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Real Life, Real Love #5
First Comes Forever
Friendship is strength. Love muddles everything. And a baby would definitely blur the lines.
Amani is keeping secrets. On the surface, she’s envied as a successful influencer with millions of followers, but no one, not even her found family, knows the truth. She’s burnt out, fed up, and devastated over the news that her chances of ever having a baby are slim to none, and she’s running out of time.
Adam’s only priority as a Hollywood agent is keeping his best friend, and client's career afloat. In fact, he works so much that he’s almost outrun his painful past when marriage and fatherhood were taken from him. If Adam has learned anything, love is untrustworthy, and he’ll never make that mistake again.
The timing is wrong, and neither can handle a relationship right now, so obviously, there’s only one way to address the steamy tension between just one summer with absolutely no strings attached.
But when Adam falls under Amani’s spell, he finds himself blurring the lines, and even offers her the ultimate favor…
Is a baby between friends really that bad of an idea?
Author note: First Comes Forever is the conclusion of the Real Life, Real Love series. It can be read as a standalone. While it does in end a happily ever after, this story contains mentions of pregnancy, infertility, and miscarriage. Please protect your mental health and read responsibly.
Amani is keeping secrets. On the surface, she’s envied as a successful influencer with millions of followers, but no one, not even her found family, knows the truth. She’s burnt out, fed up, and devastated over the news that her chances of ever having a baby are slim to none, and she’s running out of time.
Adam’s only priority as a Hollywood agent is keeping his best friend, and client's career afloat. In fact, he works so much that he’s almost outrun his painful past when marriage and fatherhood were taken from him. If Adam has learned anything, love is untrustworthy, and he’ll never make that mistake again.
The timing is wrong, and neither can handle a relationship right now, so obviously, there’s only one way to address the steamy tension between just one summer with absolutely no strings attached.
But when Adam falls under Amani’s spell, he finds himself blurring the lines, and even offers her the ultimate favor…
Is a baby between friends really that bad of an idea?
Author note: First Comes Forever is the conclusion of the Real Life, Real Love series. It can be read as a standalone. While it does in end a happily ever after, this story contains mentions of pregnancy, infertility, and miscarriage. Please protect your mental health and read responsibly.
390 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 17, 2024
59 people are currently reading
977 people want to read
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April 11, 2024
❝ 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗿𝘆. 𝗜𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲..... 𝗜’𝗺 𝘁𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗺𝘆𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂.......“𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲. 𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁? 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘂𝗹. 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴.❞
It's safe to say that Adam wins "𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓰𝓸𝓵𝓭𝓮𝓷 𝓻𝓮𝓽𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓬𝓲𝓷𝓷𝓪𝓶𝓸𝓷 𝓻𝓸𝓵𝓵 𝓰𝓸𝓵𝓭𝓮𝓷 𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓫𝓸𝔂𝓯𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭" Award I don't think I have ever enjoyed read a caring, considering and thoughtful hero this much . And let's not forget OUR BOY CAN EAT!! 👀👄🐈. Yes HE WORSHIPS . ( Yes there's a pun here).
❝ 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮𝘅𝗶𝘀, 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗱, 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲. 𝗜 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴.❞
Kay Cove managed to touch a couple of subjects that are real, raw and not spoken about enough in the Romance genre. , even though females and people are experiencing them daily , if it's not you, it's someone you know.
1-Infertility ( POI ). Where it was discussed from both its emotional impact and medical effect. And you can tell the author did her homework and research. The accuracy and medical background knowledge was shown and as reader, it's something I highly appreciate for not having to google stuff and to be properly informed when met/ introduced to a new setting/topic.
2- Social media ( influencers) I love how the book touched social media from its toxic side: The addiction, the cyberbullying, the pressure into taking part. The whole feeling of " should, have to, ...." The obligations. And how it's all emotionally draining and can trigger one's depression.
But my favorite part is "𝓐𝓭𝓪𝓶" *swooning with glassy eyes*
He was a rock! an anchor and a metaphorical " girl's girl" ( YES!! when everything goes to shit ! I need an Adam in my life ) . He was there to save the day and to be Amani's glue to keep her together when everything falls apart, herself included. Even though he had his own demons to battle and old wounds to mend . He was there, being her whole emotional support system 💗💗 * sigh dreamily*.
These two are 𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓻𝓪𝓷𝓰💜💜💜.
❝ 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴. 𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗴𝗼, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹, 𝗶𝘁’𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲.”
-“𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝗮 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼𝗼?”
-“𝗪𝗲’𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄.”
-“𝗪𝗵𝘆?”
- “𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗼 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗼.”❞
Also I love me some Cameos 😭😭😭. Loved the snippets when characters from the previous books made an appearance here and there. But this may or may not be my favorite of the series ( sorry Chase and Noa you have been officially dethroned).
ⓉⓇⓄⓅⒺⓈ Ⓐⓝⓓ Ⓦⓗⓐⓣ ⓣⓞ ⓔⓧⓟⓔⓒⓣ:
💜 Friends to lovers.
💜 Millionaire romance.
💜 Forced proximity .
💜 Social media figure heroine " influencer".
💜 Right person, wrong time.
💜 pregnancy"Let's make a baby together".
💜 Pierced 🍒 and 🦪.
❤️🩹Infertility.
❤️🩹 Miscarriage 💔.
❤️🩹 Cyberbullying.
❤️🩹 healing together.
❤️🩹 Mental health rep.
It's safe to say that Adam wins "𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓰𝓸𝓵𝓭𝓮𝓷 𝓻𝓮𝓽𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓬𝓲𝓷𝓷𝓪𝓶𝓸𝓷 𝓻𝓸𝓵𝓵 𝓰𝓸𝓵𝓭𝓮𝓷 𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓫𝓸𝔂𝓯𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭" Award I don't think I have ever enjoyed read a caring, considering and thoughtful hero this much . And let's not forget OUR BOY CAN EAT!! 👀👄🐈. Yes HE WORSHIPS . ( Yes there's a pun here).
❝ 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮𝘅𝗶𝘀, 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗱, 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲. 𝗜 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴.❞
Kay Cove managed to touch a couple of subjects that are real, raw and not spoken about enough in the Romance genre. , even though females and people are experiencing them daily , if it's not you, it's someone you know.
1-Infertility ( POI ). Where it was discussed from both its emotional impact and medical effect. And you can tell the author did her homework and research. The accuracy and medical background knowledge was shown and as reader, it's something I highly appreciate for not having to google stuff and to be properly informed when met/ introduced to a new setting/topic.
2- Social media ( influencers) I love how the book touched social media from its toxic side: The addiction, the cyberbullying, the pressure into taking part. The whole feeling of " should, have to, ...." The obligations. And how it's all emotionally draining and can trigger one's depression.
But my favorite part is "𝓐𝓭𝓪𝓶" *swooning with glassy eyes*
He was a rock! an anchor and a metaphorical " girl's girl" ( YES!! when everything goes to shit ! I need an Adam in my life ) . He was there to save the day and to be Amani's glue to keep her together when everything falls apart, herself included. Even though he had his own demons to battle and old wounds to mend . He was there, being her whole emotional support system 💗💗 * sigh dreamily*.
These two are 𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓻𝓪𝓷𝓰💜💜💜.
❝ 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴. 𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗴𝗼, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹, 𝗶𝘁’𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲.”
-“𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝗮 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼𝗼?”
-“𝗪𝗲’𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄.”
-“𝗪𝗵𝘆?”
- “𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗼 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗼.”❞
Also I love me some Cameos 😭😭😭. Loved the snippets when characters from the previous books made an appearance here and there. But this may or may not be my favorite of the series ( sorry Chase and Noa you have been officially dethroned).
ⓉⓇⓄⓅⒺⓈ Ⓐⓝⓓ Ⓦⓗⓐⓣ ⓣⓞ ⓔⓧⓟⓔⓒⓣ:
💜 Friends to lovers.
💜 Millionaire romance.
💜 Forced proximity .
💜 Social media figure heroine " influencer".
💜 Right person, wrong time.
💜 pregnancy"Let's make a baby together".
💜 Pierced 🍒 and 🦪.
❤️🩹Infertility.
❤️🩹 Miscarriage 💔.
❤️🩹 Cyberbullying.
❤️🩹 healing together.
❤️🩹 Mental health rep.
August 8, 2024
"First Comes Forever" is another exquisite offering from the talented Kay, solidifying her place as one of my newfound favorite authors. Her writing is nothing short of poetic, flowing effortlessly like a tranquil river, yet brimming with impactful emotion.
The story revolves around Amani and Adam, our captivating protagonists whose whirlwind romance takes center stage. Amani grapples with the pitfalls of influencer life, while Adam wrestles with the ghosts of a painful past. What sets this novel apart is Kay's nuanced portrayal of Adam; he defies the typical archetype of the aloof millionaire. Despite his lavish lifestyle, Adam is characterized by his kindness, generosity, and genuine care for those around him. His unwavering love for Amani is both palpable and heartwarming.
Amani, too, stands out as a formidable character. She embodies fairness, loyalty, and determination, consistently fighting for her desires and beliefs. Together, Amani and Adam form a harmonious union, supporting each other through their respective challenges.
Kay's meticulous research and thoughtful exploration of heavy themes shine through, adding depth and authenticity to the narrative. The characters' journey towards self-improvement and mutual growth is both inspiring and heartening.
Some memorable lines from the book include:
"“I’m jumping through hoops because you’re worth jumping for.”
“I feel like I’m in the middle of a love song. Let me pretend it’s real for a minute.”
In conclusion, "First Comes Forever" is a beautifully crafted novel that showcases Kay's mastery in storytelling. It is a heartfelt tale where love, resilience, and personal growth intertwine, leaving readers eagerly anticipating Kay's next literary endeavor.
thank you to Kay for the e-Arc in exchange of an honest review
The story revolves around Amani and Adam, our captivating protagonists whose whirlwind romance takes center stage. Amani grapples with the pitfalls of influencer life, while Adam wrestles with the ghosts of a painful past. What sets this novel apart is Kay's nuanced portrayal of Adam; he defies the typical archetype of the aloof millionaire. Despite his lavish lifestyle, Adam is characterized by his kindness, generosity, and genuine care for those around him. His unwavering love for Amani is both palpable and heartwarming.
Amani, too, stands out as a formidable character. She embodies fairness, loyalty, and determination, consistently fighting for her desires and beliefs. Together, Amani and Adam form a harmonious union, supporting each other through their respective challenges.
Kay's meticulous research and thoughtful exploration of heavy themes shine through, adding depth and authenticity to the narrative. The characters' journey towards self-improvement and mutual growth is both inspiring and heartening.
Some memorable lines from the book include:
"“I’m jumping through hoops because you’re worth jumping for.”
“I feel like I’m in the middle of a love song. Let me pretend it’s real for a minute.”
In conclusion, "First Comes Forever" is a beautifully crafted novel that showcases Kay's mastery in storytelling. It is a heartfelt tale where love, resilience, and personal growth intertwine, leaving readers eagerly anticipating Kay's next literary endeavor.
thank you to Kay for the e-Arc in exchange of an honest review
June 26, 2024
4.25⭐️ I really enjoyed this book. It definitely includes heavy topics, but it was done so well. I have loved Adam's character since the beginning of the series, so seeing him get his HEA makes this book that much better. I loved Amani's character, as she was one I could not read at all in the earlier books. Their story was absolutely adorable, and I am so sad this story is over! Also thank you to Kay and her team for an e arc copy of this book!
My final rating for the series:
1. Rewrite the Rules
2. Owe Me One
3. First Comes Forever
4. Sing Your Secrets
5. Paint Me Perfect
My final rating for the series:
1. Rewrite the Rules
2. Owe Me One
3. First Comes Forever
4. Sing Your Secrets
5. Paint Me Perfect
April 22, 2024
This book has some heavy themes, but damn was it good. Handled tough topics with nuance and kept me hooked, I was equally invested in both MCs journeys, and even though this story was a little less heavy on the spice compared to most romances I like, it was so sweet and overall a really beautiful read.
I just discovered Kay Cove’s books this year and have already read Camera Shy, Rewrite the Rules, and First Comes Forever, plus I’m halfway through Paint Me Perfect. I was SO SO SO excited to get a free ARC for First Comes Forever — happy pub week!! 💫 How is it that every single book of Kay Cove’s really gets me in the feels 🥹 thankfully her books are on Kindle Unlimited so I can continue binging them all this year 😅
What to expect:
🔥Friends to Lovers
🔥Pregnancy (trying to get pregnant)
🔥Infertility Rep
🔥Right Person, Wrong Time
🔥Mental Health Rep
🔥Millionaire Romance
🔥Healing Together
I just discovered Kay Cove’s books this year and have already read Camera Shy, Rewrite the Rules, and First Comes Forever, plus I’m halfway through Paint Me Perfect. I was SO SO SO excited to get a free ARC for First Comes Forever — happy pub week!! 💫 How is it that every single book of Kay Cove’s really gets me in the feels 🥹 thankfully her books are on Kindle Unlimited so I can continue binging them all this year 😅
What to expect:
🔥Friends to Lovers
🔥Pregnancy (trying to get pregnant)
🔥Infertility Rep
🔥Right Person, Wrong Time
🔥Mental Health Rep
🔥Millionaire Romance
🔥Healing Together
May 10, 2024
This book was very … real lol that’s all I can use to describe it. And truthfully it took me so long to read because of the content in the book. But I loved that in the end Amani and Adam got their HEA
December 23, 2024
4.75⭐️
Ugh. My fave series for a reason!!! I waited so long for Amani’s story and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. I love that her story was with Adam because I fell in love with him immediately at the beginning of Paint Me Perfect. I loved everything about this story and the struggles that both Adam and Amani had to face. Kay’s books are just so wholesome, with a fair amount of spice, phenomenal romance and banter to die for. My feelings about this book are bittersweet because I was waiting with bated breath for Amani’s story but now that it’s over, I am so sad that this series has come to an end.
Ugh. My fave series for a reason!!! I waited so long for Amani’s story and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. I love that her story was with Adam because I fell in love with him immediately at the beginning of Paint Me Perfect. I loved everything about this story and the struggles that both Adam and Amani had to face. Kay’s books are just so wholesome, with a fair amount of spice, phenomenal romance and banter to die for. My feelings about this book are bittersweet because I was waiting with bated breath for Amani’s story but now that it’s over, I am so sad that this series has come to an end.
June 30, 2024
First Comes Forever by Kay Cove is the last book in the Real Life, Real Love series. What a way to end an amazing series! This was a lot more emotional than the other books and it made it that much better. This book was an emotional rollercoaster but I would not have wanted it any other way. I do have to say that there are some tough subjects brought up that may be a trigger to some like miscarriages. I want to make sure people are aware of this before reading. I absolutely devoured this entire series and I think this was a great way to end it. I have been wanting to know more about Amani since the first book. Her story was way more emotional than I thought and it made me lover her character even more.
The romance in this book was just as amazing as the other books. Amani and Adam complimented each other so well. I loved watching them bring out the best in each other. They were always looking after the other. This book had me crying, laughing, and swooning so much. Watching the personal growth of both Amani and Adam made this book even better! Kay Cove really knows how to give a good romance but still have meaningful takeaways and character development. I am so sad that this series is over but it was so beautifully written! All these characters had hurtles in their lives they needed to get through to get to their happily ever after. It was inspiring to see the growth of these characters throughout the series. I HIGHLY recommend giving the Real Life, Real Love series a read!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
HAPPY READING
April 18, 2024
Feeling a little lost in her complicated lifestyle of being a social media influencer, Amari (28) has been struggling with infertility and everything is just … crashing down. From losing her apartment, sponsorships, using all her income to pay for her mom’s medical bills.. Amari is stuck.
“I've been stuck for a long time, and I guess I feel like I'm getting more...unstuck with you.”
Adam, a manger for a Hollywood star, is jaded. He once thought he had the family of his dreams until he didn’t. Still sore eight years later, he’s crushing hard on Amari and meets her finally. Kismet.
A friendship turns into benefits. A connection between two hurting people.
They slowly heal eachother.
But Adam doesn’t want the family life.
Amari is running out of time to create her family she dreams of.
The right people meeting at the wrong time.
This book is heavy. It deals with a lot of trauma regarding infertility, infidelity (not by the main characters), losing a parent from abandonment and disease, pregnancy loss, depression, social media harassment, etc
It’s a beautiful romance that pulls your heartstrings. It’s a rollercoaster and deals with the issues very realistically.
As someone that has dealt with secondary unexplained infertility and multiple miscarriage, the story is heart achingly beautiful. This is the rougher road to becoming a parent.
"Come on. I've been waiting for the moment I get to play the hero. Let me save you."
Yes to HEA
“I've been stuck for a long time, and I guess I feel like I'm getting more...unstuck with you.”
Adam, a manger for a Hollywood star, is jaded. He once thought he had the family of his dreams until he didn’t. Still sore eight years later, he’s crushing hard on Amari and meets her finally. Kismet.
A friendship turns into benefits. A connection between two hurting people.
They slowly heal eachother.
But Adam doesn’t want the family life.
Amari is running out of time to create her family she dreams of.
The right people meeting at the wrong time.
This book is heavy. It deals with a lot of trauma regarding infertility, infidelity (not by the main characters), losing a parent from abandonment and disease, pregnancy loss, depression, social media harassment, etc
It’s a beautiful romance that pulls your heartstrings. It’s a rollercoaster and deals with the issues very realistically.
As someone that has dealt with secondary unexplained infertility and multiple miscarriage, the story is heart achingly beautiful. This is the rougher road to becoming a parent.
"Come on. I've been waiting for the moment I get to play the hero. Let me save you."
Yes to HEA
April 27, 2024
My rating is 4.5 rounded up to 5 stars.
This is the story of Talent Manager, Adam and Social Media Influencer, Amani. Adam is eight years past a bitter divorce and Amani is an influencer who is used to come-ons and Adam is trying to shoot his best shot!
Amani wants nothing to do with Adam and is focused on having a baby “on her own”. Adam at first is infatuated with Amani’s beauty and sex appeal and Amani shuts him down.
Then as Adam keeps popping up and showing up as a decent guy that Amani lets her guard down just a bit.
Theresa story takes some twists and turns from here but Adam and Amani and the group of friends I’d love to have as my own.
Does Adam decide to forget his divorce and try to move on to a real relationship? Will Amani be able to have a baby and a relationship too?
I just loved this story and am going back to read the other four books in this series!
This is the story of Talent Manager, Adam and Social Media Influencer, Amani. Adam is eight years past a bitter divorce and Amani is an influencer who is used to come-ons and Adam is trying to shoot his best shot!
Amani wants nothing to do with Adam and is focused on having a baby “on her own”. Adam at first is infatuated with Amani’s beauty and sex appeal and Amani shuts him down.
Then as Adam keeps popping up and showing up as a decent guy that Amani lets her guard down just a bit.
Theresa story takes some twists and turns from here but Adam and Amani and the group of friends I’d love to have as my own.
Does Adam decide to forget his divorce and try to move on to a real relationship? Will Amani be able to have a baby and a relationship too?
I just loved this story and am going back to read the other four books in this series!
April 17, 2024
ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
*this book contains topics of infertility and miscarriages so please proceed with caution!
That being said, wow! Such an emotional sweet read that I could not put down!
Amani Rhodes is struggling with the demands of being an influencer and having a tough time navigating how to deal with haters online. She is always attempting to do IUI to become pregnant on her own. She meets Adam Montgomery, a Hollywood movie stars manager.
Adam has been trying to talk to Amani for months: wanting to bring her on as a client but she ignores him becuase she’s not even sure she wants to continue in the business.
After another failed round of IUI and on the verge of having no home in LA, Adam rescues Amani after witnessing her meltdown in her car in the parking lot of her apartment complex, where Adam used to live with his cheating ex wife.
Adam and Amani begin to spend time together and start developing feelings for one another. Adam offers to pay for Amani to have IVF despite not wanting to have a family of his own.
So what happens when the feelings become to real for either of them to ignore and Adam must decide if he wants to give the family idea another thought ? Can Amani overcome her demons or will it force the two apart after all.
I adored this book, Adam and Amani were perfect for each other and I was crying so hard in the epilogue ! This is the 5 book in this series but can be read as a standalone!
Thank you to Kay Cove and the Author agency for the ARC!
*this book contains topics of infertility and miscarriages so please proceed with caution!
That being said, wow! Such an emotional sweet read that I could not put down!
Amani Rhodes is struggling with the demands of being an influencer and having a tough time navigating how to deal with haters online. She is always attempting to do IUI to become pregnant on her own. She meets Adam Montgomery, a Hollywood movie stars manager.
Adam has been trying to talk to Amani for months: wanting to bring her on as a client but she ignores him becuase she’s not even sure she wants to continue in the business.
After another failed round of IUI and on the verge of having no home in LA, Adam rescues Amani after witnessing her meltdown in her car in the parking lot of her apartment complex, where Adam used to live with his cheating ex wife.
Adam and Amani begin to spend time together and start developing feelings for one another. Adam offers to pay for Amani to have IVF despite not wanting to have a family of his own.
So what happens when the feelings become to real for either of them to ignore and Adam must decide if he wants to give the family idea another thought ? Can Amani overcome her demons or will it force the two apart after all.
I adored this book, Adam and Amani were perfect for each other and I was crying so hard in the epilogue ! This is the 5 book in this series but can be read as a standalone!
Thank you to Kay Cove and the Author agency for the ARC!
April 15, 2024
5🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Tropes:
💜friends to lovers
🖤infertility
💜mental health Rep
🖤millionaire
💜trying to get pregnant
🖤forced proximity
💜Healing
I have absolutely loved everything I’ve read by the author this book is no exception. Although this is book 5 in the series it can be read as a standalone. This is the story of Armani and Adam.
I absolutely adored the relationship between Armani and Adam. Their relationship starts off as acquaintances, to friends to lovers. I loved to watch it evolve over time . They had the best banter too.
Ever since Adam met Armani he felt this need not only to make sure she was ok, but she became an intricate part of his life and he always wanted to be around her. I just love how Adam wanted to take care of her and how he loved her.
Both Armani and Adam had to go through some difficult times and Adam was particularly patient with Armani . When Adam Realized his heart wanted Armani he had to work to overcome his past.
This was such a great book and thank you to Kay for not only discussing some big topics in this book but also allowing me an advance copy to read .
Tropes:
💜friends to lovers
🖤infertility
💜mental health Rep
🖤millionaire
💜trying to get pregnant
🖤forced proximity
💜Healing
I have absolutely loved everything I’ve read by the author this book is no exception. Although this is book 5 in the series it can be read as a standalone. This is the story of Armani and Adam.
I absolutely adored the relationship between Armani and Adam. Their relationship starts off as acquaintances, to friends to lovers. I loved to watch it evolve over time . They had the best banter too.
Ever since Adam met Armani he felt this need not only to make sure she was ok, but she became an intricate part of his life and he always wanted to be around her. I just love how Adam wanted to take care of her and how he loved her.
Both Armani and Adam had to go through some difficult times and Adam was particularly patient with Armani . When Adam Realized his heart wanted Armani he had to work to overcome his past.
This was such a great book and thank you to Kay for not only discussing some big topics in this book but also allowing me an advance copy to read .
April 8, 2024
Right from the beginning of seeing the blurb for this book I just knew I had to read it. It has been such an amazing read, I absolutely love Adam and how he is with Amani. Amani first of all is such a unique name and it fits her perfectly. I liked their little banter and how their friendship came about.
What starts as friendship ends up becoming forever. I liked how Amani felt being around Adam and how he always made sure she was okay. He felt this spark from seeing her the first time and had been infatuated since then. His description of her just shows you how deep his attraction is.
They’ve both have dealt with difficult situations in their own way but learn to work through their issues to find peace and feel fulfilled. The ending was super sweet.
What starts as friendship ends up becoming forever. I liked how Amani felt being around Adam and how he always made sure she was okay. He felt this spark from seeing her the first time and had been infatuated since then. His description of her just shows you how deep his attraction is.
They’ve both have dealt with difficult situations in their own way but learn to work through their issues to find peace and feel fulfilled. The ending was super sweet.
April 17, 2024
this book made me ugly cry and i’m not over it yet, rate to come when i’m less emotional over fictional people
Time to rate, i loved this book 110%, this one was emotional and i feel like it touched on some real life struggles in such a positive light and consuming way. Some many women/men deal with these real life issues and i love when a book can capture REAL feeling.
Time to rate, i loved this book 110%, this one was emotional and i feel like it touched on some real life struggles in such a positive light and consuming way. Some many women/men deal with these real life issues and i love when a book can capture REAL feeling.
April 18, 2024
“The best stories are the long shots. The ones where there’s barely a slight chance and yet by some miracle it always works out.”
First Comes Forever by Kay Cove is the 5th and final installment in the Real Love, Real Life series, previously named Love, Me & the 303. This book can be read as a standalone, but you will have a better experience reading them in order.
Tropes:
- Summer Romance
- Friends with a Baby Deal
- Pregnancy Trope/Infertility Representation
- Millionaire Romance
- Influencer FMC (Female Main Character)
- Found Family
- HEA (Happily Ever After)
- Mental Health Representation
Please check trigger warnings before reading and take care of your mental health.
5 ⭐️
2.5 🔥
Summary:
Amani, a successful influencer, is struggling with infertility and keeping it a secret. Adam, a Hollywood agent, is focused on his friend's career and avoiding love due to past pain. They decide on a no-strings-attached summer fling but find themselves developing deeper feelings. When Adam offers to help Amani have a baby, they must navigate whether a baby between friends is a good idea.
Review:
“You’re my family. You’re my forever. I am signing up for whatever version of our lives keeps us together.”
This installment is unequivocally my favorite in the series. I savored every moment within its pages, devouring the book in a single day. While I've always admired Kay Cove's storytelling, this particular book resonated deeply with me, evoking a whirlwind of emotions that kept me utterly captivated.
Amani is truly remarkable. The life of an influencer or content creator is far from easy. The anonymity of online interactions often brings out the worst in people; it's as if they derive pleasure from it. Despite facing such challenges, Amani also juggled caring for her mother's health and nurturing her dream of becoming a mother herself. While she displayed immense strength, there came a point where she needed to prioritize her mental well-being. Nevertheless, she remained a beacon of resilience—a vibrant, empathetic individual radiating with joy and strength.
Adam underwent a remarkable transformation, becoming one of my cherished fictional romantic interests. Following his divorce, he harbored deep-seated fears and trauma that hindered his ability to trust women again. Despite initially reaching out to Amani on social media and receiving no response, fate intervened when they crossed paths at his best friend’s party, and Adam was immediately captivated by her. His assistance to Amani was selfless, driven not solely by affection but also by a genuine desire to support her without expecting anything in return. Their bond transitioned from friendship to romance organically, and witnessing their love story unfold was truly captivating. Adam's unwavering attention and compassionate treatment of Amani set a high standard for relationship goals. He played a pivotal role in helping her pursue her dream of motherhood and stood by her side throughout her journey. Together, they complemented each other perfectly, forming a harmonious partnership.
Their relationship exhibited a remarkable level of maturity, characterized by open communication and transparency. They fostered an environment of comfort, enabling them to dismantle their emotional barriers and cultivate a deeper bond. They possessed a profound understanding of each other, developed in the short time they spent together. With just a word or a gesture, they could intuitively grasp each other's thoughts. Recognizing the need for individual healing, Adam, despite his deep love and desire for a future together, chose to give Amani space. This period of separation facilitated personal growth, allowing them to emerge as improved versions of themselves and ultimately reunite, their journey of self-discovery adding a heartwarming dimension to their relationship.
Their intimate encounters were truly remarkable. Adam displayed an exceptional understanding of Amani's needs and consistently met them with care and attentiveness. Beyond the physical aspect, their quiet moments together, whether lounging on the couch or engaged in simple activities, were incredibly tender and endearing.
Kay handled themes of infertility and mental health with sensitivity and insight. Her portrayal evoked a range of emotions, allowing readers to deeply connect with the struggles depicted. Infertility, a more prevalent issue than often acknowledged, is sometimes shrouded in silence due to fear of judgment or the sensitive nature of the topic. Kay's depiction of these challenges was poignant and authentic. I cannot overstate my appreciation for the inclusion of mental health representation in literature. The pressures exerted by society and social media can significantly impact our mental well-being. The book's message to "STOP COUNTING" serves as a powerful reminder to prioritize passion over numerical validation, resonating profoundly throughout the narrative.
A robust support system is indispensable when facing life's trials. Amani and Adam were blessed to have a circle of supportive individuals they could lean on. Even when it appeared that others were oblivious to their difficulties, they could intuitively discern when something was amiss. Adam, understanding the significance of family, diligently balanced his commitment to Amani with attending to his family's welfare. Furthermore, the book poignantly illustrated the transformative power of forgiveness and releasing grievances as pathways to healing.
This book was well worth the anticipation. It serves as a satisfying conclusion to the series, and while I'll miss the other couples, Amani and Adam now hold a special place in my heart. I'm thankful for the opportunity to have been part of the ARC team and to have received an advance copy.
First Comes Forever by Kay Cove is the 5th and final installment in the Real Love, Real Life series, previously named Love, Me & the 303. This book can be read as a standalone, but you will have a better experience reading them in order.
Tropes:
- Summer Romance
- Friends with a Baby Deal
- Pregnancy Trope/Infertility Representation
- Millionaire Romance
- Influencer FMC (Female Main Character)
- Found Family
- HEA (Happily Ever After)
- Mental Health Representation
Please check trigger warnings before reading and take care of your mental health.
5 ⭐️
2.5 🔥
Summary:
Amani, a successful influencer, is struggling with infertility and keeping it a secret. Adam, a Hollywood agent, is focused on his friend's career and avoiding love due to past pain. They decide on a no-strings-attached summer fling but find themselves developing deeper feelings. When Adam offers to help Amani have a baby, they must navigate whether a baby between friends is a good idea.
Review:
“You’re my family. You’re my forever. I am signing up for whatever version of our lives keeps us together.”
This installment is unequivocally my favorite in the series. I savored every moment within its pages, devouring the book in a single day. While I've always admired Kay Cove's storytelling, this particular book resonated deeply with me, evoking a whirlwind of emotions that kept me utterly captivated.
Amani is truly remarkable. The life of an influencer or content creator is far from easy. The anonymity of online interactions often brings out the worst in people; it's as if they derive pleasure from it. Despite facing such challenges, Amani also juggled caring for her mother's health and nurturing her dream of becoming a mother herself. While she displayed immense strength, there came a point where she needed to prioritize her mental well-being. Nevertheless, she remained a beacon of resilience—a vibrant, empathetic individual radiating with joy and strength.
Adam underwent a remarkable transformation, becoming one of my cherished fictional romantic interests. Following his divorce, he harbored deep-seated fears and trauma that hindered his ability to trust women again. Despite initially reaching out to Amani on social media and receiving no response, fate intervened when they crossed paths at his best friend’s party, and Adam was immediately captivated by her. His assistance to Amani was selfless, driven not solely by affection but also by a genuine desire to support her without expecting anything in return. Their bond transitioned from friendship to romance organically, and witnessing their love story unfold was truly captivating. Adam's unwavering attention and compassionate treatment of Amani set a high standard for relationship goals. He played a pivotal role in helping her pursue her dream of motherhood and stood by her side throughout her journey. Together, they complemented each other perfectly, forming a harmonious partnership.
Their relationship exhibited a remarkable level of maturity, characterized by open communication and transparency. They fostered an environment of comfort, enabling them to dismantle their emotional barriers and cultivate a deeper bond. They possessed a profound understanding of each other, developed in the short time they spent together. With just a word or a gesture, they could intuitively grasp each other's thoughts. Recognizing the need for individual healing, Adam, despite his deep love and desire for a future together, chose to give Amani space. This period of separation facilitated personal growth, allowing them to emerge as improved versions of themselves and ultimately reunite, their journey of self-discovery adding a heartwarming dimension to their relationship.
Their intimate encounters were truly remarkable. Adam displayed an exceptional understanding of Amani's needs and consistently met them with care and attentiveness. Beyond the physical aspect, their quiet moments together, whether lounging on the couch or engaged in simple activities, were incredibly tender and endearing.
Kay handled themes of infertility and mental health with sensitivity and insight. Her portrayal evoked a range of emotions, allowing readers to deeply connect with the struggles depicted. Infertility, a more prevalent issue than often acknowledged, is sometimes shrouded in silence due to fear of judgment or the sensitive nature of the topic. Kay's depiction of these challenges was poignant and authentic. I cannot overstate my appreciation for the inclusion of mental health representation in literature. The pressures exerted by society and social media can significantly impact our mental well-being. The book's message to "STOP COUNTING" serves as a powerful reminder to prioritize passion over numerical validation, resonating profoundly throughout the narrative.
A robust support system is indispensable when facing life's trials. Amani and Adam were blessed to have a circle of supportive individuals they could lean on. Even when it appeared that others were oblivious to their difficulties, they could intuitively discern when something was amiss. Adam, understanding the significance of family, diligently balanced his commitment to Amani with attending to his family's welfare. Furthermore, the book poignantly illustrated the transformative power of forgiveness and releasing grievances as pathways to healing.
This book was well worth the anticipation. It serves as a satisfying conclusion to the series, and while I'll miss the other couples, Amani and Adam now hold a special place in my heart. I'm thankful for the opportunity to have been part of the ARC team and to have received an advance copy.
April 19, 2024
This is book #5 in the Real Life, Real Love series and while I have enjoyed all of them, this one was my favorite! It was authentic and emotional and the happily ever after was so hard earned. I absolutely loved the “realness” of this story. It didn’t shy away from challenging topics (please check the trigger warnings!) and presented them in a genuine and caring way.
Amani is a fiercely strong and independent woman who hides her struggles so as not to burden her friends and family. Adam has closed his heart off to love after being burned in the past, yet he still carries some guilt. They become fast friends and find it easy to open up to each other with their hard truths. They help each other through their struggles. The open and honest communication between them was so refreshing and something I truly enjoyed. There was definitely no miscommunication trope here. They both had each other’s best interests in mind throughout the ups and downs.
Regarding specific topics…
Infertility and treatment- this topic was discussed with so much regard for the physical and mental toll women go through on this journey. It was heartbreaking and devastating and left me feeling so much compassion for all people who unfortunately know this struggle personally. It subtly demonstrated how even well-meaning or off-handed comments made by people who don’t know the whole situation can be painful for the individual.
Miscarriage- another difficult topic that was discussed with care and reverence. I appreciated that we got a small bit of insight into Adam being upset and wanting to be around Amani so they could support each other through it. Acknowledging his loss, as the partner, was such a poignant moment. It was yet another instance of acknowledgement that doesn’t always happen in the real world.
Mental Health- this is such an important topic, but one that isn’t always done well in books. This book did it well. It showed various sides of emotional wellness and how it isn’t always obvious when someone is struggling, especially when they want to hide it.
Social Media- the discussions about social media, influencers, and trolls were so relevant to what so many deal with today. We get in the habit of focusing on “likes” and “friends” online and take all of it to heart. One negative comment made by a keyboard warrior is enough to damage a person. We need to keep our real lives versus our social media lives in perspective. This was discussed in a way that focused on the mental impact rather than just saying social media is bad and we should just avoid it, which I appreciated.
“My best friend Noa gets judged for being a stay-at-home mom and not having a career of her own. My other best friend Quinn gets judged for not being a mom and pouring herself into work, chasing success. We’re damned if we do, damned if we don’t, and I just want to shout through a fucking bullhorn that people should live their lives instead of spending so much time and energy commenting on how strangers should be living their lives.”
“Then why are we trying to quantify our existence? We should just live and measure ourselves based on the quality of our relationships and how close to happiness we’re getting. You can’t measure that stuff in numbers. So stop counting.”
This book made me both laugh and cry. It was incredibly relatable and made me want to be a better friend and human. Kindness to others costs nothing and this book did a beautiful job relaying that message. There were so many moments throughout this book where I simply felt seen and understood. This book brought to light some issues that are very relevant in our society. The epilogue was so beautiful and showed that just because the plan you had for your life doesn’t work out, doesn’t mean you won’t get a different but equally beautiful happily ever after.
I hardly ever rate books as 5 stars but First Comes Forever has earned each and every single one. I simply cannot say enough good things about it. Just go read this book
Amani is a fiercely strong and independent woman who hides her struggles so as not to burden her friends and family. Adam has closed his heart off to love after being burned in the past, yet he still carries some guilt. They become fast friends and find it easy to open up to each other with their hard truths. They help each other through their struggles. The open and honest communication between them was so refreshing and something I truly enjoyed. There was definitely no miscommunication trope here. They both had each other’s best interests in mind throughout the ups and downs.
Regarding specific topics…
Infertility and treatment- this topic was discussed with so much regard for the physical and mental toll women go through on this journey. It was heartbreaking and devastating and left me feeling so much compassion for all people who unfortunately know this struggle personally. It subtly demonstrated how even well-meaning or off-handed comments made by people who don’t know the whole situation can be painful for the individual.
Miscarriage- another difficult topic that was discussed with care and reverence. I appreciated that we got a small bit of insight into Adam being upset and wanting to be around Amani so they could support each other through it. Acknowledging his loss, as the partner, was such a poignant moment. It was yet another instance of acknowledgement that doesn’t always happen in the real world.
Mental Health- this is such an important topic, but one that isn’t always done well in books. This book did it well. It showed various sides of emotional wellness and how it isn’t always obvious when someone is struggling, especially when they want to hide it.
Social Media- the discussions about social media, influencers, and trolls were so relevant to what so many deal with today. We get in the habit of focusing on “likes” and “friends” online and take all of it to heart. One negative comment made by a keyboard warrior is enough to damage a person. We need to keep our real lives versus our social media lives in perspective. This was discussed in a way that focused on the mental impact rather than just saying social media is bad and we should just avoid it, which I appreciated.
“My best friend Noa gets judged for being a stay-at-home mom and not having a career of her own. My other best friend Quinn gets judged for not being a mom and pouring herself into work, chasing success. We’re damned if we do, damned if we don’t, and I just want to shout through a fucking bullhorn that people should live their lives instead of spending so much time and energy commenting on how strangers should be living their lives.”
“Then why are we trying to quantify our existence? We should just live and measure ourselves based on the quality of our relationships and how close to happiness we’re getting. You can’t measure that stuff in numbers. So stop counting.”
This book made me both laugh and cry. It was incredibly relatable and made me want to be a better friend and human. Kindness to others costs nothing and this book did a beautiful job relaying that message. There were so many moments throughout this book where I simply felt seen and understood. This book brought to light some issues that are very relevant in our society. The epilogue was so beautiful and showed that just because the plan you had for your life doesn’t work out, doesn’t mean you won’t get a different but equally beautiful happily ever after.
I hardly ever rate books as 5 stars but First Comes Forever has earned each and every single one. I simply cannot say enough good things about it. Just go read this book
April 21, 2024
Amani and Adam ♡
Honestly, Kay Cove knows how to write the best MMC 👌 every one of them joins my collection after reading one of her books, and Adam was no different. I'll be honest this book probably won't be for everyone it focused heavy in infertility and Amani's struggle to not only want to have a baby but with struggling to achieve that due to her having POI. It also has a large spotlight on anxiety and depression. I connected with this story hard, so it was definitely a 5☆ read for me. I love how the story didn't have a magic fixture to her infertility even after she got the guy. He didn't have a magic stick that fixed everything. Amani's struggles became Adam's, and that was honestly what made this story so beautiful ♡ Definitely check this out, but make sure you check your TWs beforehand.
Right person wrong time. That sentence couldn't be more true for Amani and Adam. There was no denying their chemistry or instant connection, but they were at very different periods in their lives. Despite Amani being younger, she was desperate to have a baby, and she was willing to go it alone. The only problem was IUI kept failing, and her doctor wasn't confident IVF would be any different. She met Adam on the back of another failure. The doctor recommended taking the summer and then regrouping. They were honest from the beginning that all it could ever be was for a summer. Amani wanted a baby, and Adam wasn't sure he ever would. He'd walked down that path before, and it'd left him with a bitter heart and divorce papers. They both had their issues, but for a moment, they found happiness in each others arms. But they broke their own rules quickly, and the lines easily blurred. When the summer ended, their love didn't. Adam didn't want to let her go, but he wasn't ready to move forward but promised he'd stand by Amani' side as she started her next journey to achieve her goal. But when it all came crashing down again and her dreams seemed would never come true, they realized they needed to let each other go. Amani needed to heal in a way she needed to do alone. The thing about real love, though it's like a boomerang. If you let it go, it'll always come back. They may have done things back to front, but when it's real, Forever can come first ♡
Definitely Recommend Reading 📚
Honestly, Kay Cove knows how to write the best MMC 👌 every one of them joins my collection after reading one of her books, and Adam was no different. I'll be honest this book probably won't be for everyone it focused heavy in infertility and Amani's struggle to not only want to have a baby but with struggling to achieve that due to her having POI. It also has a large spotlight on anxiety and depression. I connected with this story hard, so it was definitely a 5☆ read for me. I love how the story didn't have a magic fixture to her infertility even after she got the guy. He didn't have a magic stick that fixed everything. Amani's struggles became Adam's, and that was honestly what made this story so beautiful ♡ Definitely check this out, but make sure you check your TWs beforehand.
Right person wrong time. That sentence couldn't be more true for Amani and Adam. There was no denying their chemistry or instant connection, but they were at very different periods in their lives. Despite Amani being younger, she was desperate to have a baby, and she was willing to go it alone. The only problem was IUI kept failing, and her doctor wasn't confident IVF would be any different. She met Adam on the back of another failure. The doctor recommended taking the summer and then regrouping. They were honest from the beginning that all it could ever be was for a summer. Amani wanted a baby, and Adam wasn't sure he ever would. He'd walked down that path before, and it'd left him with a bitter heart and divorce papers. They both had their issues, but for a moment, they found happiness in each others arms. But they broke their own rules quickly, and the lines easily blurred. When the summer ended, their love didn't. Adam didn't want to let her go, but he wasn't ready to move forward but promised he'd stand by Amani' side as she started her next journey to achieve her goal. But when it all came crashing down again and her dreams seemed would never come true, they realized they needed to let each other go. Amani needed to heal in a way she needed to do alone. The thing about real love, though it's like a boomerang. If you let it go, it'll always come back. They may have done things back to front, but when it's real, Forever can come first ♡
Definitely Recommend Reading 📚
April 16, 2024
If I have not convinced you to pick up any book by Kay Cove before now, I’m making another pitch. This series is literally everything good and wonderful – amazing books like these are why reading will forever be my favorite past time. I have never been so very sad to say goodbye to a fictional town, family or friend group as I am now saying goodbye to these girls. You’ve heard me sing Kay’s praises before, and I am not about to stop.
The Real Life, Real Love series (previously the Love, Me and the 303) follows a group of 5 women who are truly #friendshipgoals. Each story is full of real life problems that Kay tackles with the delicacy and joy that each needs. We read the first in the series, Paint Me Perfect, last month for book club and I think we all fell in love with Noa and Chase.
First Comes Forever is the fifth and final book of this series. Adam and Amani’s story has been teased through the first four books and finally getting their story was everything I hoped for. I was so honored that Kay let me get my hands on this book well before it’s April 19th release day. I ignored all responsibility and read every second I had free, this book was addicting. You can read this one as a standalone, but reading the others only makes you realize what a master Kay is because she’s been dropping hints about this book since the first pages of Paint Me Perfect.
Like her other books, this one comes with some big trigger warnings. Amani is traveling the road of infertility before she and Adam get together. Her road to motherhood is full of bumps, ups and really low lows. Kay handles Amani’s story with such tender grace, but if you yourself are struggling with your own fertility, please protect your mental health and wait to read this one. Amani is an influencer who is dealing with burnout from having such a public life and her mental health struggles as a result of online bullying. This is a prevalent topic that is woven through most of the book. Adam also has an ex-wife whose departure from his life has left some long standing impacts on who he is as a person. He has to face these scars head on before he can be all in with Amani.
So grab your closest box of tissues (I promise you’ll need them) and settle into your favorite reading spot to cuddle up with First Comes Forever.
First Comes Forever Summary:
Amani is questioning everything in her life. Her job as an influencer is negatively impacting her mental health and she’s questioning why she is still living in LA with all of her girlfriends living in Denver. She has been pursing IUI to have a baby but after many failed rounds, her doctor is not optimistic at her chances of IVF working. And to top it all off, she learns that she is unable to renew her apartment lease. Her subsequent breakdown is seen by Adam, a talent agent who has wanted to take Amani on as a client (and is her best friend’s fake boyfriend’s agent) and maybe take her out on a date or two. He offers his apartment in her rental community as a temporary place for her to crash until she makes a decision about where she is going and where she wants to live. As their friendship grows, she confides in him her desire to have a baby and the tough road she has traveled. Adam offers to pay for her IVF in exchange for being considered an uncle for the baby. Neither of them are in a position to promise anything more than a summer fling, so they agree to a no-strings attached relationship. But when their summer journey comes to a heartbreaking ending, can they both face their own demons and turn summer into forever?
Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, 🌶️ 🌶️
Have I given a book infinite stars yet this year? I don’t think I have, but First Comes Forever deserves each and every star possible. I both couldn’t put it down and didn’t want it to be over. But before you start, make sure to have a box of tissues and then let me know when you’re done with the book so we can chat!
Favorite Quotes:
“This is the hug I’ve been waiting for. This is what I need.”
“If making Amani smile is the only thing I do today, I’ll still call that a day well spent.”
“My point is, it doesn’t bother when when you cry. It bothers me when you cry alone.”
“No, summer girl. I’m trying to be better than myself for you.”
“Well that does it. I’m your problem forever now.”
The Real Life, Real Love series (previously the Love, Me and the 303) follows a group of 5 women who are truly #friendshipgoals. Each story is full of real life problems that Kay tackles with the delicacy and joy that each needs. We read the first in the series, Paint Me Perfect, last month for book club and I think we all fell in love with Noa and Chase.
First Comes Forever is the fifth and final book of this series. Adam and Amani’s story has been teased through the first four books and finally getting their story was everything I hoped for. I was so honored that Kay let me get my hands on this book well before it’s April 19th release day. I ignored all responsibility and read every second I had free, this book was addicting. You can read this one as a standalone, but reading the others only makes you realize what a master Kay is because she’s been dropping hints about this book since the first pages of Paint Me Perfect.
Like her other books, this one comes with some big trigger warnings. Amani is traveling the road of infertility before she and Adam get together. Her road to motherhood is full of bumps, ups and really low lows. Kay handles Amani’s story with such tender grace, but if you yourself are struggling with your own fertility, please protect your mental health and wait to read this one. Amani is an influencer who is dealing with burnout from having such a public life and her mental health struggles as a result of online bullying. This is a prevalent topic that is woven through most of the book. Adam also has an ex-wife whose departure from his life has left some long standing impacts on who he is as a person. He has to face these scars head on before he can be all in with Amani.
So grab your closest box of tissues (I promise you’ll need them) and settle into your favorite reading spot to cuddle up with First Comes Forever.
First Comes Forever Summary:
Amani is questioning everything in her life. Her job as an influencer is negatively impacting her mental health and she’s questioning why she is still living in LA with all of her girlfriends living in Denver. She has been pursing IUI to have a baby but after many failed rounds, her doctor is not optimistic at her chances of IVF working. And to top it all off, she learns that she is unable to renew her apartment lease. Her subsequent breakdown is seen by Adam, a talent agent who has wanted to take Amani on as a client (and is her best friend’s fake boyfriend’s agent) and maybe take her out on a date or two. He offers his apartment in her rental community as a temporary place for her to crash until she makes a decision about where she is going and where she wants to live. As their friendship grows, she confides in him her desire to have a baby and the tough road she has traveled. Adam offers to pay for her IVF in exchange for being considered an uncle for the baby. Neither of them are in a position to promise anything more than a summer fling, so they agree to a no-strings attached relationship. But when their summer journey comes to a heartbreaking ending, can they both face their own demons and turn summer into forever?
Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, 🌶️ 🌶️
Have I given a book infinite stars yet this year? I don’t think I have, but First Comes Forever deserves each and every star possible. I both couldn’t put it down and didn’t want it to be over. But before you start, make sure to have a box of tissues and then let me know when you’re done with the book so we can chat!
Favorite Quotes:
“This is the hug I’ve been waiting for. This is what I need.”
“If making Amani smile is the only thing I do today, I’ll still call that a day well spent.”
“My point is, it doesn’t bother when when you cry. It bothers me when you cry alone.”
“No, summer girl. I’m trying to be better than myself for you.”
“Well that does it. I’m your problem forever now.”
April 18, 2024
Overall rating 5⭐️
Spice 3🌶️
Tropes- summer romance,
friends with a baby deal,
pregnancy/TTC
infertility rep
millionaire
influencer FMC
mental health rep
found family
Amani moved away from Denver to L.A to find herself. She became an online influencer and that’s when everything started changing for her. Yes the money was decent. She was able to buy things she needed, a nice apartment, and her mom’s medical expenses but she started to hate it. Being an influencer comes with a lot of problems as well as rewards. Yes she got to work with brands, but she found herself not loving it anymore as the trolls and bullying was starting to reach new heights. Amani had also learned that she had a really low chance of getting pregnant and building that family she didn’t know she really wanted. After exhausting all of her funds she realized it may not be possible. That was until she connected with Adam. (her best friend’s husbands manager) Adam always had a thing for Amani but she wasn’t ready to date and she thought all he wanted out of her was money and a partnership. When he stumbled on her in the marking lot of where she lived in her car sobbing he stepped in and was offering her a helping hand. Little did Amani know, Adam was going to help her to make her dreams come true. He was even willing to help her pay for IVF as long as he got to be “Uncle Adam”. After his own trauma with his ex wife he wasn’t ready to be a dad, but would help Amani every step of the way.
MY THOUGHTS- Amani has been such an amazing character all throughout this series. Although she is in a different state from the other girls, she was always there for them. I knew her story would be great, but I truly didn’t know what to expect. This book surprised me in all the right ways. Everything Amani went through was so devastating. From the mental health, fertility, online bullying, and feeling lonely my heart ached for her. There were moments in this book where I could physically feel my heart constricting and hurting for her. That right there shows you the talent Kay Cove has. She has the ability to make you feel all the things. I laughed, I cried, and I just didn’t want this book to end.
Adam- wow what can I even say about Adam. He definitely surprised me. I did not get the golden retriever boyfriend vibes from when he was mentioned in Paint Me Perfect, but this man is so loyal, almost to a fault. If you are in his circle and he cares for you, he will do it all. The fact that he seen Amani struggling and didn’t hesitate to do IT ALL to make her life easier and her dream to be a mother come true, was just mind blowing. Adam was everything!
Spice 3🌶️
Tropes- summer romance,
friends with a baby deal,
pregnancy/TTC
infertility rep
millionaire
influencer FMC
mental health rep
found family
Amani moved away from Denver to L.A to find herself. She became an online influencer and that’s when everything started changing for her. Yes the money was decent. She was able to buy things she needed, a nice apartment, and her mom’s medical expenses but she started to hate it. Being an influencer comes with a lot of problems as well as rewards. Yes she got to work with brands, but she found herself not loving it anymore as the trolls and bullying was starting to reach new heights. Amani had also learned that she had a really low chance of getting pregnant and building that family she didn’t know she really wanted. After exhausting all of her funds she realized it may not be possible. That was until she connected with Adam. (her best friend’s husbands manager) Adam always had a thing for Amani but she wasn’t ready to date and she thought all he wanted out of her was money and a partnership. When he stumbled on her in the marking lot of where she lived in her car sobbing he stepped in and was offering her a helping hand. Little did Amani know, Adam was going to help her to make her dreams come true. He was even willing to help her pay for IVF as long as he got to be “Uncle Adam”. After his own trauma with his ex wife he wasn’t ready to be a dad, but would help Amani every step of the way.
MY THOUGHTS- Amani has been such an amazing character all throughout this series. Although she is in a different state from the other girls, she was always there for them. I knew her story would be great, but I truly didn’t know what to expect. This book surprised me in all the right ways. Everything Amani went through was so devastating. From the mental health, fertility, online bullying, and feeling lonely my heart ached for her. There were moments in this book where I could physically feel my heart constricting and hurting for her. That right there shows you the talent Kay Cove has. She has the ability to make you feel all the things. I laughed, I cried, and I just didn’t want this book to end.
Adam- wow what can I even say about Adam. He definitely surprised me. I did not get the golden retriever boyfriend vibes from when he was mentioned in Paint Me Perfect, but this man is so loyal, almost to a fault. If you are in his circle and he cares for you, he will do it all. The fact that he seen Amani struggling and didn’t hesitate to do IT ALL to make her life easier and her dream to be a mother come true, was just mind blowing. Adam was everything!
May 10, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🔥🔥
“You’re my family. You’re my forever. I am signing up for whatever version of our lives keeps us together.”
This is the last book in the Real Life, Real Love series and I couldn’t put it down once I started it.
This story follow Amari and Adam, Amari is a social media influencer while Adam is a Hollywood agent. They meet a party and Adam is crushing real hard on Amari but she not interested with all his perfect pick up lines. When they meet again Amari is struggling with a lot of things including infertility and needing a new place to live, Adam happens to have the means to help her with a place to live. But Amari isn’t the only one struggle with things Adam thought he would have it all family of his dreams until he didn’t and he’s still struggle eight year later. Neither of them what a relationship, so they decide friends with benefits but it doesn’t take long before the connection between them to become more then they every expected. And now they find themselves blurring the lines and Adam offers to help Amari what she always wanted a baby. But is a baby between friends a bad idea or will it be exactly what they both need to heal?
They had great chemistry and tension from the beginning and I enjoyed how their relationship grows throughout the book. And once they gave in they couldn’t stay away from each other. Theses two were definitely meant for each other. I love how they slowly started to heal each other. This book will definitely take you on an emotional rollercoaster. Overall, this book was great, I really enjoyed the characters and the ending.
I would recommend if you like:
💜Right Person Wrong Time
💜Forced Proximity
💜Friends to Lovers
💜Steamy scenes 🔥
Thank you The Author Agency for the ARC!
🔥🔥
“You’re my family. You’re my forever. I am signing up for whatever version of our lives keeps us together.”
This is the last book in the Real Life, Real Love series and I couldn’t put it down once I started it.
This story follow Amari and Adam, Amari is a social media influencer while Adam is a Hollywood agent. They meet a party and Adam is crushing real hard on Amari but she not interested with all his perfect pick up lines. When they meet again Amari is struggling with a lot of things including infertility and needing a new place to live, Adam happens to have the means to help her with a place to live. But Amari isn’t the only one struggle with things Adam thought he would have it all family of his dreams until he didn’t and he’s still struggle eight year later. Neither of them what a relationship, so they decide friends with benefits but it doesn’t take long before the connection between them to become more then they every expected. And now they find themselves blurring the lines and Adam offers to help Amari what she always wanted a baby. But is a baby between friends a bad idea or will it be exactly what they both need to heal?
They had great chemistry and tension from the beginning and I enjoyed how their relationship grows throughout the book. And once they gave in they couldn’t stay away from each other. Theses two were definitely meant for each other. I love how they slowly started to heal each other. This book will definitely take you on an emotional rollercoaster. Overall, this book was great, I really enjoyed the characters and the ending.
I would recommend if you like:
💜Right Person Wrong Time
💜Forced Proximity
💜Friends to Lovers
💜Steamy scenes 🔥
Thank you The Author Agency for the ARC!
April 19, 2024
⭐️4
🌶️2
What to expect:
💜Millionaire romance
💜Found family
💜Friends with a baby deal
💜Summer romance
Review:
I fell in love with Adam and Amani from their first interaction! Their banter and flirting was perfect. This was my first book in the series so I am running to go back and read the rest of the books. This was definitely an emotional one and I think Kay did wonderfully writing about difficult themes like depression, social media harassment, infertility, abandonment and infidelity. I laughed, cried, and squealed all throughout the book.
Amani and Adam were just so damn sweet. They made each other laugh, were there for each other, and helped each other heal. I love that Adam knew there was a lot of pain he was holding on from the past that he had to work through and made every effort to do better for Amani. The way he would drop everything because he knew she was hurting 🥹. And I was so proud that Amani was able to take a step back from what wasn’t serving her purpose anymore. It takes a lot of strength to know when you need help and that you aren’t happy. I related to her a lot in that.
One of my favorite parts of the book was the really strong friend group! Found family will always be one of my favorites and the way Noa, Quinn, Reese, Addie and Amani were there for each other and made an effort to support and be there for Amani when she was so far away made me so happy.
First Comes Forever was a charming and emotional book and I can’t wait to read the rest in the series. Thank you Kay and The Author Agency for the opportunity to be part of the ARC team and provide my honest review.
Memorable quotes:
“I’m jumping through hoops because you’re worth jumping for.”
“Broken pieces are always meant to build better things. You see all the heartbreak you went through as an end. But it was really the beginning. You just never let yourself move forward.”
“Whatever you’re going through, we were here at the start, we’ll be here at the end.”
“My point is, it doesn’t bother me when you cry. It bothers me when you cry alone.”
“Thank you for loving me enough to admit you need to go.”
🌶️2
What to expect:
💜Millionaire romance
💜Found family
💜Friends with a baby deal
💜Summer romance
Review:
I fell in love with Adam and Amani from their first interaction! Their banter and flirting was perfect. This was my first book in the series so I am running to go back and read the rest of the books. This was definitely an emotional one and I think Kay did wonderfully writing about difficult themes like depression, social media harassment, infertility, abandonment and infidelity. I laughed, cried, and squealed all throughout the book.
Amani and Adam were just so damn sweet. They made each other laugh, were there for each other, and helped each other heal. I love that Adam knew there was a lot of pain he was holding on from the past that he had to work through and made every effort to do better for Amani. The way he would drop everything because he knew she was hurting 🥹. And I was so proud that Amani was able to take a step back from what wasn’t serving her purpose anymore. It takes a lot of strength to know when you need help and that you aren’t happy. I related to her a lot in that.
One of my favorite parts of the book was the really strong friend group! Found family will always be one of my favorites and the way Noa, Quinn, Reese, Addie and Amani were there for each other and made an effort to support and be there for Amani when she was so far away made me so happy.
First Comes Forever was a charming and emotional book and I can’t wait to read the rest in the series. Thank you Kay and The Author Agency for the opportunity to be part of the ARC team and provide my honest review.
Memorable quotes:
“I’m jumping through hoops because you’re worth jumping for.”
“Broken pieces are always meant to build better things. You see all the heartbreak you went through as an end. But it was really the beginning. You just never let yourself move forward.”
“Whatever you’re going through, we were here at the start, we’ll be here at the end.”
“My point is, it doesn’t bother me when you cry. It bothers me when you cry alone.”
“Thank you for loving me enough to admit you need to go.”
April 23, 2024
✨ARC Review✨
💟First Comes Forever by Kay Cove💟
Friendship is strength. Love muddles everything. And a baby would definitely blur the lines.
Everyone views Amani as the successful influencer, who has it all together. But no one knows the actual truth… she’s burnt out and devastated that her dream of becoming a mom may never come true.
Adam just wants to continue to strive as a Hollywood agent. Work is his life,it helps forget his painful past. Love isn’t in his cards.
Neither Amani or Adam can entertain a relationship right now. So how do they address the steamy tension between the two of them? A steamy summer with no strings. But there’s only one problem… Adam falls under Amani’s spell and the strings start to form.
A baby between friends isn’t that bad of an idea, right?
Tropes
💜Friends to Lovers
🤍Pregnancy (trying to get pregnant)
💜Infertility Rep
🤍Right Person, Wrong Time
💜Mental Health Rep
🤍Forced Proximity
💜Millionaire Romance
🤍Healing Together
This was such an amazing emotional ride. After reading the prologue I knew it was going to be emotional as ever. But let me tell you, I loved every second of it! Kay Cove knows how to perfectly write about the hard topics! Mental health, infertility and healing are covered perfectly in this book.
The development of Adam and Amani, both individually and together was great! Adam was such a golden retriever that had me swooning. But he also grounded Amani in ways she didn’t know she needed. Amani also healed Adam in ways he didn’t know he needed. Their love is a perfect example of right person, wrong time!
Kay Cove, you leave me speechless everytime I read one of your books!
Rating: 5 ⭐️
‼️ this book is emotionally heavy. Please check the content warnings.
💟First Comes Forever by Kay Cove💟
Friendship is strength. Love muddles everything. And a baby would definitely blur the lines.
Everyone views Amani as the successful influencer, who has it all together. But no one knows the actual truth… she’s burnt out and devastated that her dream of becoming a mom may never come true.
Adam just wants to continue to strive as a Hollywood agent. Work is his life,it helps forget his painful past. Love isn’t in his cards.
Neither Amani or Adam can entertain a relationship right now. So how do they address the steamy tension between the two of them? A steamy summer with no strings. But there’s only one problem… Adam falls under Amani’s spell and the strings start to form.
A baby between friends isn’t that bad of an idea, right?
Tropes
💜Friends to Lovers
🤍Pregnancy (trying to get pregnant)
💜Infertility Rep
🤍Right Person, Wrong Time
💜Mental Health Rep
🤍Forced Proximity
💜Millionaire Romance
🤍Healing Together
This was such an amazing emotional ride. After reading the prologue I knew it was going to be emotional as ever. But let me tell you, I loved every second of it! Kay Cove knows how to perfectly write about the hard topics! Mental health, infertility and healing are covered perfectly in this book.
The development of Adam and Amani, both individually and together was great! Adam was such a golden retriever that had me swooning. But he also grounded Amani in ways she didn’t know she needed. Amani also healed Adam in ways he didn’t know he needed. Their love is a perfect example of right person, wrong time!
Kay Cove, you leave me speechless everytime I read one of your books!
Rating: 5 ⭐️
‼️ this book is emotionally heavy. Please check the content warnings.
April 28, 2024
💜Rҽʋιҽɯ💜
4.5/5⭐️
This book hit a little too close to home for me🥺
Infertility is hard and considering Ive been trying to get pregnant for almost 3 years and went through a miscarriage at the end of last year I could relate majorly to Amani….
I got teary eyed multiple times and actually cried once…
Adam and Amani are amazing but things happen for them kinda backwards…
Amani is a big time social media influencer and Adam has messaged her multiple times with no response….
They are at an event and they run into each other in the bathroom while she is throwing up… Great first impression right haha
Adam is now divorced, he was going to be a father until he found out that his wife at the time cheated on him and the baby wasn’t his…..
Amani wants to be a mom, she isn’t getting any younger but she is having issues….
Amani was going to move back home so she didn’t resign her lease… Adam comes to her rescue multiple times….
He wants her but he has a rule of either friendship or messing around because he doesn’t like blurred lines…
That rule bits him in the ass haha
You can tell they are attracted to each other but they want different things… He doesn’t want to get remarried and have a baby anymore….
They eventually cross that line but agree it’s a summer thing…..
Feelings start to develop and he doesn’t want her to leave… He offers to pay for her IVF and everything….
They go through a lot of hard/sad times and it brings them closer until it doesn’t….. They both have healing they need to do and he knows that she can’t do it in LA so she goes back home to Denver without Adam….
They do get their happy ending💜
4.5/5⭐️
This book hit a little too close to home for me🥺
Infertility is hard and considering Ive been trying to get pregnant for almost 3 years and went through a miscarriage at the end of last year I could relate majorly to Amani….
I got teary eyed multiple times and actually cried once…
Adam and Amani are amazing but things happen for them kinda backwards…
Amani is a big time social media influencer and Adam has messaged her multiple times with no response….
They are at an event and they run into each other in the bathroom while she is throwing up… Great first impression right haha
Adam is now divorced, he was going to be a father until he found out that his wife at the time cheated on him and the baby wasn’t his…..
Amani wants to be a mom, she isn’t getting any younger but she is having issues….
Amani was going to move back home so she didn’t resign her lease… Adam comes to her rescue multiple times….
He wants her but he has a rule of either friendship or messing around because he doesn’t like blurred lines…
That rule bits him in the ass haha
You can tell they are attracted to each other but they want different things… He doesn’t want to get remarried and have a baby anymore….
They eventually cross that line but agree it’s a summer thing…..
Feelings start to develop and he doesn’t want her to leave… He offers to pay for her IVF and everything….
They go through a lot of hard/sad times and it brings them closer until it doesn’t….. They both have healing they need to do and he knows that she can’t do it in LA so she goes back home to Denver without Adam….
They do get their happy ending💜
April 20, 2024
“𝑴𝒚 𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒕 𝒊𝒔, 𝒘𝒆’𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒂 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅. 𝑾𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒐 𝒇𝒂𝒓 𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕. 𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒈𝒐 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒈𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒃𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒈𝒆. 𝑵𝒐𝒕 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒔…𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓.”
𝖂𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝖙𝖔 𝖊𝖝𝖕𝖊𝖈𝖙:
🔥Friends to Lovers
🔥Pregnancy (trying to get pregnant)
🔥Infertility Rep
🔥Right Person, Wrong Time
🔥Mental Health Rep
🔥Forced Proximity
🔥Millionaire Romance
🔥Healing Together
“𝑺𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒔𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅.”
I feel emotional writting this review for many reasons. One being that this series has come to an end and it breaks my heart that I won't have anymore books about my fave girls. Also, I feel emotional because this series is what introduced me to Kay Cove and I will forever be grateful to destiny and to myself and that I decided to go for it and read her first book. I never looked back and not only did I find an author and books that I will FOREVER be obssesed about, I found an amazing new friend who has lend her listening ear to my problems and gave me advice more than once. I LOVE YOU BABE @authorkaycove .
The last reason, and probably the one that hits HARD into my heart, is the fertility problem portrayed in the book. I have never gone thru IVF but, and I am really being voulnerable here, having IR and PCOS really sucks in general from hormones to weight to not being able to get pregnant. So in a way I really related to Amani. I am not telling you this so you feel sorry for me, but to say that this book really helped me heal some parts of me that got broken thru me fighting this "silent enemy" as I like to call it. For that Kay I thank you, as a woman that knows these struggles, that you stuck to writting this story. It helped me heal. And thank you for bringing all my fave girls back one last time.
𝖂𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝖙𝖔 𝖊𝖝𝖕𝖊𝖈𝖙:
🔥Friends to Lovers
🔥Pregnancy (trying to get pregnant)
🔥Infertility Rep
🔥Right Person, Wrong Time
🔥Mental Health Rep
🔥Forced Proximity
🔥Millionaire Romance
🔥Healing Together
“𝑺𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒔𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅.”
I feel emotional writting this review for many reasons. One being that this series has come to an end and it breaks my heart that I won't have anymore books about my fave girls. Also, I feel emotional because this series is what introduced me to Kay Cove and I will forever be grateful to destiny and to myself and that I decided to go for it and read her first book. I never looked back and not only did I find an author and books that I will FOREVER be obssesed about, I found an amazing new friend who has lend her listening ear to my problems and gave me advice more than once. I LOVE YOU BABE @authorkaycove .
The last reason, and probably the one that hits HARD into my heart, is the fertility problem portrayed in the book. I have never gone thru IVF but, and I am really being voulnerable here, having IR and PCOS really sucks in general from hormones to weight to not being able to get pregnant. So in a way I really related to Amani. I am not telling you this so you feel sorry for me, but to say that this book really helped me heal some parts of me that got broken thru me fighting this "silent enemy" as I like to call it. For that Kay I thank you, as a woman that knows these struggles, that you stuck to writting this story. It helped me heal. And thank you for bringing all my fave girls back one last time.
July 2, 2024
Oh my gosh, y’all, I am beyond thrilled to share my thoughts on "First Comes Forever" by the incredibly talented Kay Cove! This book, which is part of a series but can totally be read as a standalone, captured my heart from the very first page. It's the story of Armani and Adam, two characters whose journey from acquaintances to friends to lovers is nothing short of magical.
.
I adored how their relationship blossomed over time, evolving into something deep and enduring. The banter between them is pure gold, and I found myself laughing, crying, and holding my breath as their story unfolded. Armani and Adam's connection is palpable from the start, with Adam’s desire to care for Armani shining through. Their dynamic is so sweet and genuine, it just makes my heart melt.
.
Both Armani and Adam have had their fair share of struggles, but Adam’s patience and understanding with Armani is simply breathtaking. He’s a hero in every sense of the word, steadfast and supportive when Armani needs him the most. Watching him overcome his own past to fully embrace the love he feels for Armani is truly inspiring.
.
This book touches on some heavy topics with so much grace and heart, and I'm so grateful to Kay for bringing these important issues to light. "First Comes Forever" is a beautifully emotional journey that will make you feel everything—the highs, the lows, and all the moments in between. Adam and Armani's story is one for the ages, and I was completely transfixed by their heartfelt journey together.
.
I adored how their relationship blossomed over time, evolving into something deep and enduring. The banter between them is pure gold, and I found myself laughing, crying, and holding my breath as their story unfolded. Armani and Adam's connection is palpable from the start, with Adam’s desire to care for Armani shining through. Their dynamic is so sweet and genuine, it just makes my heart melt.
.
Both Armani and Adam have had their fair share of struggles, but Adam’s patience and understanding with Armani is simply breathtaking. He’s a hero in every sense of the word, steadfast and supportive when Armani needs him the most. Watching him overcome his own past to fully embrace the love he feels for Armani is truly inspiring.
.
This book touches on some heavy topics with so much grace and heart, and I'm so grateful to Kay for bringing these important issues to light. "First Comes Forever" is a beautifully emotional journey that will make you feel everything—the highs, the lows, and all the moments in between. Adam and Armani's story is one for the ages, and I was completely transfixed by their heartfelt journey together.
April 23, 2024
TW: Infertility, Miscarriage , Cyberbullying, healing together, Mental health rep.
This was first time reading a Kay Cove book and I’m so mad at myself for that! This book is heavy, and you should absolutely read the TW. It touches on a lot of issues that women deal with every day, and the attention to detail isn’t something that addressed as much as it should so I was happy to see that.
Feeling a little lost in her complicated lifestyle of being a social media influencer, Amari is a social media influencer and is really over it but she need the money to help support of mom who is sick and on top of that she has been struggling with infertility. After not renewing her she she loses her apartment she was in the middle of a slight mental breakdown when Adam heard her and so it began..
Adam is a manger for one of hollywoods biggest actors, he should be living the perfect life however he is very jaded from a horrible betrayal by his ex wife. He first meets Amari at a party for he client and that sort of where there friendship begins.
A almost instant connection between two people with a lot of trauma turns into what is suppose to be a summer flings. But along they way they help each other overcomes and deal with so much, but have to keep asking theirselves is it enough?
This story was perfection and I absolutely cried a few times. It’s a rollercoaster of a relationship and they definitely have to work for their HEA,one of my main take-a-ways from this book was that you really should make sure you’re doing what you need to do for you, and people should do a little lore to protect their sanity and peace of mind.
This was first time reading a Kay Cove book and I’m so mad at myself for that! This book is heavy, and you should absolutely read the TW. It touches on a lot of issues that women deal with every day, and the attention to detail isn’t something that addressed as much as it should so I was happy to see that.
Feeling a little lost in her complicated lifestyle of being a social media influencer, Amari is a social media influencer and is really over it but she need the money to help support of mom who is sick and on top of that she has been struggling with infertility. After not renewing her she she loses her apartment she was in the middle of a slight mental breakdown when Adam heard her and so it began..
Adam is a manger for one of hollywoods biggest actors, he should be living the perfect life however he is very jaded from a horrible betrayal by his ex wife. He first meets Amari at a party for he client and that sort of where there friendship begins.
A almost instant connection between two people with a lot of trauma turns into what is suppose to be a summer flings. But along they way they help each other overcomes and deal with so much, but have to keep asking theirselves is it enough?
This story was perfection and I absolutely cried a few times. It’s a rollercoaster of a relationship and they definitely have to work for their HEA,one of my main take-a-ways from this book was that you really should make sure you’re doing what you need to do for you, and people should do a little lore to protect their sanity and peace of mind.
April 23, 2024
ARC Book Review
First Comes Forever
A Novel Written By Kay Cove
Fiction - Romance
Published April 2024
394 Pages
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is the fifth and final book in the author’s Love, Me & the 303 Series. I’ve read all five books in the series and loved each one. I think Kay Cove saved the best for last.
This book is Amari’s story. She is the only friend in the Nora, Adler, Quinn, Reese, and Amari group to leave Denver and move to LA. Distance has allowed Amari to hide her struggles from her four best friends. Being an influencer is no longer bringing her joy. She desperately wants a baby to give her a family and ease her loneliness.
Enter Adam Montgomery. He is a wealthy talent agent living in LA. He has secrets of his own. Adam and Amari meet at the right time. They both help each other overcome the struggles and sadness they are concealing.
Adam and Amari’s witty banter made me laugh. Their situation also made me cry. Move over, Cody Kaitlin. Kat Cove has created another book boyfriend for me to swoon after.
I’m sad to see this series come to an end and say goodbye to these awesome characters. I’m content knowing Kay’s five girls are safe, happy, and in love.
“You should be with the person who loves the best version of you and cheers on the worst. We hurt together. Now, it’s time to heal together.
First Comes Forever
A Novel Written By Kay Cove
Fiction - Romance
Published April 2024
394 Pages
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is the fifth and final book in the author’s Love, Me & the 303 Series. I’ve read all five books in the series and loved each one. I think Kay Cove saved the best for last.
This book is Amari’s story. She is the only friend in the Nora, Adler, Quinn, Reese, and Amari group to leave Denver and move to LA. Distance has allowed Amari to hide her struggles from her four best friends. Being an influencer is no longer bringing her joy. She desperately wants a baby to give her a family and ease her loneliness.
Enter Adam Montgomery. He is a wealthy talent agent living in LA. He has secrets of his own. Adam and Amari meet at the right time. They both help each other overcome the struggles and sadness they are concealing.
Adam and Amari’s witty banter made me laugh. Their situation also made me cry. Move over, Cody Kaitlin. Kat Cove has created another book boyfriend for me to swoon after.
I’m sad to see this series come to an end and say goodbye to these awesome characters. I’m content knowing Kay’s five girls are safe, happy, and in love.
“You should be with the person who loves the best version of you and cheers on the worst. We hurt together. Now, it’s time to heal together.
April 27, 2024
Every Kay Cove novel I have read so far I have enjoyed and loved. I can actually say she has turned into one of my go to comfort authors. I have absolutely fallen in love with all the characters from this particular Real Life, Real Love Series. They truly are based on real life situations many human beings go through in real life with a bit of spice and lots of romance. However, I do recommend reading trigger warnings before chosing any of her novels because she does talk about heavy and emotional topics that may be sensitive to some readers.
This novel in particular talks about a mother abandoning her kids, cheating, memory loss sickness, IVF, infertility, emotional trauma, social media bullying, depression and forgiveness. The chemistry between Amani and Adam is so beautifully romantic and sexy. The storyline is a page turner and the romantic gestures only add to all of that giddiness I felt when I got to some of the romantic banter they had going on. I would definitely recommend picking up any of the books of this series as your next read. You really do not have to read them in order as they can be read as complete standalones. Of course the characters and storylines do crossover at times but its not hard to keep up. The best part is they do end in HEA.
So do not hesitate to pick this up because I can promise you, you will fall in love with Adam and Amani.
This novel in particular talks about a mother abandoning her kids, cheating, memory loss sickness, IVF, infertility, emotional trauma, social media bullying, depression and forgiveness. The chemistry between Amani and Adam is so beautifully romantic and sexy. The storyline is a page turner and the romantic gestures only add to all of that giddiness I felt when I got to some of the romantic banter they had going on. I would definitely recommend picking up any of the books of this series as your next read. You really do not have to read them in order as they can be read as complete standalones. Of course the characters and storylines do crossover at times but its not hard to keep up. The best part is they do end in HEA.
So do not hesitate to pick this up because I can promise you, you will fall in love with Adam and Amani.
April 20, 2024
Okay Amani and Adam's story was so beautiful and heart wrenching. I'm aware this story probably won't be for everyone as it is heavily based on pregnancy. Amani is a social media influencer who is struggling with depression and doesn't realize it but, she comes to the conclusion a baby will give her purpose. She finds out that her eggs are not healthy & so she'll need to go through IVI. Along the way she meets Adam who is an agent in LA. Scorned in the past, he doesn't do love but, he's drawn to Amani. They become quick friends & she tells him about her struggles. They decide to have a "summer fling" before she starts trying for IVF but, they end up falling in love.
Firstly, I loved his nickname of calling her "summer girl". It was too cute, especially how he used it even after their fling went past summer. These two struggle with infertility and loss. And as someone who's also struggling (although I haven't tried IVF/I) I related heavy. It is angsty, emotional and also healing. Their journey together was so hard fought and seeing them heal each other? My heart. 😭 They are the trie definition of soulmates and should be protected at all costs. Adam was the perfect book boyfriend, the way he went above and beyond for Amani. And Amani was such a relatable fmc. She was trying so hard to please everyone else she lost herself along the way and I think alot of us can relate to that.
There's cute banter between them and the side characters. A beautiful all girls friend group that was lovely to see. Truly wasn't a single character you can't help but love and root for.
5/5 ✨
2/5 🌶
Firstly, I loved his nickname of calling her "summer girl". It was too cute, especially how he used it even after their fling went past summer. These two struggle with infertility and loss. And as someone who's also struggling (although I haven't tried IVF/I) I related heavy. It is angsty, emotional and also healing. Their journey together was so hard fought and seeing them heal each other? My heart. 😭 They are the trie definition of soulmates and should be protected at all costs. Adam was the perfect book boyfriend, the way he went above and beyond for Amani. And Amani was such a relatable fmc. She was trying so hard to please everyone else she lost herself along the way and I think alot of us can relate to that.
There's cute banter between them and the side characters. A beautiful all girls friend group that was lovely to see. Truly wasn't a single character you can't help but love and root for.
5/5 ✨
2/5 🌶
July 6, 2025
First Comes Forever by Kay Cove is a beautifully crafted romance that kept me emotionally engaged throughout. The story explores themes of love, trust, and healing with depth and sensitivity, making the characters’ journeys feel authentic and heartfelt. I appreciated how Cove developed the leads’ connection gradually, allowing their relationship to grow naturally and believably.
The chemistry between the protagonists is strong, with a good balance of tension, tenderness, and steamy moments that added richness to the narrative. The writing style is immersive and evocative, painting vivid emotional landscapes that drew me in.
While the plot includes some familiar romance elements, Kay Cove’s fresh voice and character-driven storytelling made the story feel unique and compelling. The pacing was steady, though I wished a few scenes had been expanded to deepen the emotional impact even further.
Overall, First Comes Forever is a satisfying and heartfelt read that I’d recommend to fans of contemporary romance focused on second chances and emotional growth. I look forward to reading more from Kay Cove in the future.
The chemistry between the protagonists is strong, with a good balance of tension, tenderness, and steamy moments that added richness to the narrative. The writing style is immersive and evocative, painting vivid emotional landscapes that drew me in.
While the plot includes some familiar romance elements, Kay Cove’s fresh voice and character-driven storytelling made the story feel unique and compelling. The pacing was steady, though I wished a few scenes had been expanded to deepen the emotional impact even further.
Overall, First Comes Forever is a satisfying and heartfelt read that I’d recommend to fans of contemporary romance focused on second chances and emotional growth. I look forward to reading more from Kay Cove in the future.
September 19, 2025
Main Characters: Amani and Adam
Setting: Denver and LA
Hot take: This group of 5 friends I actually the worse. This group of 5 friends is actually the worst. They all lie to each other because they all smother each other. They don’t know how to not be overbearing. And they are all way to concerned about being burdens. It was literally every book.
Spice level: 3/5
1st kiss: 42%
1st actual sex scene: 52%
Love: him 66% her 68%
Pet names: Summer girl/forver girl, summer guy
Plot: Amani suffers from depression. She is an influencer who thinks a baby will make her feel less empty. She lives in LA mostly to avoid her friends. (IMHO). She meets Adam through Chase and Noa. Adam was burned by his ex wife who after being pregnant for 9 months, told Adam the baby wasn’t his. Amani needs financial help to have a baby. Adam helps to try to right his wrong of ditching his not daughter. Amani suffers a couple chemical pregnancies. The last one leading to the 3rd act break up.
Ever After?: Married, pregnant with donor egg. She has a job with one of Joel’s venture capitals. He is still managing chase.
Setting: Denver and LA
Hot take: This group of 5 friends I actually the worse. This group of 5 friends is actually the worst. They all lie to each other because they all smother each other. They don’t know how to not be overbearing. And they are all way to concerned about being burdens. It was literally every book.
Spice level: 3/5
1st kiss: 42%
1st actual sex scene: 52%
Love: him 66% her 68%
Pet names: Summer girl/forver girl, summer guy
Plot: Amani suffers from depression. She is an influencer who thinks a baby will make her feel less empty. She lives in LA mostly to avoid her friends. (IMHO). She meets Adam through Chase and Noa. Adam was burned by his ex wife who after being pregnant for 9 months, told Adam the baby wasn’t his. Amani needs financial help to have a baby. Adam helps to try to right his wrong of ditching his not daughter. Amani suffers a couple chemical pregnancies. The last one leading to the 3rd act break up.
Ever After?: Married, pregnant with donor egg. She has a job with one of Joel’s venture capitals. He is still managing chase.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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