Best Friends Forever

by Kimberla Lawson Roby

Angry arguments between Celine Richardson and Keith, her husband of twelve years, have become common over the past several months. She resents that he's working very long hours and staying out, and he accuses her of not giving him the attention he deserves. The situation turns devastating when Celine is diagnosed with breast cancer and Keith moves out. Even more heartbreaking is how their ten-year-old daughter, Kassie, is affected. Celine's only comfort is her best friend, Lauren, who's there for her every step of the way. Even when Keith decides he's made a mistake, begs forgiveness, and asks to come back home. Now, Celine will be forced to make tough decisions, and for the first time in her life, she wants to give up. Lauren vows to help by any means necessary and makes the kind of sacrifice only a best friend can. But will it be too late?

Genres: Fiction, African American, Audiobook, Contemporary, Christian, Relationships, Friendship

183 pages, Hardcover

First published January 5, 2016

About the author

New York Times Bestselling Author, Speaker, Encourager of Women & Podcast Host, Kimberla Lawson Roby, has published 30 books which include her faith-based, nonfiction titles, THE WOMAN GOD CREATED YOU TO BE: Finding Success Through Faith—Spiritually, Personally, and Professionally and THE WOMAN GOD CREATED YOU TO BE: Companion Workbook & Discussion Guide, as well as some of her novels, such as CASTING THE FIRST STONE, SIN OF A WOMAN, A SINFUL CALLING, SISTER FRIENDS FOREVER, A CHRISTMAS PRAYER, THE PRODIGAL SON, THE PERFECT MARRIAGE, THE REVEREND’S WIFE, IT'S AS THIN LINE, and her debut title, BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, which was originally self-published through her own company, Lenox Press. She has sold more than 3 million copies of her books, and they have frequented numerous bestseller lists, including The New York Times, USA Today, The Washington Post, Publishers Weekly, Essence, Upscale, Black Christian News, AALBC.com, Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com, Wal-Mart, The Dallas Morning News, The Austin Chronicle and many others. Kimberla is also the host of The Woman God Created You to Be Podcast.

Over the years, Kimberla has spoken to thousands of women at conferences, churches, expos, workshops, luncheons, libraries, colleges, universities and bookstores. She shares her own personal journey straight from her heart and has a strong passion toward helping women become all that God created them to be.

Kimberla is the 2013 NAACP Image Award Winner for Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction, the recipient of the 2017 SOAR Radio Trailblazer of Honor award, the 2017 Southwest Florida Reading Festival Distinguished Author award, the 2017 AAMBC Christian Fiction Author of the Year award and the 2014 AAMBC Female Author of the Year award, the 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013 African-American Literary Awards Show (New York, NY) Female Author of the Year award, the Blackboard Fiction Book of the Year Award in 2001 for CASTING THE FIRST STONE, and in 2001, Kimberla was inducted into the Rock Valley College Alumni Hall of Fame (Rockford, IL). Additionally, in August 2020, she was named by USA Today as one of the 100 black novelists you should read, and in February 2021, her nonfiction book, The Woman God Created You to Be: Finding Success Through Faith—Spiritually, Personally, and Professionally, was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work – Instructional, giving her 4 NAACP Image Award nominations in total.

Kimberla’s books deal with very real issues, including women empowerment, sexual harassment, racial and gender discrimination in the workplace, problems within the church (and the consequences), Christian/family/moral values, drug and gambling addiction, marriage, infidelity, single motherhood, breast cancer, infertility, sibling rivalry, domestic violence, childhood sexual abuse, mental illness, and the care-giving of a parent to name a few. In addition, Kimberla’s books offer a message of redemption, forgiveness, and the realities of everyday life. Kimberla resides in Illinois with her husband, Will.

To share your thoughts with Kimberla regarding her work, please e-mail her at: kim@kimroby.com

Reviews

[African Americans on the Move Book Club · Rating 3 out of 5]

***Spoiler Alert***

According to the back matter, the story would be about a woman’s best friend helping her during a rough time. The first 116 pages detailed the woman going through the rough spots with her husband and finding out she had cancer. At this point the main character, Celine, I found to be insipid at best. The book starts off with the main couple arguing and there is almost no character development. So Celine comes off as whining, and unreasonable. As the story develops, the husband is made out to be a jerk, but there is no real tension.
During the second half of the book, the best friend Lauren shows up slightly more, but not enough to warrant the title of the book – she’s just not displayed enough.
The ending was predictable- EXCEPT the Epilogue, when the best friend is shown to be a miracle.
The story was a fast read – it only took a few hours. However there was a lack of character development that really made the story forgettable. There was no time to care about the characters because there was no sense of who they were.


Jennifer Fisch-Ferguson
AAMBC Reviewer

[Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read!

[Tiffany Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whew, I don’t even know where to begin with this review. Best Friends Forever will have you knee deep in your feelings for a number of reasons. The first being Celine and Keith’s marriage. Keith’s level disrespect had my calling him every single name in the book except a child of God. He was the lowest of the low and the coldest of the cold. This part of the book had me in the angry part of my feelings.

Celine has quite the friend in Lauren. She is the definition of BEST. Roby flawlessly describes what it is like to have a “sister friend,” and to see love amongst women as a verb. Lauren and Celine’s relationship would be classified under the modern phrase “squad goals.” This part of the book had me in the happy part of my feelings.

And, while it was heartwarming to read about the friendship between Lauren and Celine, the most beautiful part of this book was seeing Celine find her own voice and stand up for herself. Best Friends Forever is a complete story that is very emotional with a realistic conflict. KLR has done an amazing job with this one!

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of Best Friends Forever in exchange for an honest review.

[Tia · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG! Review to come close to release date. You'll want to read this.

[Michelle Lindo-Rice · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is no price you can put on the value of having a good friend. During one of the most toughest battles of her life, thank goodness Celine had Lauren. With a friend by your side, Life goes on.

[H.M. Trey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good read. I give this book a 4 out of 5 Star review. This is the first book I have read in a long time that was written in 3rd person. I would love to see this book rewritten in 1st person in order to make it a more personable read. However, I still enjoyed this read nonetheless. The story deals with the challenges that come with maintaining a marriage and the work necessary to keep a marriage from being stale; the impact of infidelity and the idea that the grass is not always greener on the other side; the importance of having a friend that will unconditionally be by your side when the going gets tough; a monster that many women are faced with that, sadly enough, has a history of taking so much from women; and lastly the importance of leaning on your faith to help you get through any storm in your life no matter how severe that storm is.

It doesn’t take long in this story for the main character, Celine, to be faced with life altering news about her life that will shake the core of her being. The one person that you would think would be there for Celine abandons her in her most vulnerable stage in her life. Celine is left to be strong for her daughter all while dealing with pain…physical, emotional, and mental pain. But there is one person that serves to be a Godsend for her that will ultimately make sure that she gets through the storms that have been brought into Celine’s life. That person is her best friend Lauren. Celine’s brother plays an important role in this story, but it’s her best friend that is there for Celine from the beginning to the end. All of us would love to have a best friend like Lauren! I recommend reading this book…a good read!

[Latiffany · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read all of Roby's work. There are some things that I have come to expect from her stories. The characters are usually one dimensional and what I mean is that if they are bad-then they are really bad and if they are good, then they are really good. Also, a good character can quickly become a bad character without notice. There is no transition into this. One day he or she can be a loving husband or wife, the next day they are a murderer. I also expect heavy emphasis on Faith and Christianity. For the most part, I am entertained by Roby's stories, so I give some of the plot and character flaws a break, but not with this book.

This book was bad. Surprisingly terrible. I am giving the story one star, because I appreciate Roby using her platform to promote the importance of regular breast exams, following up with a physician if you notice any lumps and doing your research. The main character did every thing that she could have and should have done in regards to her battle with cancer.

Other than that, I found her to be totally unlikable. I don't condone cheating at all, but the main character Celine put all of her time into building her business, raising her daughter, watching television and talking on the phone with her best friend and somehow she was shocked when her husband starts stepping out? Again, cheating is never a good option, but neither is ignoring your husband. Celine was so proud of her lifestyle, but it did not mean a thing when Keith left her. Why not put some of that time into your marriage.

