NOTE: This book was provided by the publisher for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
I admired Greg Scott for the love he showed his mom and sister when things fell apart in their family and for his willingness to step up and come up with a financial solution to keep them going. He was young and could only see so far into the future. He thought he could do that and still keep Randy, but he soon finds out how improbable that is.p Even though he never gives up looking, his dream of being with Randy slips further and further away with each passing year. I also admired Greg for succeeding in the military even though his heart ached for Randy. It takes more than love to maintain a relationship; it takes a lot of hard work. Greg really steps up when he finds Randy again and is determined, regardless of the circumstances, to never let him go again. Love forgives all things.
I don't think I've ever felt as sorry for a character as I did Randy Williams. His life from the very beginning is awful. His parents are scum, he lives in a bad neighborhood in a crummy house. He's constantly afraid for his welfare and has no nurturing from his parents. Greg is the only good thing in his life and he's attracted to him like a moth to a flame. The fact that Greg feels the same was is a small miracle. They form a bubble around them of love and nurturing, but the bubble is soon bursts. Randy is such a good young man with a brave, caring heart. He loves Greg with everything he has to give. Starting with his first rejection, my heart began aching and never stopped. I was overwhelmed by the bad circumstances that plagued Randy. I wondered how one person could deal with all this and could even been sane, much less able to forgive and love again. I'm happy for them, of course, but, seriously, I think it would be highly improbable that Humpty Dumpty could be put back together again, with any kind of glue that love could provide.
I dealt with the first part of this story fairly well. It was angsty and some sad things happened, but I was still hopeful that some day they would get back together. The second half of the story broke me. I began to realize that even if they did reunite, too much had happened; they would be so different from the boys who fell in love that it would never work. If you like your stories with wonderful characters, but a great deal of heartbreak, angst, sadness, hot sex, and an ending with reconciliation and redemption, this might be a book for you.
NOTE: This book was provided by the publisher for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
April 29, 2016
Ooookay.... holy angsty book....
This one started out so stinkin cute, I absolutely loved Greg and Randy. I loved the way the met and how they got together, I loved how much they cared about each other even from the very beginning. It was all so very cute. Randy had to be the unluckiest person in the entire world....His parents were awful, both of them; seemed like he had a good Grandpa but we never saw him and I kinda hated that he just up and left town and didn't even come back to visit or see him when he died.
Greg, I was so thrown how his perfect family seemed to fall apart, I really hoped that when he joined the Marines that things would have stayed good for him and Randy... but oooooh that is the farthest thing from what happened. His love for Randy never wavered though, I loved that. I hated that so much time passed between them before they found each other again, I hated so much all that Randy had been through, it truly seemed unbelievable that one person could have so much horrible luck and get such a crappy hand. I was glad when they found each other again but the circumstances had changed dirastically.... Greg's love never died though, he continued to love Randy through everything and told him all the time, he was always telling him how much he loved him and how much he meant to him. I loved that too, even if it was a bit cheesey at times.
The ending about broke my heart but then done a flip on me, I thought i was going to have to rant and rave about the ending but.... it made up for it a little bit.
However, I wasn't warned about this one and I like my HEA's and low angst. This one was jam packed full of angst. So beware! Other than that, it wasn't a bad story. I was just very sad for both of them.
This one started out so stinkin cute, I absolutely loved Greg and Randy. I loved the way the met and how they got together, I loved how much they cared about each other even from the very beginning. It was all so very cute. Randy had to be the unluckiest person in the entire world....His parents were awful, both of them; seemed like he had a good Grandpa but we never saw him and I kinda hated that he just up and left town and didn't even come back to visit or see him when he died.
Greg, I was so thrown how his perfect family seemed to fall apart, I really hoped that when he joined the Marines that things would have stayed good for him and Randy... but oooooh that is the farthest thing from what happened. His love for Randy never wavered though, I loved that. I hated that so much time passed between them before they found each other again, I hated so much all that Randy had been through, it truly seemed unbelievable that one person could have so much horrible luck and get such a crappy hand. I was glad when they found each other again but the circumstances had changed dirastically.... Greg's love never died though, he continued to love Randy through everything and told him all the time, he was always telling him how much he loved him and how much he meant to him. I loved that too, even if it was a bit cheesey at times.
The ending about broke my heart but then done a flip on me, I thought i was going to have to rant and rave about the ending but.... it made up for it a little bit.
However, I wasn't warned about this one and I like my HEA's and low angst. This one was jam packed full of angst. So beware! Other than that, it wasn't a bad story. I was just very sad for both of them.
