Always & Forever

Love on Charlotte Island #1

by Jason Patrick

Josh and Megan have always loved each other . . . is it enough for their love to last forever?
After a chance meeting in Rita’s Cafe two years ago Megan and Josh rekindled their romance. Now Josh is ready to marry Megan and become a step-dad to her twelve year-old son Benji. A romantic proposal sweeps Megan off her feet and Benji couldn’t be happier about his mom and Josh tying-the-knot.
Wedding plans are well underway as they count down the days to the joyous event. But love and loyalty are tested when Josh faces danger in the line of duty and it shatters their world. Can Megan and Josh pick up the pieces and put their life back together? The two have always loved each other . . . is it enough for their love to last forever?

Always & Forever is a gripping, emotional, and heartwarming story. It is the second novella in the Charlotte Island series by Jason Patrick.

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Amazon, Fiction, Romance, Ebooks

56 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2016

About the author

I began writing fictional stories as a teen, but it wasn’t until my early 40s that I began a career as an author. As an Indie author I enjoy both the creative process and having greater control over the business aspects of publishing my books. I write fictional Sagas and Romance featuring emotional and heartwarming stories, relatable characters, and locations that are like visiting a familiar and favorite place. I hope you enjoy reading my books as much as I enjoy writing them.

I am married to the love of my life; we have an incredible teenage son, and a truly sweet family dog (pictured with me — she’s offering a big, wet kiss). In addition to writing, I enjoy reading (naturally), movies, music, travel, and sports.

One of the best parts of being an Indie author is hearing from my readers. Please feel free to contact me through email on my contact page or connect with me on Facebook. I respond to all messages personally.

Also, if you haven’t already, I invite you to join my Reader Group. When you do, you will receive an immediate FREE download of my Charlotte Island novella Learning to Love Again. You can join my Reader Group at my website.

Reviews

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a sweet and honest book. The characters had past events and problems in their lives that allowed them to come across as real. I Liked that I did not have to worry about explicit acts and yet the story was not lacking.

It held an honest feeling of recovering something lost and appreciating that things were different with a second chance at love. It was well written and I was happy to read this book.

Charlotte Island made a wonderful setting and I look forward to reading more about this area and the people that live there.

[Karen Shortridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a sweet rekindled childhood love story with great characters to start and i'm looking forward to reading more. Megan is heading for a fresh start with her son to Charlotte Island to start a new job after her divorce, they go for breakfast where she bumps into her first love Josh who is a police officer there. They are both dealing with their past and demons are underlying so will they be able to overcome them and be honest with each other. There is all the real life emotions in this story with great settings. I received this for my honest review but went on to purchase it.

[Penny Leidecker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a clean second chance romance about Josh and Megan reuniting after fifteen years apart. She is now a divorced single mom and he is a recovering alcoholic police officer. One thing I didn’t like about the book is when Josh had a glass of champagne. If you’re a recovering alcoholic, no alcohol of any kind should be consumed. My actual rating for this book is 3.5 stars, but I rounded it to 4.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finding Home

This was a good storyline of rekindling old love. Josh had problems with the ending of a prior relationship that led him to drinking heavily. Megan’s getting out of a bad marriage with an alcoholic spouse. Megan starts over on Charlotte Island with her son Benji and runs into Josh. The attraction between the two is still there. Good read.

[Amy Hansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was okay but there was really nothing about it to make it stand out. There were some timeline issues for Josh, which is a big pet peeve for me, but it didn’t detract from the story too much. Overall, this was short and sweet and not a lot happens.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

New author for me. Not a favorite for me, as I think too much effort spent in describing the clothes/brands the characters wore. But it was a very nice story with likeable characters.

[Jenika Ioffreda · Rating 1 out of 5]

I stopped reading after a while, not my cup of tea.

[Robin Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story. Great characters. Recommended for a feel good read.

[SUE · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book. A romance that you feel good about. Toward the middle the story started to repeat a lot which slows the story. Good ending.

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

the love story that brings two people back together after year's of being apart.they had both found that there feelings hadn't changed.

[Ruth Jessen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lighthouse love...

An interesting take on timely redemption. Love once lost,ice lived, and the love found again. A sweet and clean romance sure to please...

[Heidi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh

Got through 25%. Nothing happened to make me want to read on. No interest in either the H or h.

[Jenni Mac · Rating 2 out of 5]

Extremely underwhelming book. I believe I got it for free on Amazon. My grandma was given a kindle paperwhite but it's had problems in trying to set it up, so I let her read on mine to see if she likes it. She read this book (and I bought the other two in the series) and said it was cute so I followed in suit reading it.

