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Forever and Always
465 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 17, 2026
About the author
All Too Emy
1 book4 followersAll Too Emy is an Italian author, candle maker, and creative entrepreneur based in Salford, UK. She is the founder of All Too Candles™, a story led candle brand inspired by books, film, music, memory and the emotional worlds people carry with them.
After years of using writing and creativity to navigate anxiety, OCD, and late diagnosed autism, she created her debut novel, Forever and Always, an emotionally intense contemporary romance about grief, loss, obsession, second chances and the kind of love that refuses to disappear just because life moved on without permission.
Her writing is shaped by poetry, longing, sensory detail, complicated devotion, small town tension and men who love like they have never learned how to survive without the woman in front of them.
As a neurodivergent writer, Emy is drawn to intense emotional landscapes, characters who feel too much, and stories where love is not simple, clean or convenient, but still worth choosing.
After years of using writing and creativity to navigate anxiety, OCD, and late diagnosed autism, she created her debut novel, Forever and Always, an emotionally intense contemporary romance about grief, loss, obsession, second chances and the kind of love that refuses to disappear just because life moved on without permission.
Her writing is shaped by poetry, longing, sensory detail, complicated devotion, small town tension and men who love like they have never learned how to survive without the woman in front of them.
As a neurodivergent writer, Emy is drawn to intense emotional landscapes, characters who feel too much, and stories where love is not simple, clean or convenient, but still worth choosing.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
April 18, 2026
4.5 ⭐ Rounded up! Thank you to Emy for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
You know when a book is so good and you can’t stop reading but you also want to savor every single minute as you never wanted it to end? This was Forever And Always. There’s just something so special about Emy’s writing that had me hooked from the very first line. Everything was so immersive and you felt every single emotion that Jesse felt and you would experience everything with him. I’ve never been so attached to an MMC so quickly as I did with Jesse, and this story being completely in his POV just made it so much better. Jesse and Emma’s lovestory is so beautiful and I never wanted it to end, the book had me laughing one moment and then crying the next.
Contemporary Romance isn’t my go to genre, but believe me when I say this one literally blew me away! I admittedly will say it took me a while to warm to Emma, and it was hard to route for her in the beginning, but I found myself warming up to her and eventually did end up falling for both her and the romance between the
two. This was truly such an amazing love story and if you love Contemporary Romance then this book is for you 100%!
You know when a book is so good and you can’t stop reading but you also want to savor every single minute as you never wanted it to end? This was Forever And Always. There’s just something so special about Emy’s writing that had me hooked from the very first line. Everything was so immersive and you felt every single emotion that Jesse felt and you would experience everything with him. I’ve never been so attached to an MMC so quickly as I did with Jesse, and this story being completely in his POV just made it so much better. Jesse and Emma’s lovestory is so beautiful and I never wanted it to end, the book had me laughing one moment and then crying the next.
Contemporary Romance isn’t my go to genre, but believe me when I say this one literally blew me away! I admittedly will say it took me a while to warm to Emma, and it was hard to route for her in the beginning, but I found myself warming up to her and eventually did end up falling for both her and the romance between the
two. This was truly such an amazing love story and if you love Contemporary Romance then this book is for you 100%!
April 18, 2026
Thank you AllTooEmy for an advance copy of this!
This is not a gentle cosy romance, this is a story of heartbreak, grief and yearning in two people always meant to be together. Written from Jesse’s POV we get his raw unfiltered emotion towards Emma and you feel his unyielding dedication to her in everything he does. We get slow burn and tension in the present with flashes of their past which build up their relationship.
The unsung heroes of this story were absolutely Jesse’s parents, I love their relationship and their unconditional love and support for Jesse.
Emy’s writing is beautiful and poetic and this is really shown in the way that Jesse expresses himself to Emma. You can see how much of Emy’s soul she has poured into these characters in the way she’s told this story
April 20, 2026
Emy has such a beautifully poetic way of writing, so many times I found myself pausing to appreciate the sentence I had just read.
I genuinely felt like I was living in every moment and the way Jesse views the world is both breathtaking and sad.
He's a MMC who doesn't make excuses for his behaviour and fully accepts his fate... except when it comes to Emma... when it comes to Emma you can feel his anguish and his longing bleed through the page.
The flashbacks in time to an emerging sweet and naive teenage relationship, then being sucked back into the present where life has taken both Jesse and Emma on different pathways honestly takes your heart and wrenches it out! I cried so much reading this book. This book sucks you in and makes you FEEL!
This is definitely a romance that will stay with me for a long time... the yearning, the secrets, the long standing love...