April 18, 2017
3.5/5
This is supposed to be a bittersweet story, but it wind up being more bitter than sweet. The opening act was sugary sweet-ness overload but after that the book took off on the angst train and never look back. Heck, even the ending was bitter, even though the author did try to compensate for that at the very last page. While it success in subduing some part of my anger, it still was not satisfying enough.
The biggest problem with the book is how overly dramatic it is. There were so many things happening so fast that sometime I found myself getting lost in the between all of the angst - in fact it's tip-toeing the over-the-top line on angst scale. Though it did manage to pull some heart-strings every now and then.
The book while could have been handle better, it was enjoyable and engaging. However, it's definitely not the book to read on a rainy day.
This is supposed to be a bittersweet story, but it wind up being more bitter than sweet. The opening act was sugary sweet-ness overload but after that the book took off on the angst train and never look back. Heck, even the ending was bitter, even though the author did try to compensate for that at the very last page. While it success in subduing some part of my anger, it still was not satisfying enough.
The biggest problem with the book is how overly dramatic it is. There were so many things happening so fast that sometime I found myself getting lost in the between all of the angst - in fact it's tip-toeing the over-the-top line on angst scale. Though it did manage to pull some heart-strings every now and then.
The book while could have been handle better, it was enjoyable and engaging. However, it's definitely not the book to read on a rainy day.
May 6, 2016
Wow this book. Well it spans 50yrs and follows the drama filled lives of Randy and Greg. I so wish that the story went a different course but saying that they wouldn't have been who they were if things had happened differently.
I enjoyed them meeting and developing their early relationship. I didn't like how they parted and how they stayed apart for so long. I felt for Randy and feeling he had been betrayed and left. I could understand how he just wanted to leave and disappear. I really felt for Greg though and wished his search had had a happier ending sooner.
I loved that they met up again and became a true couple again. Parts of this story were heartbreaking. I really enjoyed that this book had an educational element to it.
The epilogue made this a 5* read . It had touches of Kindle Alexander's 'Always' to it but not quite as good. I think this book will stay with me for a while.
I also enjoyed the soundtrack to the book (the mix tape) I have been listening to 'journeys' songs while writing this review love Faithfully very apt to their story and the love they had.
I enjoyed them meeting and developing their early relationship. I didn't like how they parted and how they stayed apart for so long. I felt for Randy and feeling he had been betrayed and left. I could understand how he just wanted to leave and disappear. I really felt for Greg though and wished his search had had a happier ending sooner.
I loved that they met up again and became a true couple again. Parts of this story were heartbreaking. I really enjoyed that this book had an educational element to it.
The epilogue made this a 5* read . It had touches of Kindle Alexander's 'Always' to it but not quite as good. I think this book will stay with me for a while.
I also enjoyed the soundtrack to the book (the mix tape) I have been listening to 'journeys' songs while writing this review love Faithfully very apt to their story and the love they had.
July 2, 2013
I love angst with my books so when I read the blurb for Forever Yours Faithfully I knew I had to read it and it certainly didn’t disappoint. It starts simple enough; its high school in a small American town, Greg Scott is a popular football player, a jock. Randy Williams is a pale skinner kid, a nerd. Neither should like each other much but a chance encounter at the edge of the football pitch gives them a chance to be more than friends. Things start well enough until Greg’s family implodes and he finds himself responsible for putting his sister through medical school, to do that he needs a job, and Greg being an impulsive teenager, joins the Marines and exits Randy’s life. If you love angst and beating the odds then this book is for you.
My full review can be read here http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/index....
My full review can be read here http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/index....
October 10, 2016
This book is a bit hard for me to rate. The editing was pretty good. With mm books it is sometimes difficult to determine who is talking and most of the time, the author handled it well.
When I started this book, I expected more of the couple 's adult life but there was a huge part of the book focused on their teen years. That could have been fine but the whole book seemed to drag a bit. I definitely do not think that there needed to be so much of their teen time.
The couple, Greg and Randy, were just sad. I felt generally so bad for Randy. The poor guy had to be about as unlucky as could be. I know that most of this book is attempting to show how bad things could be for gay men in that time period but it was just a bit depressing. The ending was bittersweet too. I just wanted a little more happy for the couple, especially poor Randy.
When I started this book, I expected more of the couple 's adult life but there was a huge part of the book focused on their teen years. That could have been fine but the whole book seemed to drag a bit. I definitely do not think that there needed to be so much of their teen time.
The couple, Greg and Randy, were just sad. I felt generally so bad for Randy. The poor guy had to be about as unlucky as could be. I know that most of this book is attempting to show how bad things could be for gay men in that time period but it was just a bit depressing. The ending was bittersweet too. I just wanted a little more happy for the couple, especially poor Randy.
April 25, 2016
Beautiful
This book was very touching. Greg and Randy were two 17 year olds when they fell in love. They hid their romance and planned for the future. They planned for college where although they would still have to hide the status of their relationship they live together as roommates. Then they both experience something that changes their lives. Both young men made emotional decisions which sent their lives spinning. This book is about that journey and how mistakes made by two kids led their lives away from the one thing they wanted and needed more than anything. Its also about forgiveness, acceptance and two people finally finding their happiness after what felt like a lifetime of emptiness. One of the best books I've read this year.
This book was very touching. Greg and Randy were two 17 year olds when they fell in love. They hid their romance and planned for the future. They planned for college where although they would still have to hide the status of their relationship they live together as roommates. Then they both experience something that changes their lives. Both young men made emotional decisions which sent their lives spinning. This book is about that journey and how mistakes made by two kids led their lives away from the one thing they wanted and needed more than anything. Its also about forgiveness, acceptance and two people finally finding their happiness after what felt like a lifetime of emptiness. One of the best books I've read this year.
May 16, 2013
Sara York's Forever Yours Faithfully is a marvelous story about heartbreak, adversity and redemption.
I love angst with my books so when I read the blurb for Forever Yours Faithfully I knew I had to read it and it certainly didn't disappoint.
Josie Goodreads' complete 4 sweet pea review appears on May 16, 2013 at http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/index....
I love angst with my books so when I read the blurb for Forever Yours Faithfully I knew I had to read it and it certainly didn't disappoint.
Josie Goodreads' complete 4 sweet pea review appears on May 16, 2013 at http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/index....
April 18, 2016
WOW !
Amazing story which i absolutely LOVED !!
Yes it was emotional as it dealt with issues that affect people every single day. I loved the way this was written and was able to really connect with the characters. My heart broke for both of them at what they go through and this is definitely a book that will be "Forever mine, Faithfully" !
Amazing story which i absolutely LOVED !!
Yes it was emotional as it dealt with issues that affect people every single day. I loved the way this was written and was able to really connect with the characters. My heart broke for both of them at what they go through and this is definitely a book that will be "Forever mine, Faithfully" !
May 26, 2016
What a touching and moving story. Fate and time melted getting in the way of of Greg and Randy being together. This book was frustratingly awesome eveytime I thought I had it figured out a twist would throw that out the window. There were some heart wrenching moments where tears were shed. The song faithfully has new meaning now
not-if-you-paid-me
October 27, 2014 Sorry but I don't think so. I am so lucky to have friends who warn me!
April 3, 2016
I was not prepared for this emotional roller coaster. This was a really great, realistic love story. Even though the ending made me cry, Greg and Randy still had their HEA. If you decide to read this, have a box of tissues ready.
April 11, 2016
Forever yours
omg,this had to be the saddest and happiest book I've ever read. Loved the way these guy still loved one another after all those years apart and to finally find one another. I was a little sad about how it ended but was still a wonderful story
omg,this had to be the saddest and happiest book I've ever read. Loved the way these guy still loved one another after all those years apart and to finally find one another. I was a little sad about how it ended but was still a wonderful story
April 30, 2016
Faithful to the end
Forever Yours, Faithfully. What an apt title for this love story. No matter the grueling path they each traveled, Randy and Greg loved one another, faithfully and forever.
Forever Yours, Faithfully. What an apt title for this love story. No matter the grueling path they each traveled, Randy and Greg loved one another, faithfully and forever.
October 19, 2016
This book was more emotional than expected. Sara York delivers yet again a story that rips your heart out over and over and then pieces it back together. This book is emotionally exhausting with the ups and downs that happen over so many years, so grab the Kleenex before settling in with this one.
April 1, 2016
This is the best book I have read this year!
It's got everything. Great characters, story....
I would highly recommend this book!
It's got everything. Great characters, story....
I would highly recommend this book!
August 22, 2016
Amazing
This is such a great story!! I ugly cried all through this book. The end is so sad but perfect in every way. A great story.
This is such a great story!! I ugly cried all through this book. The end is so sad but perfect in every way. A great story.
May 12, 2013
A BEAUTIFUL STORY
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