The author uses the words padded every single time anyone is walking anywhere. And the phrase "stopped a beat" drove me crazy. It is a clean romance, yes, but not a reality. I don't believe the characters, the plot was thin and I had the story figured out from the third page, and I feel no connection with the characters.

I wouldn't have continued these books personally, but since I have invested my own money into them for my grandma, I'm going to finish the other two. My grandma would have given it a 3 star, and I'm being generous with the 2 star rating. I hope the next two books are better.

[Stefanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received a Free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
It took me a while to read this book but only because of lack of time. Having said that, this is one of those books that are a quick read. Is a simple love story that deals with real life situations/problems. The book is well written. Good pacing. There aren't that many cheesy lines like they usually are in these type of romance novels, which I really appreciated. I liked that the female lead is not a damsel in distress. She is a strong woman who has been through a lot for such a young age, and that made her stronger. The leading man is the dream guy that every one wishes to meet but I appreciated that he is not perfect and that he, as well as she, has been through rough patches and has been able to overcome those situations.

My only negative is that some parts, some conversations, I thought dragged a little bit and took me away from the main story. Other than that is a good book. I enjoyed it. It feels like it could be a lifetime or hallmark movie, which is not a bad thing. I prefer more intense, dramatic books that's why I'm giving it the stars you will read below.

If you like a simple romance, not too over dramatic, more real life situation, then this is the book that you should read. I think that in movie terms this is a PG-13 book, just because of some situations they deal with, but I think everyone can read this book.

Thanks to the author for the opportunity to read this book for free.
I give this book 2.85 stars.

[Jo-Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

After Megan's divorce she wanted a fresh start so she and her son, Benji, moved to Charlotte Island where she had a job waiting. She ran into her high school crush, Josh, and they rekindled their romance. Josh, a police officer, had moved there several years earlier. His fiance left him a year ago and that left him feeling he wasn't good enough for any woman. If he can let go of that feeling, he and Megan might just have a chance to have a relationship.

Jason Patrick is a very illustrative writer making it easy to picture the events taking place. The book is a great read and definitely captures the reader in the story line. It was easy to get caught up in his smooth writing style so I just kept reading and didn't stop until I was finished. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters in this novel. The main characters were exceptionally well yet realistically developed. I loved how strong Megan was in handling her life. She divorced her husband, moved to a new town, handled a new job and took care of her son with apparent ease. Even though Josh doubted himself he was very protective of Megan and Benji. Benji was a great boy who often acted older than his years.

I'm so glad I was given this book in exchange for my honest review. It's a great second-chance romance with some danger thrown in that you won't want to miss.

[B. D. Mann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure requires me to state that I received a free copy of this book in return for a fair and honest review. I first read a self-published novella by the author titled Learning to Love Again which I found exceptionally well written. With this novel I found the same exceptionally well written clean romance story. I value realism in fiction writing and was well pleased that this was a down to earth story with characters that came across as living, breathing, real people. Having been raised without exposure to the blatant immorality and obscene language so prevalent today, I liked the fact that the story was so very much like my real life experiences. That is why I love clean romance novels like this one. I have known people who have had almost identical experiences to those depicted in this novel. I appreciated how the story actually told of two second chances for Josh. The first was of Josh’s second chance at a productive life after nearly losing everything due to alcoholism and the second was getting a second chance with Megan after a fifteen year separation. I look forward to reading more of Jason Patrick’s work.

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Megan and her son, Benji have just moved to Charlotte Island. Megan's divorce was recently finalized and she's been offered a great job on the Island.

Josh's fiance left him and every day seems to be a struggle for him, because he doesn't know why she left. He moved to Charlotte Island a few years earlier and is a police officer on the Island and he has a secret.

Megan and Josh run into each other one morning at the local diner. They were each other's first loves in high school, but lost touch after graduating and are surprised to find each other on Charlotte Island. Josh offers to show Megan and Benji around the island. It's been 15 years. Can they pick up where they left off? Or will Josh's secret get in the way?

Finding Home is a sweet romance. I cannot wait to read more of this series.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Janice Bold · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another great book in the "A Charlotte Island" series by Jason Patrick. In this book we see Josh & Megan coming up on their 2nd anniversary of when they started dating again.

Having been together in highschool and then losing touch, it's bittersweet for them to have a second chance at love. Josh wants to propose badly, he even goes out on his lunch hour and buys a ring. Of course, only after consulting with Megan's son Benji and getting his approval.

Meanwhile, it's time for Josh to go on patrol. He's a lawman on Charlotte Island and it's normally pretty quiet.

I can't give anything else away too many spoilers! Good ending, but sad of course that it ended. Would have liked to have read more and can only hope their story continues!

Thanks!

[Eileen Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Megan is starting over with her 10 year old son, Benji after going through a divorce. She feels that moving will give them both the fresh start they need to help them adjust to their life without her ex-husband, Robert.

Josh is living the single life, working and enjoying the simplicity of it all. Never expecting to run into his high school sweetheart. But when he does that sends him back to reminiscing about the good ole days of their young love. Is there a chance for them again? But there are things in his past that he must come to terms with a let Megan know before they move forward.

Jason Patrick has written a book that will touch your heart. Simple short story, about love that was given a second chance. This book while have you thinking about that first love from high school and what could have been.

[Timothy Hendricks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much. I thought it was well written. The pace story was good and I liked how it concluded. I thought the characters were very well developed. The main characters in the story were very likable. Josh and Megan were the main characters and there was a focus on their relationship. But, equally important to the overall storyline is Megan’s son, Benji. Megan and Benji were starting a new life on Charlotte Island after Megan’s divorce. She and Josh run into each other. They had been childhood sweethearts. Josh loves Megan and Benji too; but worries whether or not he can be the husband and step-Father they need and deserve. Josh ends up with a second and third chance with Megan.

I like that this Author can tell this story so well and do it without profanity and sexually explicit dialogue. He is an excellent storyteller.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a sucker for a good love story and this most certainly was one.
Megan moves to Charlotte Island with her son having left her disastrous marriage to Robert. As they are finishing off their meal in the local cafe.she sets eyes on the local police officer Josh Reynolds who just happens to be her boyfriend from school and the love of her life.
Josh has never married. As it turns out nobody has measured up to his memory of Megan. Josh has a problem though. He is a recovering alcoholic and doesn't think he is good enough for Megan.
You will have read this story to find out whether they give each other a chance to have a happy ending the second time around.
A well woven story with quite a few bumps to pass over along the way.

[Rebekah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Clean but missing character depth

I liked that this was a super clean romance and the story line was cute. I just felt that the characters weren't well developed. I get that this is a shorter novel, but again I still felt there could have been more to these characters. They were very flat and mechanic to me. I like more when a character shows me how they are feeling and why vs. the author just telling me. I think this author has a lot of potential, so I'll give him another shot. But this book was not one of my favorites overall.

[Janice Bold · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First off, just finished it and can I say "awwww". Loved this story. Megan and Josh finally...I don't want to give away any spoilers.

I enjoyed the chemistry. This is a good love story and well written. I really want to find out more about what happens with Megan and Josh and Benji too.

My first read from this author and it was worth it.

[Ally Atherton · Rating 3 out of 5]

A woman starts a new life with her son.







This is a pretty decent quick read if you want to fill in a bit of spare time with something that's easy reading.




It's not going to win any awards and it's not the most exciting plot you'll come across but it's a nice gentle read that I enjoyed for what it is. It's a little bit of escapism. A little bit of romance to add a sparkle to your day.





3/5

[Dee Cash · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Book for teenagers fifty years ago.

Finding Home is like a book I might have read forty or fifty years ago as a teenager of the sixties or seventies. Megan seems so eager to get married even though she has just gotten out of a terrible marriage. Who does that? Josh is so unsure of himself but let's himself be pushed into a marriage he's not sure he's ready for. Proper English isn't strong in this book. It definitely is as claimed "a clean romance".

[Kali · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love second chance romances and this didn't i. This a novella so it is quick and to the point but I still wanted more. Nothing added to the story just more details of there past relationship with each other and the others and more detail on what drove them together beside sheer chance. However the story for so few pages has a great flow and great story

[Melda · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS IS A WONDERFUL CLEAN STORY THAT REALLY GRABS YOU

The author has created a very believable story with very realistic characters. When I started reading this book, I was involved right away and had a difficult time setting it aside. This book earned my five-star rating because of the down to earth appeal.

[Laura Reinhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of Finding Home in exchange for an honest review. This was a great book! Great characters and great story line. The writing was very well written. I look forward to reading more from Jason.

[Nickole · Rating 4 out of 5]

what a cute story about megan and Josh reuniting after 15 years apart...on an island of all places. both start off back on th right foot but will Josh's secret keep th from rekindling what they once had.

[Natasha den Dekker · Rating 1 out of 5]

What on earth is this. Seriously. When you read shite like this you can't blame people like Stephanie Meyer and 50 Shades lady who think their books are 'good' :s Not sure why I did this to myself. Please avoid it.