Definitely a 5 star read & I urge you to put this on your TBR!
I genuinely felt like I was living in every moment and the way Jesse views the world is both breathtaking and sad.
He's a MMC who doesn't make excuses for his behaviour and fully accepts his fate... except when it comes to Emma... when it comes to Emma you can feel his anguish and his longing bleed through the page.
The flashbacks in time to an emerging sweet and naive teenage relationship, then being sucked back into the present where life has taken both Jesse and Emma on different pathways honestly takes your heart and wrenches it out! I cried so much reading this book. This book sucks you in and makes you FEEL!
This is definitely a romance that will stay with me for a long time... the yearning, the secrets, the long standing love...
Definitely a 5 star read & I urge you to put this on your TBR!
May 31, 2026
4 ⭐️ 0 🌶️
The yearning and obsession for the girl Jesse knew was always going to be his, almost missing his curfew just to be close to her, and basically shouting his love from the rooftops with every turn of the page is wrapped so nicely in the poetic/lyrical writing style that All Too Emy has. I felt the emotions right along with Jesse throughout the book, and was swooning over a man that’s purely fictional.
The loud jealousy, the stolen glances, the matcha order he remembers perfectly - it’s all there, quiet yet loud. You can really see the love and time Emy has put into this story, and I am amazed that English is her second language, not first. The emotions feel real; the setbacks and devastations hit you in the face, and the love isn’t always loud - it’s there in every breath, every blink, every heartbeat. If you’re ready for that kind of obsession and Forever & Always kind of love, this one is definitely for you.
𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝘆
The yearning and obsession for the girl Jesse knew was always going to be his, almost missing his curfew just to be close to her, and basically shouting his love from the rooftops with every turn of the page is wrapped so nicely in the poetic/lyrical writing style that All Too Emy has. I felt the emotions right along with Jesse throughout the book, and was swooning over a man that’s purely fictional.
The loud jealousy, the stolen glances, the matcha order he remembers perfectly - it’s all there, quiet yet loud. You can really see the love and time Emy has put into this story, and I am amazed that English is her second language, not first. The emotions feel real; the setbacks and devastations hit you in the face, and the love isn’t always loud - it’s there in every breath, every blink, every heartbeat. If you’re ready for that kind of obsession and Forever & Always kind of love, this one is definitely for you.
𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝘆
April 18, 2026
Reading this from Jesse’s POV made the story feel so much more intimate. The way he yearns for Emma, the way he notices every little thing about her… it really embodies the idea that to be loved is to be seen.
I loved Emma’s balance of being strong and a little bossy, while still feeling so warm and wholesome. It made their dynamic even more compelling.
The writing is genuinely beautiful it is so elegant and immersive. I have over 100 bookmarks from this book alone, and I know so many of those lines are going to stay with me for a long time.
I loved Emma’s balance of being strong and a little bossy, while still feeling so warm and wholesome. It made their dynamic even more compelling.
The writing is genuinely beautiful it is so elegant and immersive. I have over 100 bookmarks from this book alone, and I know so many of those lines are going to stay with me for a long time.
April 18, 2026
5/⭐️ | 1/🌶️
April 18, 2026
This book was so poetic and made me feel all the feels! Thank you Emy and Binding with Books PR for letting me read this early. 💕
April 22, 2026
Finished this and yeah… I’m still processing everything😭❤️🩹
I was so mad at Emma at one point for walking away and leaving our Dimple boy like that—I was ready to hold that grudge. But then a certain chapter happened and getting both sides of the story just shifted everything. Now I’m just emotional about it in a completely different way.
Jesse… this man is not just in love, he’s gone. Completely. There’s no coming back for him. The way he exists around her, how she’s at the center of everything he feels… it’s intense in the softest & most heartbreaking way. He is obsessed with her—like complete GONER through and through!! And the yearning?? He has definitely outdone himself!
Also, this being entirely in his POV??? That hit so much harder than I expected. I usually love dual POVs, so it’s rare for me to connect this deeply with a single perspective—but this one really stayed with me. Being inside his head for all of it made everything feel more intense and personal.
The writing felt almost poetic, especially with the way metaphors were used. I didn’t even know I could love a style like this as much as I did. I kept pausing just to take certain lines in because they lingered.
And those nicknames?? Freckles, Piccola, Moonlight & Sunlight—I was melting every single time🥹😭
The little Italian touches added so much charm. I could actually hear the tone in my head while reading and it made everything feel more vivid and close.
I really cherished every word of this… and I don’t think I’m moving on from it anytime soon.
I was so mad at Emma at one point for walking away and leaving our Dimple boy like that—I was ready to hold that grudge. But then a certain chapter happened and getting both sides of the story just shifted everything. Now I’m just emotional about it in a completely different way.
Jesse… this man is not just in love, he’s gone. Completely. There’s no coming back for him. The way he exists around her, how she’s at the center of everything he feels… it’s intense in the softest & most heartbreaking way. He is obsessed with her—like complete GONER through and through!! And the yearning?? He has definitely outdone himself!
Also, this being entirely in his POV??? That hit so much harder than I expected. I usually love dual POVs, so it’s rare for me to connect this deeply with a single perspective—but this one really stayed with me. Being inside his head for all of it made everything feel more intense and personal.
The writing felt almost poetic, especially with the way metaphors were used. I didn’t even know I could love a style like this as much as I did. I kept pausing just to take certain lines in because they lingered.
And those nicknames?? Freckles, Piccola, Moonlight & Sunlight—I was melting every single time🥹😭
The little Italian touches added so much charm. I could actually hear the tone in my head while reading and it made everything feel more vivid and close.
I really cherished every word of this… and I don’t think I’m moving on from it anytime soon.
April 20, 2026
All Too Emy’s debut work is here and I had a chance to be on her pr team ans read it as an arc🤌🤍✨𝓐𝓻𝓬 𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀, Forever and Always by @all.too.emy is a her Debut NA contemporary romance with a pink wardrobe but a very dark heart ♥️ I honestly wasn’t expecting it to hit me this way.🥹🌤️
I had the chance to read this as an ARC, and I wasn’t expecting it to stay with me the way it did🌙✨It’s one of those stories that feels quiet at first, and then suddenly you realize how deeply it’s gotten under your skin.
What I appreciated most is that nothing felt exaggerated🪽🥀The emotions, the relationships, even the more intense moments all felt grounded, which made everything hit harder. The story felt real and the characters made it believable ✨🫶🏼
I also really loved the quieter parts of the story, especially the family moments🫶🏼🪸They added a kind of warmth that balanced out the heavier emotions.
Overall🪄, this is the kind of book that lingers. It’s not loud or overly dramatic, but it leaves an impression that stays with you long after you’ve finished.
A BIG THANK to you Emy for having me as your PR team for this project 🫶🏼✨wish you all the goodluck for the release!!✨🪄🌙
I had the chance to read this as an ARC, and I wasn’t expecting it to stay with me the way it did🌙✨It’s one of those stories that feels quiet at first, and then suddenly you realize how deeply it’s gotten under your skin.
What I appreciated most is that nothing felt exaggerated🪽🥀The emotions, the relationships, even the more intense moments all felt grounded, which made everything hit harder. The story felt real and the characters made it believable ✨🫶🏼
I also really loved the quieter parts of the story, especially the family moments🫶🏼🪸They added a kind of warmth that balanced out the heavier emotions.
Overall🪄, this is the kind of book that lingers. It’s not loud or overly dramatic, but it leaves an impression that stays with you long after you’ve finished.
A BIG THANK to you Emy for having me as your PR team for this project 🫶🏼✨wish you all the goodluck for the release!!✨🪄🌙
April 19, 2026
ARC 4.5 🌟
Cheap plastic blue ring, or twisted bit of metal vs sparkly diamond i know which one I'd choose 😉
You know i love a morally Grey MMC and Jesse definitely gives off some Grey vibes in all the best ways with golden retriever tendencies
He is like a real life dark romance man, so not the murdering, taking it all too far, only for the books, but the kind that we all want, the kind that could actually be real so walks up to the lines without stomping on them
His love is the obsessive kind, that hasn't gone away since he was 10
He draws her, he sees her even when she's not there, he can't and won't stop thinking about her, this kind of longing and yearning is what we all want and Emma has it but will she accept it
I want a Jesse, I want someone who is that attentive, that intune, that besotted,
worshipping the ground she walks on, every minute detail is engrained and cherished
Can't forget to mention his parents how amazing these guys are, just so supportive ❤️
Cheap plastic blue ring, or twisted bit of metal vs sparkly diamond i know which one I'd choose 😉
You know i love a morally Grey MMC and Jesse definitely gives off some Grey vibes in all the best ways with golden retriever tendencies
He is like a real life dark romance man, so not the murdering, taking it all too far, only for the books, but the kind that we all want, the kind that could actually be real so walks up to the lines without stomping on them
His love is the obsessive kind, that hasn't gone away since he was 10
He draws her, he sees her even when she's not there, he can't and won't stop thinking about her, this kind of longing and yearning is what we all want and Emma has it but will she accept it
I want a Jesse, I want someone who is that attentive, that intune, that besotted,
worshipping the ground she walks on, every minute detail is engrained and cherished
Can't forget to mention his parents how amazing these guys are, just so supportive ❤️
April 18, 2026
Forever and Always is Emy's debut novel. Emy has such a lovely way with words that she was able to draw me in with little snippets of her book. As soon as I saw the teasers, I was blown away and I am so grateful that she asked me to read an early copy of her book. Thank you, Emy!
This book had all the feels. I felt every emotion. It was raw, honest, and incredibly well-written. It broke me and then put me back together again. I lapped it up like a dog!
The story is told from Jesse's perspective. It's his voice, his words. Something I don't see much of in romance which made for a nice change. He also speaks Italian! Jesse Turner is obsessed. He notices every detail about Emma. He even draws her!! And the yearn he yearns needs to be studied!
Emma Williams is a candle maker, who loves baking lavender biscuits for Luna! I loved the back and forth between her and Jesse! And the nickname she gives him!!
From the first page, we get to meet the cutest dog - Luna! She's adorable! Just when I thought I couldn't love Jesse any more than I already do, I find out certain things about him and swoon even more!
Overall, I wanted to quote the whole book because it is a masterpiece. I, instantly, fell in love with the characters - Emma and Jesse - and their beautiful story. And Luna, of course! The title of each chapter? Absolutely nailed it!! The amount of time and effort it took really comes through. Although, I was kicking myself when I finally realised what the inspiration behind each chapter title was. It definitely took me way too long to figure it out - ahem 9 chapters ahem! If you enjoy yearning, this book is for you! Would definitely recommend!!
Thank you, Emy, for this advanced reader copy!
Favourite Quotes:
This book had all the feels. I felt every emotion. It was raw, honest, and incredibly well-written. It broke me and then put me back together again. I lapped it up like a dog!
The story is told from Jesse's perspective. It's his voice, his words. Something I don't see much of in romance which made for a nice change. He also speaks Italian! Jesse Turner is obsessed. He notices every detail about Emma. He even draws her!! And the yearn he yearns needs to be studied!
Emma Williams is a candle maker, who loves baking lavender biscuits for Luna! I loved the back and forth between her and Jesse! And the nickname she gives him!!
From the first page, we get to meet the cutest dog - Luna! She's adorable! Just when I thought I couldn't love Jesse any more than I already do, I find out certain things about him and swoon even more!
Overall, I wanted to quote the whole book because it is a masterpiece. I, instantly, fell in love with the characters - Emma and Jesse - and their beautiful story. And Luna, of course! The title of each chapter? Absolutely nailed it!! The amount of time and effort it took really comes through. Although, I was kicking myself when I finally realised what the inspiration behind each chapter title was. It definitely took me way too long to figure it out - ahem 9 chapters ahem! If you enjoy yearning, this book is for you! Would definitely recommend!!
Thank you, Emy, for this advanced reader copy!
Favourite Quotes:
April 18, 2026
𝒴𝑜𝓊’𝓇𝑒 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝓉𝑜𝓇𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓎’𝓇𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝓉𝒸𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔. 𝒴𝑜𝓊’𝓇𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝑜𝓃𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓎’𝓁𝓁 𝓌𝓇𝒾𝓉𝑒 𝒶𝒷𝑜𝓊𝓉 𝓃𝑒𝓍𝓉.
This book, oh my… 🥹 it honestly felt like I was reading poetry. It’s so beautifully written. I’ve never read a writing style that made me feel this at ease, even while dealing with such heavy themes.
Forever and Always is written from Jesse’s POV, and his emotions are so raw. You really feel his pain and everything he’s going through. He feels like a real person, intense, (very) obsessive, makes mistakes… but also really wants to do better. He’s complex in a way that just makes him feel so real and authentic. And let’s not forget the YEARNING! OMG. 🥵
And Emma? She has my whole heart. After reading everything from Jesse’s POV, I get it… I want to be with Emma too! 😍 now I’m actually obsessed with her. 🫣
The author is Italian, and I swear you can feel the authentic Italian vibes throughout the whole book. Jesse’s mom, Francesca, reminded me so much of my neighbour with the same name, always cooking and caring for everyone. When Jesse’s mom was cooking, I could literally smell and taste everything. It’s written so vividly, I genuinely felt like part of their family.
Forever and Always is a romance that leans a bit into dark romance, with some heavy themes. It feels real, emotional, and you really feel everything.
I feel so honoured to be part of the ARC team and to have met Jesse and Emma early, because I already can’t stop thinking about them 💖 I highly recommend!!
And if you’re a Swiftie, this book is 100% for you, since it’s very TS coded. ✨
This book, oh my… 🥹 it honestly felt like I was reading poetry. It’s so beautifully written. I’ve never read a writing style that made me feel this at ease, even while dealing with such heavy themes.
Forever and Always is written from Jesse’s POV, and his emotions are so raw. You really feel his pain and everything he’s going through. He feels like a real person, intense, (very) obsessive, makes mistakes… but also really wants to do better. He’s complex in a way that just makes him feel so real and authentic. And let’s not forget the YEARNING! OMG. 🥵
And Emma? She has my whole heart. After reading everything from Jesse’s POV, I get it… I want to be with Emma too! 😍 now I’m actually obsessed with her. 🫣
The author is Italian, and I swear you can feel the authentic Italian vibes throughout the whole book. Jesse’s mom, Francesca, reminded me so much of my neighbour with the same name, always cooking and caring for everyone. When Jesse’s mom was cooking, I could literally smell and taste everything. It’s written so vividly, I genuinely felt like part of their family.
Forever and Always is a romance that leans a bit into dark romance, with some heavy themes. It feels real, emotional, and you really feel everything.
I feel so honoured to be part of the ARC team and to have met Jesse and Emma early, because I already can’t stop thinking about them 💖 I highly recommend!!
And if you’re a Swiftie, this book is 100% for you, since it’s very TS coded. ✨
April 27, 2026
I need everyone to understand that I am not okay.
This book has fundamentally altered my understanding of yearning. 😭
Jesse Turner is not just down bad. He is on his knees, spiritually, emotionally, existentially. 😮💨 👌 This man has been in love with Emma since he was a teenager and has quite literally built his entire life around loving her.
I did not think it could get worse.
It got worse. 💀
Reading this from his single POV feels almost intrusive, like you are witnessing a level of devotion that is so intense it borders on painful and obsessive. 🙈 He does not just love her. He orbits her. He breathes only when she is close.
And the writing??? 🤩
Genuinely some of the most beautiful, quietly poetic writing I have ever read. 😭 I basically was highlighting half of EVERY page 😂
You can feel how the Italian family dynamics feel real and lived in, especially the mum and her proberbs and sarcastic wisdom 👌
Childhood friends to lovers in a way that actually feels earned. Flashbacks just add depth instead of interrupting the story.
And the backstory behind Emy’s candles 😭🕯️ I have Safe and sound so reading about what drove them made me feel like I was in on a secret 🤭 now I need ALL the others 🙌
This book made me feel warm, then it hurt me 💔 , and then it put me back together again, painfully slow 😂
I stayed up far too late reading this and suffered the consequences the next day. No regrets. 😌
Jesse Turner is now the standard❗️
This releases April 17th and I need you all to experience this level of emotional damage with me 🫵
Story: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️
Emotional damage: 💔💔💔/5
This book has fundamentally altered my understanding of yearning. 😭
Jesse Turner is not just down bad. He is on his knees, spiritually, emotionally, existentially. 😮💨 👌 This man has been in love with Emma since he was a teenager and has quite literally built his entire life around loving her.
I did not think it could get worse.
It got worse. 💀
Reading this from his single POV feels almost intrusive, like you are witnessing a level of devotion that is so intense it borders on painful and obsessive. 🙈 He does not just love her. He orbits her. He breathes only when she is close.
And the writing??? 🤩
Genuinely some of the most beautiful, quietly poetic writing I have ever read. 😭 I basically was highlighting half of EVERY page 😂
You can feel how the Italian family dynamics feel real and lived in, especially the mum and her proberbs and sarcastic wisdom 👌
Childhood friends to lovers in a way that actually feels earned. Flashbacks just add depth instead of interrupting the story.
And the backstory behind Emy’s candles 😭🕯️ I have Safe and sound so reading about what drove them made me feel like I was in on a secret 🤭 now I need ALL the others 🙌
This book made me feel warm, then it hurt me 💔 , and then it put me back together again, painfully slow 😂
I stayed up far too late reading this and suffered the consequences the next day. No regrets. 😌
Jesse Turner is now the standard❗️
This releases April 17th and I need you all to experience this level of emotional damage with me 🫵
Story: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️
Emotional damage: 💔💔💔/5
June 2, 2026
4.5 rounded up. 🫶🏻
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews