Angie Martin-Wilson was convinced nothing could interfere with her pleasant life. Widowed for three years, she owned a successful Nurse Concierge business in picturesque Rock Harbor, a coastal town in Massachusetts. A handsome, sexy, interesting man was pursuing her, and she had loyal and supportive friends. She wasn't prepared for unexpectedly running into Ben Whitcomb, the man who shattered her life twenty-four years before. They were engaged when he went on a week-long visit to his family in London. Within a few days, during a brief and cruel transatlantic call, he ended their relationship without explanation. Although Angie healed enough to find happiness again, she never stopped wondering why Ben left. Several years later, Ben realized he should have told her about the London situation, instead of cutting her out of his life. However, he found out it was too late to correct his terrible mistake. Ben thought the woman he couldn't forget was lost to him forever. Their unexpected meeting was an opportunity for questions and explanations. Would it also bring them a second chance for happiness?
The plot and characters were believable; no suspension of disbelief was required. I liked the characters and wanted them to get past the unexplained reason that Ben broke things off years ago. The author gave then obstacles to overcome in the present, as well as loving friends and family to support and encourage them as they explored their feelings and hopes for the future. The frequent head-hopping was somewhat distracting to me, although it definitely moved the story forward when you knew what almost everyone was thinking.
Welcome my fellow Book Dragons, to Tea Time Tuesday. Sit by the fire and have a nice warm and a cuppa while you inspect this evening’s wonderful Gem. See it glow a pale pink, the color of love dimmed, but not gone. It still slowly pulses with the hope of dreams that might be realized. This is “This Time Forever” by Gem Maker Mary Cooney-Glazer. This is the tale of Angela and Ben, who were in love nearly 25 years ago, but unfortunately, life stepped in and they lost touch. Ben had to return to England, step up and take on responsibilities thrown his way and Angela, heart broken, soul devastated, made a way of her own and found a new, less thrilling love, and married. Now, during a linen sale at a local mall of all places, they run into each other and there are sparks. But Angela has her own life as a widow, and Ben hasn’t been exactly resting on his laurels. She has suitors, he has interests. She has friends and he has children. What is a couple to do? Can they find that love again, did it ever really die? Or did it just decide to go quietly abed until the two of them met face to face again? I loved this story. I am not big on Romance Novels. Bodice Rippers are not my thing, as you all know. Explicit sex is quite ho hum to me, Dragons are passionate, but highly discreet beings. But this is different. Ever, ever so different indeed. Mary’s character’s do not throw caution to the wind, repercussions be damned. These are not young, inexperienced beings who have no sense or little sense. These are seasoned actors. They understand hurt, pain, the long haul. They take their time, they have standards and boundaries. They are not children and this makes it all the more exciting. They want the long haul, they want to be happy and they want all of the magic to last this time. The intimate scenes are tastefully done and therefore much more exciting because she leaves room for imagination. Her secondary characters are rich in character and caring, not vapid and silly. I really liked them, and understand she is working on a second novel featuring some of these folks. Thank you Mrs. Cooney-Glazer! If you are in the mood for a real, down to earth romantic novel, where the heroine has a few wrinkles and the hero is a man and not a boy toy, this is the one for you. It is available on Amazon for a quite reasonable price in paperback and if you have KU it is FREE! Until tomorrow, I remain, your humble Book Dragon, Drakon T. Longwitten I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This Time Forever is a warm and fuzzy feel-good read. Angela & Ben are meant to be together, we all know it from the start, but they do have a few hurdles to jump over before they can even admit their renewed attraction – and that’s where the story gets interesting. I enjoyed the scenic descriptions, I felt I was right there with them, and having never been to this part of the world, it has encouraged me to add Boston and Rock Harbor to the list of places I want to see. The secondary characters added depth and interest without taking over the story, and I think the potential is there for a follow-up novel for either the twins or Angela’s senior neighbours, plus it’ll give us an update on how Ben & Angela are doing in their ‘new’ relationship. This is a perfect book for an afternoon at the beach.
Cooner-Glazer's debut novel was an enjoyable adult romance read about second chance relationships.
I flew through the pages desperate to uncover why Ben called off his relationship to Angie, the protagonist, years earlier.
Angie and Ben re-connect by a chance meeting in a department store. The two character's had moved on with their lives, yet neither could forget the love they equally shared.
Can Angie trust Ben to not break her heart a second time, and why is she stringing along the man she's been dating? After all, she's not in love with him, and he's not worth her time or love.
I liked the initial premise of this book-- she runs into the so-called hero, who had cut her off years ago with no explanation. Then it goes downhill from there. The writing is choppy, wordy, and simplistic. The constantly changing point of view, even including the thoughts of peripheral characters, was jarring and disruptive to the flow of the narrative. The explanation for his behavior was ridiculous, that he would be so cruel and about to someone he supposedly loved was unforgivable.
Reading this delightful and escapist romance-though one grounded in a realistic setting-is akin to sipping hot tea on a wintry day. What really endeared me to This Time Forever is its message of second chances: for life, for happiness. The ending is reminiscent of the lines from poet Robert Browning, "Grow old with me/The Best is yet to be....."
Engaging characters. Great beach read, or any other place for that matter. Good Seasoned Romance story about second chances at love. I highly recommend this book by first time author, Mary Cooney-Glazer.
This book was like a warm hug. The relationships between the main characters were beautiful, and was a pleasure to read. If you're after a sweet and light romance which provides hope for later love, then this is the book for you. Would recommend.
I love this book! I couldn't stop reading, I just had to find out what happened. A wonderful time capsule of life in New England, and a total page turner. Highly recommend, and can't wait for Mary's next novel.
4.5 stars. I enjoyed this adult romance between a nurse concierge entrepreneur, age 54, and a retired British businessman, late 50s. They had fallen in love 25 years ago, but he left suddenly and without an explanation. They meet by chance, and all of the old feelings are stirred up. Ben has an explanation and twin adopted sons; she is a widow with a thriving business. Can she trust that this time will be forever? But Ben's reason for leaving and not returning made sense to me, so it solidified the story for me.
There were some interesting side characters: Jake, Nan, and Ben's sons. Charlie, Ollie, and Liliana brought some of the drama. And there was the storyline where Angie was being blamed and threatened.
The sex scenes were NOT explicit. However just descriptive enough to convey passion and lovemaking. She had Charlie on the side and had to decide whether Ben was going to stick around this time. Ben had Ollie and had decide whether to stick with her or fall in love again with Angie. Ben had to prove himself to her friends, and Angie was wary of meeting his sons.
This was an easy two day read that managed to keep my interest. I was not sure what a nurse concierge did or why such a business would be needed, and this book answered that and more.