Celine prides herself on being a good Christian and not wanting to break up her family, so she is willing to forgive Keith and let him come home, but the woman he slept with is referred to as a trick and a whore by all of the good church going Christian characters. Roby drives this point home when Keith describes his mistress as a person who attends church rarely and has two kids by two different fathers. I was so disgusted with the whole suggestion that this woman was so terrible based off her lack of a church home. It seriously felt like a judgement and even though the characters were upset by Keith's behavior the name calling and insults were directed at the mistress.

There are many troubling aspects of this book, but the faith issue is just beyond me. Celine is not allowed to vent about her fears and concerns. Anytime she does, she reminds herself that she needs to have faith or her best friend tells her the same. There is nothing wrong with faith, but there is nothing wrong with being human also. There were portions of this book where the character seemed terribly depressed and instead of therapy, her best friend took her to church where she sat in the pews crying it all out.

At this point, it is clear that I did not like this book at all. I really hope Roby does a better job with her next title.

[Christine Pauls · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok. Not one of the best works, as I've read pretty much all of her books. Sorry.

[Sheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ms. Roby can sure pull your heart strings. I've just starting reading her books and I'm already a huge fan. I love the way she can pull real life experiences into a novel and after you read them you seem spent from the whole gamut of emotions that you have experienced but yet come away feeling stronger.

That's exactly how Celine Richardson felt after her husband of 12 yrs decides that he's been neglected and he needs to step back from the marriage. Meanwhile, Celine who finds out that she has breast cancer is devasted because she feels so alone. She's kept her marital issues hidden from her BFF, Lauren and finally she spills her heart out to Lauren. Not only does Lauren come to the rescue, but she also reminds Celine that she is never alone, she has God in her life and He will prepare her for this battle. We all need a friend like Lauren, but the sad truth is many of us don't.

Meanwhile, her husband, Keith who hasn't once offered her a word of encouragement or offered her any type of support financially or emotionally. Decides he wants to come back, he's sorry and he really want's to make it work, start over. Why all of a sudden his change of heart, while she's trying desperately to get healthy and decide how to proceed with this new lifestyle of being a single mother. Their daughter, Kassie who is 10 years old is acting out because she misses her dad. He's low enough that he's trying to use his own daughter to cover up for his past indiscretions.

I can't wait to see what Ms Roby has come up for us next. This novella left off with a real bombshell.

I would like to thank Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an e-galley of this book for my honest review.

[Tanishia Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

MY REVIEW FOR BEST FRIENDS FOREVER

Way to go Kimberla Lawson Roby!!!! This is a wonderful story that deals with a series of trials-trials of the faith, trials of the heart and trials of the will. Sometimes we go through things and feel it's the end. BUT GOD! This story shows what faith and an ordained friendship can do for you.

We meet Celine, Lauren, Kassie and Keith. Each character brought out different emotions in me. I found myself screaming, "Noooo!; Wait!; Little girl if you don't..."; and "man I'm about to catch a case if..." and so much more. But what I loved the most was how the author expertly demonstrated the true meaning of the title, BEST FRIENDS FOREVER, throughout the entire book. I took my time reading this book because I didn't want it to end. But when it ended, I was truly satisfied. Great job! Five stars!!!!!

[Renee Bailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

First I must say I am a huge fan of Kimberla Lawson Roby. I have been following her for years and have loved every book she has written but, I don't know how to feel about this one. I think I interpreted the title a little differently and while her best friend was by her side throughout all of her unfortunate events I felt this could have had a little more gusto to it. At one point during the book I thought, this is typical of a cheater and a typical story.

[Maya B · Rating 3 out of 5]

short and easy read. there was little to no drama. I was hoping for a wow moment but it did not happen. I was also surprised by the lack of character development. Keith and Celine could have been much more complicated considering the story line.

[Kiera · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you've ever read a Kimberla Lawson Roby book, you know that she's not only a gifted storyteller, she's also a teacher. There is always a message in her books, and this one didn't disappoint. I always learn something reading her novels, and the lesson that I learned is to reinforce my faith, especially when things get tough. This is a short, easy, yet powerful read; I polished it off in a couple hours. The characters are easy to relate to, and I quickly identified with Celine, the wife, and her best friend, Lauren. I will go on the record and say that I'd like to kick Celine's husband, Keith, square in the seat of his pants, with a steel-toed boot. One thing, the book ended rather abruptly, and I'm hoping that there will be more to come so that we can find out what happens to Celine and Keith going forward.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a bit of drama, suspense, and books that have an on-time message.

[Lynn Pribus · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boy, am I ever out of sync with the readers who gave this 5 stars.

Stilted dialog, flat characters, and lots of "moving furniture." Example: instead of saying "her mammogram was suspicious enough to send her to a surgeon" we have to go into the doctor's office, learn about her insurance coverage, that her address and phone number have no changes, have her take a seat in the waiting room, read a magazine, be called into the exam room, talk with the tech, have the tech leave the room, have her take off her blouse, then her bra, then get into the cotton johnny, then remove her jewelry, then go into the room with the machine.....

All I can think is that this was a thinly designed manual for women who have never had a mammogram...

[Read In Colour · Rating 2 out of 5]

More of a 2.5 than a 2, but Goodreads and their refusal to add half stars...

[Ellowyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good story however I felt the ending was a bit rushed. I was looking for more.

[Meg Box · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring boring boring. Blah blah blah. I could not name one single thing that was good in the book. I kept hoping she would die of the cancer on every page just so the story would end faster because it was that boring. If you want to read a boring, skim the lines book I highly recommend.

[Anne Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the few novels from the series of Reverend Curtis Black I've read, but I'm not crazy about the other ones. The same thing happened for this one. It is well written, believable to a certain point, but very cruel and discouraging.
Once again, it gives you the feeling that all men are pigs, driven by their sexual instincts without any common sense when a pretty woman is involved and I disagree...partially. I am sure most of the divorces happen because of a third person, but it does not mean the third one is a tramp or a slut.
Here, Celine's husband complains suddenly he's been feeling abandoned, neglected and that's why he looked elsewhere.
Three major complications : he decides to leave his wife when she learns she has breast cancer. Not very human. It is even grossly indecent. Wait three months, give her time to get a bit better. No, he decides he has to leave now -and move in with his girl friend, who is totally devoted to him.
His daughter, 10, is desperate and just want Daddy to live with them again. When the husband himself wants to come back, Celine does not know what to do. He was totally indifferent to her pain and fatigue with nasty comments (people get sick everyday and don't make such a fuss). Suddenly, he is not the same person. Should she take him back?
I thought the husband was depicted as a complete son of a bitch, selfish, disrespectful, knowing everything better. Maybe a bit too much like evil personified. After all, they had lived 12 years together and she coped well with him.
I had some problems too with the health insurance or lack off. As it is impossible to find a new company once you are sick, I believed the insurance where you were when your illness began had to keep you all along. What about medicaid or obama care?
In other words, I'm not sure the research was enough to make sure Celine was trapped between a rock and a hard place.
But the book s enjoyable. I am hesitating between a 3 or a 4. A 3.5 would be pervect, but it doesn't exist...

[Carmen Blalock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Friend is a word that many people throw around and don't know the meaning of or understand what it truly means to be a friend. Many hope that they have friends but there are so many that don't know HOW to be a friend, many times it leads to broken hearts and relationships. The question is: Are you a good friend and do you have real friends that are good to you?

Celine and Keith Richardson have been married for 12 years. They have the perfect marriage, a perfect child and a perfect life until it isn't perfect anymore. What can be done to make everything like it was before or will life ever be like it was before? Who has the most work to do or is it a collaborative effort?

Best Friends Forever is a book about love and loyalty, friendship and trust. The cast of characters are very fluid with each other, they compliment and work so well off of each other that the book is more like talking to a friend than reading a book. Roby is known for her books that have so much excitement going on in them and it keeps your heart racing but Best Friends Forever is like a breath of fresh air because you are interacting with your friend and easing through this book. That is not to say that anything is taken away from this book, not in the least! It is a quick story that starts and finishes and you understand why everything happened like it did.

Best friends forever will be released nationally on January 5, 2016 everywhere your favorite books are sold. It will be released in hardback, audiobook and e-book.

[Rhoda Fitzsimmons · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway. It was a quick read. I was able to read it within a few hours. Mixed feelings about this book. I liked how it started out. Celine was smart enough to realize that Keith was having an affair. She wasn't smart enough to realize that a leopard doesn't change their spots. Having been through this myself, I believe parents shouldn't stay together only for children's sakes. What kind of life would you live, living in an unhappy marriage when the right person could be out there waiting for you. I wish she would have stuck to her guns and just divorced him, not come to find out from the mistress that he was having two affairs and was fired from his job for sexual harassment. This was a good short story though, just hard for me to agree with Celine's choices.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Celine has has enough of her secretive husband,Keith. Arriving home late is one of the many reasons why she should end the marriage once and for all. However,she has to remain strong for her ten-year old daughter Kassie. Despite her age,she is very attentive to the drama that goes on between her parents. Often she hears them yelling about Keith's late night arrivals.

As if that was not enough,Celine in the scare of her life when she notices a lump on her chest. Fearing it's cancerous,she goes to the doctor to confirm her suspicions. Battling the marriage with her health and her husband unfaithful ways,it is going to take a miracle to piece her life back together.

I am a huge fan of the Reverend Curtis Black series,this stand alone novel was fantastic! Love the humor,drama and everything in between.

[Karen_RunwrightReads · Rating 2 out of 5]

My Rating 2.5
I liked that this was a clean novel, the language consistent with the faith-based fiction genre it was advertised to be and the characters talked openly about God. I liked that the main character was portrayed as being a strong, independent woman but the relationship issues the couple faced didn't seem genuine. The friendship seemed authentic but the other characters didn't come across as real people and the language and situations felt cliche.
The writing style involved a lot of telling, instead of showing, so the book felt a little unfinished in that regard. Also, the ending felt forced - everything gets resolved on the last two pages - so I found myself wanting a longer book so the ending could be more adequately told.

[Shone · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick red , which made directs into the family dymanics . The twelve year marriage between Keith and Celine is falling apart. Troubles come in threes, in addition to Celine being diagnosed with cancer, their 10 year old is changing in front of them. I wanted more.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good story; realistic; credible. Told in a colloquial style that made it seem as though we were witnessing the characters as they interacted.
A good read at any time of the year: not just during Black History month.

[Tinesya LaNaia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing. Kept my attention!

[Britney Moore · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m not sure what I expected when I picked up this book but I just couldn’t find myself finding any enjoyment from it. It was incredibly predictable and while the emotions were heavy, I found the book a little dry. I try to be fair with my reviews, and while I may not enjoy a book, I understand it could be that I’m simply not the target audience. With this one, I feel like I’m not the target audience but also the writing is just not what I expected based on other reviews of the novel.

If you like a simple story line that’s easy to follow and a quick read, this one is perfect for just that. If you’re looking for a story with depth and a good story line, I’d recommend skipping this one.

[Rita Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

What true friendship is all about!

[Tam Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author never disappoints!! Great read. God never gives us more than we can handle!!

[Carol Boyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

By

Carol Boyer









This review is from: Best Friends Forever (Kindle Edition)

This story is one that captures your heart and fears for Celine, as she faces the news that she has breast cancer at the same time her husband Keith walks out on her and their daughter Kassie. Written with lots of real life moments, Celine realizes she can not understand why her husband of twelve years won't say why he doesn't love her anymore; she accuses him of having an affair but he never answers her questions. Keith had my radar up, not a likeable character and not to be trusted. Celine is alone just when she needs him most. You wonder what happened and my mind went in several directions as the pace of the story gets very interesting. Celine has everything she ever wanted in her best friend Lauren, who takes over caring for Celine, is by her side and on her side and is a heaven sent friend. Celine has faith in God, and finds strength to go through her treatments but still with fear and worry about what will happen next. However the betrayal and the shocking events toward the end is not one I saw coming. Loyalty does not always come where you think it should. This is a short story but packed with real intense action, and is beautifully written .

[Julie Barrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best friends forever by Roby_ Kimberla Lawson
This audio book starts out Celine and Keith, their marriage is on the rocks. He comes in at 5am after a night of drinking, this happens often.
She spends all her time online doing work and he's had enough of it. They also have to spend time with their 10 year old daughter, Cassie.
As she goes from doctor to getting tests we learn she has breast cancer and relies on her friend Lauren but the marriage is really complicating things, making everything worse.
She starts praying and everyday since she discovered the lump...She makes more fond memories for Cassie, because she doesn't know if it will be their last.
Liked learning the procedures done and why and in what order for the breast cancer. At one point he leaves and you wonder if he will ever return...
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).