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Yours Forever
Henry Collingsworth writes to his lost love, as he searches for her stolen heart. His hunt has brought him to the House, a gothic mansion located outside a cancerous town, built by the villainous Architect. The Architect has locked her heart inside and Henry seeks to reclaim it and deliver her unto salvation.
But his quest is far from simple.
Henry discovers the House holds much more than his Beloved’s heart. Beneath it lies a unfathomable maze, defying time and space, the key to his fervent crusade hidden deep inside.
If Henry is to find her heart, he must delve down a thousand hallways and through a thousand doors. Doors which contain a thousand thousand worlds, containing riddles, madness, mutation, and death.
Can Henry survive the treacherous labyrinth, and save his Beloved?
Will be emerge from the maze at all?
But his quest is far from simple.
Henry discovers the House holds much more than his Beloved’s heart. Beneath it lies a unfathomable maze, defying time and space, the key to his fervent crusade hidden deep inside.
If Henry is to find her heart, he must delve down a thousand hallways and through a thousand doors. Doors which contain a thousand thousand worlds, containing riddles, madness, mutation, and death.
Can Henry survive the treacherous labyrinth, and save his Beloved?
Will be emerge from the maze at all?
214 pages, Hardcover
Published September 30, 2024
4 people are currently reading
17 people want to read
About the author
Robbie Dorman
19 books89 followersRobbie Dorman believes in horror. Words of Christ in Red is his seventeenth and newest novel. When he's not writing, he's making cocktails, walking his dog, or playing video games. He lives in Florida with his partner Kim, their three cats, and the best dog in the world.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 23, 2024
“I dream of finding you on the morrow, the morrow I cannot measure.”
This was such an interesting book! I wasn’t sure what to expect and it definitely crossed a lot of genres. At first, I felt like I was ready a Nancy Drew mystery with puzzles to solve, then it was like House of Leaves, and then it morphed into its own kind of horror.
I enjoyed the unique story and I’m glad it didn’t end in a cliché or predictable way. I can’t tell if I want more explanation or if I like the ambiguity.
There were some issues with sentence structure and word usage that bothered me, but it didn’t detract from the story too much!
This was such an interesting book! I wasn’t sure what to expect and it definitely crossed a lot of genres. At first, I felt like I was ready a Nancy Drew mystery with puzzles to solve, then it was like House of Leaves, and then it morphed into its own kind of horror.
I enjoyed the unique story and I’m glad it didn’t end in a cliché or predictable way. I can’t tell if I want more explanation or if I like the ambiguity.
There were some issues with sentence structure and word usage that bothered me, but it didn’t detract from the story too much!
February 22, 2026
Dearest Beloved,
I promise I will return to you.
I will find your heart.
If there's one thing I've learned about slowly making my way through Robbie Dorman's fantastic catalogue is that you can never expect the same thing twice! Don't misunderstand me: you'll no doubt find some form of truly horrifying terror, a good dose of utter mind-fvckery, and an imagination that is truly unique in each of his books. The execution is always good though this time you won't be faced with exactly speedy pacing (on purpose mind you). But to find other than general commonalties between books like this one as well as "Underneath", "Killer Hockey Mascot", and even his latest "Words of Christ In Red", a book that still raises my ire almost a year after reading it, well, all I can say is good luck with that!
Every time I believe I have an answer, the maze provides another question.
And while "Yours Forever" might not be his most popular listing on goodreads, I would argue that based on what I've read so far it is easily the strangest. This is a terrifying almost hallucinatory trek through one man's quest to find his lost love's stolen heart… maybe. Which already seems like a strange quest to take. I mean, if her heart is gone - like physically removed and placed in the House, a gothic mansion located outside a cancerous town, built by the villainous Architect - isn't she by definition, well, dead? That is, if she resembles the type of life that we are most accustomed to on our plane of existence. But Henry Collingsworth - our "protagonist" in many ways - wastes no time or money in his quest and immediately begins his search for where his beloved's heart is being kept.
Your heart is somewhere inside this place, and I will find it.
I still have so many questions far beyond these factoids, which are in many ways answered before we fade to a final black. For example, just how has this abandoned estate - for it truly is a huge and bizarre residence after we see the different wings, rooms, and hand-made furnishings - led to the downfall of Plainmoor? Sure, we seem to be somewhere in America after the Great Depression but that doesn't explain how this once seemingly vibrant town now finds its citizens facing a horrific rise in handicaps, disease and worse. The once lush fields have gone barren and a thriving community finds itself falling into the depths of entropy with no lucid explanation. The only thing everyone agrees on is that James Suffolk - the Architect - brought something with him when he built The House. But now it sits abandoned and Suffolk remains missing. Yet the malaise continues…
This was a place meant not for me, and my existence screamed in revulsion.
So immediately we are left with mysteries on top of mysteries. And that's noting that Henry in his search for The Heart itself almost immediately finds his way to an unfathomable maze, one which defies time and space and doesn't even seem necessarily tied to one reality or universe along the way . I seem to remember at one point that we discover that there can be over 6 BILLION!!! rooms in the tunnels we find underground (are they though?) where "each room is a potential death, each hallway a possible end." No matter, but as he explores, Henry finds that behind these doors lie a thousand thousand worlds, containing riddles, madness, mutation, and death. And not only that, but it seems that the entire labyrinth is not connected along a consistent time continuum (does that make ANY sense?) as Henry meets for example Suffolk on several occasions, including as a very young man, a very old man, and a very dead man. There may be even cause to believe that Henry comes across another version of himself (the bullet sure makes it feel that way). But from where, when, and how is ANY of this possible?
I have crossed through many worlds, some fantastic, and some mundane.
The entire affair becomes very Kafkaesque as this "castle" full of twists and turns frustrates us at every turn. There is no way to accurately track time in the tunnels and we are left to the whims of Henry's appetite. But clearly, his journey continues for years upon years, as it is apparent that he is nearing the end of his mortal life as we reach the end of the book. And if that weren't enough, I admit I couldn't even begin to explain the "missives" that he continues to send out to his beloved, as there seems to be no way to communicate at all in this underground set of tunnels. Is he praying to her? Or are these just notes that he keeps alongside his studies of the various markings and layouts that the labyrinth doesn't even allow to be consistent, moving at regular intervals to give entirely different set-ups?
So why do I speak? Why do I send to you? Why?
Basically, we are left to ask ourselves: where the hell are we anyway? Did this story start, take place, or even end on our planet ("This must be Earth, I puzzled. But which Earth?")? And that one hint of time - forget clocks by the way, they are useless in this environment - what does that tell us? That it is our Earth because of the sameness of history? Or just another place and time where similar events had the same effect? Now consider all of this with a bit of gothic-flair in terms of the reporting and writing style, and well, I suggest taking the maximum dose of headache medications as you make your way through these pages. Because even sitting here on a Sunday morning and writing down these notes, I'm no closer to understanding what I've read than when I closed the book last night. Dreaming of discovery and birth and naturally death as well ("Death has always been there, a loyal companion, ready to claim me.")…
And it filled me, my sad stomach engorged with god.
I mean, does anything change once our Beloved is … well, what happens with her (won't spoil that, sorry)? Is there a kind of wave of improvement (or the opposite) throughout the multiverse? We've met - and even seen ended - so many others along the way but what of the fates of their worlds? And The House. Does it still exist? Or perhaps better said, haunt and breathe as before? Does the labyrinth even continue to exist now that at least one of its key open actions seem to have been satisfied? Or do we expect 12 additional journeys to be forthcoming? I don't know… and now I'm going to have another few aspirin and have a long lie down. Wake me if you figure it all out…
I promise I will return to you.
I will find your heart.
If there's one thing I've learned about slowly making my way through Robbie Dorman's fantastic catalogue is that you can never expect the same thing twice! Don't misunderstand me: you'll no doubt find some form of truly horrifying terror, a good dose of utter mind-fvckery, and an imagination that is truly unique in each of his books. The execution is always good though this time you won't be faced with exactly speedy pacing (on purpose mind you). But to find other than general commonalties between books like this one as well as "Underneath", "Killer Hockey Mascot", and even his latest "Words of Christ In Red", a book that still raises my ire almost a year after reading it, well, all I can say is good luck with that!
Every time I believe I have an answer, the maze provides another question.
And while "Yours Forever" might not be his most popular listing on goodreads, I would argue that based on what I've read so far it is easily the strangest. This is a terrifying almost hallucinatory trek through one man's quest to find his lost love's stolen heart… maybe. Which already seems like a strange quest to take. I mean, if her heart is gone - like physically removed and placed in the House, a gothic mansion located outside a cancerous town, built by the villainous Architect - isn't she by definition, well, dead? That is, if she resembles the type of life that we are most accustomed to on our plane of existence. But Henry Collingsworth - our "protagonist" in many ways - wastes no time or money in his quest and immediately begins his search for where his beloved's heart is being kept.
Your heart is somewhere inside this place, and I will find it.
I still have so many questions far beyond these factoids, which are in many ways answered before we fade to a final black. For example, just how has this abandoned estate - for it truly is a huge and bizarre residence after we see the different wings, rooms, and hand-made furnishings - led to the downfall of Plainmoor? Sure, we seem to be somewhere in America after the Great Depression but that doesn't explain how this once seemingly vibrant town now finds its citizens facing a horrific rise in handicaps, disease and worse. The once lush fields have gone barren and a thriving community finds itself falling into the depths of entropy with no lucid explanation. The only thing everyone agrees on is that James Suffolk - the Architect - brought something with him when he built The House. But now it sits abandoned and Suffolk remains missing. Yet the malaise continues…
This was a place meant not for me, and my existence screamed in revulsion.
So immediately we are left with mysteries on top of mysteries. And that's noting that Henry in his search for The Heart itself almost immediately finds his way to an unfathomable maze, one which defies time and space and doesn't even seem necessarily tied to one reality or universe along the way . I seem to remember at one point that we discover that there can be over 6 BILLION!!! rooms in the tunnels we find underground (are they though?) where "each room is a potential death, each hallway a possible end." No matter, but as he explores, Henry finds that behind these doors lie a thousand thousand worlds, containing riddles, madness, mutation, and death. And not only that, but it seems that the entire labyrinth is not connected along a consistent time continuum (does that make ANY sense?) as Henry meets for example Suffolk on several occasions, including as a very young man, a very old man, and a very dead man. There may be even cause to believe that Henry comes across another version of himself (the bullet sure makes it feel that way). But from where, when, and how is ANY of this possible?
I have crossed through many worlds, some fantastic, and some mundane.
The entire affair becomes very Kafkaesque as this "castle" full of twists and turns frustrates us at every turn. There is no way to accurately track time in the tunnels and we are left to the whims of Henry's appetite. But clearly, his journey continues for years upon years, as it is apparent that he is nearing the end of his mortal life as we reach the end of the book. And if that weren't enough, I admit I couldn't even begin to explain the "missives" that he continues to send out to his beloved, as there seems to be no way to communicate at all in this underground set of tunnels. Is he praying to her? Or are these just notes that he keeps alongside his studies of the various markings and layouts that the labyrinth doesn't even allow to be consistent, moving at regular intervals to give entirely different set-ups?
So why do I speak? Why do I send to you? Why?
Basically, we are left to ask ourselves: where the hell are we anyway? Did this story start, take place, or even end on our planet ("This must be Earth, I puzzled. But which Earth?")? And that one hint of time - forget clocks by the way, they are useless in this environment - what does that tell us? That it is our Earth because of the sameness of history? Or just another place and time where similar events had the same effect? Now consider all of this with a bit of gothic-flair in terms of the reporting and writing style, and well, I suggest taking the maximum dose of headache medications as you make your way through these pages. Because even sitting here on a Sunday morning and writing down these notes, I'm no closer to understanding what I've read than when I closed the book last night. Dreaming of discovery and birth and naturally death as well ("Death has always been there, a loyal companion, ready to claim me.")…
And it filled me, my sad stomach engorged with god.
I mean, does anything change once our Beloved is … well, what happens with her (won't spoil that, sorry)? Is there a kind of wave of improvement (or the opposite) throughout the multiverse? We've met - and even seen ended - so many others along the way but what of the fates of their worlds? And The House. Does it still exist? Or perhaps better said, haunt and breathe as before? Does the labyrinth even continue to exist now that at least one of its key open actions seem to have been satisfied? Or do we expect 12 additional journeys to be forthcoming? I don't know… and now I'm going to have another few aspirin and have a long lie down. Wake me if you figure it all out…
February 13, 2026
I’ve read a couple of Robbie Dorman books before this one, and Yours Forever is by far the most unique.
Henry feels a calling: to rescue his love’s heart that has been imprisoned in a house. What Henry doesn’t expect is this journey will take him to different worlds and dimensions. He will meet gods and endure excruciating torture. But will it be worth it?
That’s the best description I can write to sum up this book, but it’s honestly best to go in with an open mind. This book takes many twists and turns, and you as the reader are just as blind as Henry walking through door after door, not sure what to expect.
Why is this different from other Dorman books? Dorman has a fast-paced writing style and his stories are very engaging, from the first to the last page. Like a maze, Yours Forever has countless twists and turns. It starts out slow; I wasn’t completely engrossed until about page 50. Dorman’s fast-paced writing does come out toward the end, but Yours Forever has more of a poetic style, yet this descriptive writing doesn’t take away from the action. It really shows Dorman’s talent, how he can switch up his style with ease. That said, I did take off one star because it does get repetitive at times.
Even though this book is largely unpredictable, I did predict the ending. But I’m still trying to decode Dorman’s message, because Yours Forever is more than just a fun read. It starts off as a love story, but you realize it’s not as much of a romance as it is a survival book and what one is willing to do to earn the love of another. Henry’s lover, who is referred to as Beloved, was described as a lost love, but you realize she’s more of a goddess. It’s also a deep look into how we view love, the worship and limerance of another that forces us to endure struggle after struggle. Toward the end, Henry asks himself if that’s really what love is? And this is a message that we should be asking ourselves, even if we’re not stuck in an otherworldly maze.
Otherwise, I highly recommend Yours Forever if you want a highly contemplative read that takes you to another world. If you want something fun but still well-written, I suggest Dorman’s Words of Christ in Read.
Henry feels a calling: to rescue his love’s heart that has been imprisoned in a house. What Henry doesn’t expect is this journey will take him to different worlds and dimensions. He will meet gods and endure excruciating torture. But will it be worth it?
That’s the best description I can write to sum up this book, but it’s honestly best to go in with an open mind. This book takes many twists and turns, and you as the reader are just as blind as Henry walking through door after door, not sure what to expect.
Why is this different from other Dorman books? Dorman has a fast-paced writing style and his stories are very engaging, from the first to the last page. Like a maze, Yours Forever has countless twists and turns. It starts out slow; I wasn’t completely engrossed until about page 50. Dorman’s fast-paced writing does come out toward the end, but Yours Forever has more of a poetic style, yet this descriptive writing doesn’t take away from the action. It really shows Dorman’s talent, how he can switch up his style with ease. That said, I did take off one star because it does get repetitive at times.
Even though this book is largely unpredictable, I did predict the ending. But I’m still trying to decode Dorman’s message, because Yours Forever is more than just a fun read. It starts off as a love story, but you realize it’s not as much of a romance as it is a survival book and what one is willing to do to earn the love of another. Henry’s lover, who is referred to as Beloved, was described as a lost love, but you realize she’s more of a goddess. It’s also a deep look into how we view love, the worship and limerance of another that forces us to endure struggle after struggle. Toward the end, Henry asks himself if that’s really what love is? And this is a message that we should be asking ourselves, even if we’re not stuck in an otherworldly maze.
Otherwise, I highly recommend Yours Forever if you want a highly contemplative read that takes you to another world. If you want something fun but still well-written, I suggest Dorman’s Words of Christ in Read.
September 30, 2024
Edgar Allan Poe
Bram Stoker
Howard Phillips Lovecraft
Clive Barker
This book reads like a love letter to the fiction created by these three men. And yet, it carries the stamp I've come to expect of Dorman's writing. Hiding under the surface of the lyrical prose are the horrors of war and destruction man visits upon himself. The commentary regarding man's war against himself is timely.
Henry Collingsworth buys a house, believing it to contain the heart of his Beloved. We are left as readers to question whether he's looking for her literal heart or something less sinister. The gothic house he'd come to search is unique. He searches every level for clues, finding nothing. It's not until he gets to the basement that he discovers the house's true secrets.
What follows is a harrowing journey that will winnow Hollingsworth down to his essential being and bring him to the brink of madness.
Dorman uses the epistolary form masterfully, bringing us into Hollingsworth's mind. We ask ourselves if what he's seeing is real or imagined. Is the maddening maze he finds truly part of our universe or some other? In the end, does he find his Beloved?
The tension, the beautiful prose, the level of detail in describing the rooms and worlds Hollingsworth encounters all make for a rich and truly disturbing tapestry. This is a departure from Dorman's usual oeuvre, but he pulls it off and I want to see him take more risks like this.
Bram Stoker
Howard Phillips Lovecraft
Clive Barker
This book reads like a love letter to the fiction created by these three men. And yet, it carries the stamp I've come to expect of Dorman's writing. Hiding under the surface of the lyrical prose are the horrors of war and destruction man visits upon himself. The commentary regarding man's war against himself is timely.
Henry Collingsworth buys a house, believing it to contain the heart of his Beloved. We are left as readers to question whether he's looking for her literal heart or something less sinister. The gothic house he'd come to search is unique. He searches every level for clues, finding nothing. It's not until he gets to the basement that he discovers the house's true secrets.
What follows is a harrowing journey that will winnow Hollingsworth down to his essential being and bring him to the brink of madness.
Dorman uses the epistolary form masterfully, bringing us into Hollingsworth's mind. We ask ourselves if what he's seeing is real or imagined. Is the maddening maze he finds truly part of our universe or some other? In the end, does he find his Beloved?
The tension, the beautiful prose, the level of detail in describing the rooms and worlds Hollingsworth encounters all make for a rich and truly disturbing tapestry. This is a departure from Dorman's usual oeuvre, but he pulls it off and I want to see him take more risks like this.
September 21, 2024
The maze and gothic elements are definitely interesting and what initially drew me in, but the story falls a bit flat with predictable character development. Henry’s descent into madness was not as intense as I would have preferred and could have used some unexpected twists and more details on his inner struggles. Although the book had some gory moments, it read more like dark fantasy to me personally. That said, it still delivers a creepy psychological journey with plenty of eerie, imaginative moments, making it a fun read for fans of psychological horror. I'm looking forward to checking out more books by the author that may be more my style.
October 8, 2024
This one is 3.75 ⭐️ for me. This book was different from any other horror I've read. I appreciated that, and the fact that I felt like this read like a dark Alice in Wonderland. I will say I am still thinking about this book and what the ending meant, and it's been about 12 hours. So, if you like one that keeps you guessing, this would be a great one to try!
October 15, 2024
This was such a unique storyline. It gave that scary type of book. Had me guessing throughout the book on what would happen next.
There are secrets and a maze you don’t want to miss out on. As you read on, you will find yourself questioning what is happening.
It was a good read and enjoyed the mystery within.
There are secrets and a maze you don’t want to miss out on. As you read on, you will find yourself questioning what is happening.
It was a good read and enjoyed the mystery within.
January 4, 2025
“𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧.”
·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙ ✩ *̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ ·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙ ✩ *̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙
What..The fuck? That was.. interesting.
The dread that coursed throughout my body 40% was incredible, but that remainder of the book was, though concerning, great.
·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙ ✩ *̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ ·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙ ✩ *̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙
What..The fuck? That was.. interesting.
The dread that coursed throughout my body 40% was incredible, but that remainder of the book was, though concerning, great.
September 19, 2024
I tried to like this book. The story was intriguing, the writing style just wasn't for me.
December 30, 2024
This book consumes your mind. You never truly what’s real and what isn’t. And the way Robbie has weaved the story and lives together is masterful. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a cerebral mystery. I had to read the end twice just to make sure I had it write. But this book!
November 5, 2024
Really good enjoyable mystery,almost poetic in a way.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews