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Keep Forever
Paul O’Brien’s idyllic childhood in Southern California comes to a halt when his mother dies in the summer before his senior year of high school and a very different persona of his father emerges - isolating himself inside the house, turning to alcohol for comfort, and barely noticing his only child. Simultaneously, the war in Vietnam is sending shock waves around the world, young men from one coast to the other are being called upon to serve, and Paul enlists in the Marines before receiving his draft notice. Elizabeth Sutton is eager to gain some independence from her father’s old fashioned notions and looking forward to her first year in high school. At fifteen years old, tragedy strikes with the loss of both parents in an auto accident, turning her childhood into one of responsibility and worry overnight. The four siblings are scattered when her nine-year-old twin sisters are sent to live with their Aunt and Uncle on Nantucket Island, and Elizabeth is left behind in Boston with their grandmother. Her older brother, Sam, enlists in the Marines, eager to join the conflict a world away as opposed to dealing with the one unfolding at home. A bond develops between Paul and Sam in Vietnam, and both are injured in a bloody battle that sets the stage for a lifetime of nightmares and sleepless nights for Paul. Matched by similar tragedies at a young age, Elizabeth and Paul’s first introduction by Sam upon their return from Vietnam is the beginning of friendship and love that survives five decades. After marrying, welcoming their first child, and inheriting a small beach house, the couple adapts to their new surroundings, but distant memories of Vietnam continue to haunt Paul. In an era when veterans refuse to speak of their pain and the government denies that thousands of soldiers are coming home irreparably damaged, he is left to deal with the challenge of caring for his loved ones amidst his erratic flashback episodes and moods. As their lives unravel from the lingering effects of PTSD, Elizabeth learns to accept the burden that Paul brought home, and together they make their own memories to keep forever.
282 pages, Hardcover
First published February 5, 2018
8 people are currently reading
291 people want to read
About the author
Alexa Kingaard
4 books151 followersAlexa Kingaard was born in San Diego, CA and has lived most of her life in the area. She currently resides in Carlsbad and is the mother of a son and daughter who continue to be her biggest fans and cheerleaders.
Her debut novel, KEEP FOREVER, was inspired by her late ex-husband who battled the residual effects of the Vietnam War for decades after his return. The burden he brought home is shared by combat veterans of all conflicts, and her fictional account highlights the collateral damage encountered by family members and loved ones living with PTSD in their midst.
Her second novel, MY NAME IS ROSE, departs from her personal experiences and focuses on the collective memories of her generation. She loves writing about nostalgia and the human condition, the common denominator of our lives.
You can visit her online at
www.alexakingaard.com
Her debut novel, KEEP FOREVER, was inspired by her late ex-husband who battled the residual effects of the Vietnam War for decades after his return. The burden he brought home is shared by combat veterans of all conflicts, and her fictional account highlights the collateral damage encountered by family members and loved ones living with PTSD in their midst.
Her second novel, MY NAME IS ROSE, departs from her personal experiences and focuses on the collective memories of her generation. She loves writing about nostalgia and the human condition, the common denominator of our lives.
You can visit her online at
www.alexakingaard.com
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
March 1, 2023
This is such an incredibly beautiful and moving story, I’m not even sure if I can find the words to give it justice.
Keep Forever is based on a true story, Paul and Elizabeth meet when he is on his way home from combat in Vietnam, after being injured in battle. With both facing difficult starts in life, the scars run deep, but they do their best with the hands they have been dealt. However, the after effect of war follows them throughout their journey.
When I started this book I found myself completely engrossed. I love anything that is based on true events and I have so much respect for the honesty and bravery shown in publishing this important book. This book is incredibly raw, and deals with PTSD in such an honest way. It hit quite a personal note for me a few times, and I found myself needing to step away for a breather. But, I have so much praise for Kingaard’s willingness to discuss the dark sides of mental health with such brutal honesty. It can be a tough and emotional read, but it is an incredibly important one.
My main issue was that I found the middle section a little slow. However, I can also see it’s importance in helping us to really connect to the characters and follow their journey throughout its entirety. I loved the short chapters which did keep me ticking along even when the pace slowed a little. That being said, the ending grabbed me in an emotional stranglehold that left me with tears in my eyes. I had to put the book down a few times so that I could gather myself enough to carry on. Overall, this is an extremely well written and important tale, beautiful in its message of true love through all hardships.
I would recommend this book to any fans of books based on true stories or anyone with an interest in mental health. I want to thank Voracious Readers Only and Alexa Kingaard for allowing me to read a copy of this book so I can give my personal thoughts.
Keep Forever is based on a true story, Paul and Elizabeth meet when he is on his way home from combat in Vietnam, after being injured in battle. With both facing difficult starts in life, the scars run deep, but they do their best with the hands they have been dealt. However, the after effect of war follows them throughout their journey.
When I started this book I found myself completely engrossed. I love anything that is based on true events and I have so much respect for the honesty and bravery shown in publishing this important book. This book is incredibly raw, and deals with PTSD in such an honest way. It hit quite a personal note for me a few times, and I found myself needing to step away for a breather. But, I have so much praise for Kingaard’s willingness to discuss the dark sides of mental health with such brutal honesty. It can be a tough and emotional read, but it is an incredibly important one.
My main issue was that I found the middle section a little slow. However, I can also see it’s importance in helping us to really connect to the characters and follow their journey throughout its entirety. I loved the short chapters which did keep me ticking along even when the pace slowed a little. That being said, the ending grabbed me in an emotional stranglehold that left me with tears in my eyes. I had to put the book down a few times so that I could gather myself enough to carry on. Overall, this is an extremely well written and important tale, beautiful in its message of true love through all hardships.
I would recommend this book to any fans of books based on true stories or anyone with an interest in mental health. I want to thank Voracious Readers Only and Alexa Kingaard for allowing me to read a copy of this book so I can give my personal thoughts.
May 6, 2020
This is unlike any story of the aftermath of soldiers in Vietnam that I have read. Beautifully written Kingaard pulls you into the story in a soft way. Taking you through a family tragedy that leads to the oldest brother going off to war but its what happens later that seems to effect everyone.
Showing the lingering effects of PTSD on not only the soldier but also the whole family. Mental illness can tear families apart or hold them together. This is a beautiful well written story of the damage caused by war. I think its an important read and a timely one. While this is a tale of Vietnam it could easily translate to an other conflict.
I highly recommend this book.
Showing the lingering effects of PTSD on not only the soldier but also the whole family. Mental illness can tear families apart or hold them together. This is a beautiful well written story of the damage caused by war. I think its an important read and a timely one. While this is a tale of Vietnam it could easily translate to an other conflict.
I highly recommend this book.
April 3, 2020
This is a story of courage, perseverance, and unconditional love.
Keep forever is the debut novel, and my second read, from author Alexa Kingaard. It is a wonderfully powerful and insightful story that reveals the hidden trauma of the soldiers in the Vietnam war era. The horrors of what happened became evident to all, but the life long hidden struggles of the men who returned home were not. In the story, Alexa has seamlessly placed us in the lives of two families brought together by this war. She takes us through the ups and downs of life in the 60s and 70s and all the way through to 2011. We see what impact Vietnam had on the families as much as their returning loved ones.
I will admit my knowledge of the Vietnam war is very limited and what I do know is mainly through what I heard from my parents. This book brings to life a war and soldiers that history seems to have glazed over and makes them real and visceral again. Alexa has a beautiful way of telling a story that you can sink into. The details are impeccable and the characters can not be faulted. There is so much truth and feeling in this book that it is easy to believe that it is based on reality- not necessarily the author but all servicemen and families.
There is a truth in this book that cries out to be read and understood. There is a feeling of wanting and needing to be known- a need to pay attention to our servicemen and provide the help, even if its just a cup of coffee. This book is a divine read and many tears were shed in the reading of it. I highly recommend this book and urge you all to read it.
Keep forever is the debut novel, and my second read, from author Alexa Kingaard. It is a wonderfully powerful and insightful story that reveals the hidden trauma of the soldiers in the Vietnam war era. The horrors of what happened became evident to all, but the life long hidden struggles of the men who returned home were not. In the story, Alexa has seamlessly placed us in the lives of two families brought together by this war. She takes us through the ups and downs of life in the 60s and 70s and all the way through to 2011. We see what impact Vietnam had on the families as much as their returning loved ones.
I will admit my knowledge of the Vietnam war is very limited and what I do know is mainly through what I heard from my parents. This book brings to life a war and soldiers that history seems to have glazed over and makes them real and visceral again. Alexa has a beautiful way of telling a story that you can sink into. The details are impeccable and the characters can not be faulted. There is so much truth and feeling in this book that it is easy to believe that it is based on reality- not necessarily the author but all servicemen and families.
There is a truth in this book that cries out to be read and understood. There is a feeling of wanting and needing to be known- a need to pay attention to our servicemen and provide the help, even if its just a cup of coffee. This book is a divine read and many tears were shed in the reading of it. I highly recommend this book and urge you all to read it.
March 14, 2020
This book holds a special place in my heart. Inspired by a true story, Keep Forever follows a strong female character from her childhood to maturity as she struggles with the scars the Vietnam war left on the men she loves most. Keep Forever is heartbreaking and inspiring, a true tour de force, and a must-read for anyone who loves historical fiction.
May 24, 2020
"You don’t know dark. Dark is a jungle, a long line of weary, battle-scarred comrades, stealthily trudging a breath away from one another, seeking out an enemy you can neither see nor hear. Dark is fear and uncertainty and knowing that death can grab you in an instant. Dark is hearing your heart beat like a giant kettle drum and feeling the blood rush through your veins because there is no sound, no light, and no sense of anything around you but your own terrified soul. That’s all I’m going to say. This backyard is not dark.”
Keep Forever is inspired by the true story of Alexa Kingaard. She tells this story in character of Elizabeth. This book starts from where Elizabeth lost her parents to discovering that her brother had joined the Marines. From the point onward, it was a ride.
We see young people, some barely out if school, fighting wars; fighting in the jungle and fighting the memories all through the lives. This is not just for the ones on the battlefield, even for people living around them. There are invisible demons as well as visible scars!
This book reminds me a song titled, “Soldier” by Chike. He was telling the soldier not to go to war.
Most times, when soldiers go to war, they don’t leave the war at the warfront. They carry it back home with them.
This book is a necessary read for those who have no idea what war does and who love to be there for those who still carry war and the memories of it in them everyday.
This book is a necessary read for everyone.
Keep Forever is inspired by the true story of Alexa Kingaard. She tells this story in character of Elizabeth. This book starts from where Elizabeth lost her parents to discovering that her brother had joined the Marines. From the point onward, it was a ride.
We see young people, some barely out if school, fighting wars; fighting in the jungle and fighting the memories all through the lives. This is not just for the ones on the battlefield, even for people living around them. There are invisible demons as well as visible scars!
This book reminds me a song titled, “Soldier” by Chike. He was telling the soldier not to go to war.
Most times, when soldiers go to war, they don’t leave the war at the warfront. They carry it back home with them.
This book is a necessary read for those who have no idea what war does and who love to be there for those who still carry war and the memories of it in them everyday.
This book is a necessary read for everyone.
June 14, 2021
A tender love story that depicts the emotions of love and loss. Elizabeth Sutton and Paul O'Brien's paths were destined to cross. They were teenagers during the Vietnam War era - complete with the old fashion family values that seem to deteriorate from the loss of a loved one. A tragic car accident changes everything for the Sutton family. Elizabeth's brother, Sam enlists in the Marines as a quick solution to a family tragedy. Paul and Sam are in the same platoon and befriend each other after boot camp at Camp Pendleton.
Sam writes to his sister, Elizabeth when he is away for boot camp and when he is training. He describes in great detail the emotions he and his battalion are experiencing when they head to Vietnam. A brief stop here and there to refuel allows the change of emotions to be beautifully written. Sam and Paul only in Vietnam for a short while and find themselves side by side as they face new and uncertain challenges.
Paul and Sam return from the Vietnam War with PTSD and long-lasting emotional, physical, and mental scars that slowly begin to surface. Paul and Elizabeth meet when Sam & Paul return from Vietnam. Sam and Elizabeth move in with Paul and the spark between Paul and Elizabeth continues to grow. Once they begin their relationship and it is beautifully developed and not hurried. Alexa Kingaard does not rush the storylines - my only wish was that Sam and his life were also shared. I felt he had many layers that would have been an interesting read.
This is a sweet love story that allowed the reader to ache for Elizabeth and Paul's relationship. The reader will experience the joy, the emotional pain, the heartbreaking grief, and a glimmer of hope. This was my first novel by Alexa Kingaard and I truly enjoyed her writing style and this intricately woven love story that places the reader back in the '60s and watches a love story unfold.
*I received a gifted ARC of this book from the publisher, Acorn Publishing, and Alexa Kingaard and Netgalley for my honest review
Sam writes to his sister, Elizabeth when he is away for boot camp and when he is training. He describes in great detail the emotions he and his battalion are experiencing when they head to Vietnam. A brief stop here and there to refuel allows the change of emotions to be beautifully written. Sam and Paul only in Vietnam for a short while and find themselves side by side as they face new and uncertain challenges.
Paul and Sam return from the Vietnam War with PTSD and long-lasting emotional, physical, and mental scars that slowly begin to surface. Paul and Elizabeth meet when Sam & Paul return from Vietnam. Sam and Elizabeth move in with Paul and the spark between Paul and Elizabeth continues to grow. Once they begin their relationship and it is beautifully developed and not hurried. Alexa Kingaard does not rush the storylines - my only wish was that Sam and his life were also shared. I felt he had many layers that would have been an interesting read.
This is a sweet love story that allowed the reader to ache for Elizabeth and Paul's relationship. The reader will experience the joy, the emotional pain, the heartbreaking grief, and a glimmer of hope. This was my first novel by Alexa Kingaard and I truly enjoyed her writing style and this intricately woven love story that places the reader back in the '60s and watches a love story unfold.
*I received a gifted ARC of this book from the publisher, Acorn Publishing, and Alexa Kingaard and Netgalley for my honest review
May 20, 2020
A very well written and emotional book. Set in the Vietnam Era Paul O Brian joins the marines and meets Sam Sutton while they are both deployed. As a friendship develops between them and after the war they go home together and Paul Meets Sam's sister Elizabeth.
The book is the story of their lives dealing with PTSD from the aftermath of war The ups and downs good and bad Love must sustain them to help get through. I really enjoyed this book very sad at parts but gives hope to those who suffer from War that there is a way through it all.
The book is the story of their lives dealing with PTSD from the aftermath of war The ups and downs good and bad Love must sustain them to help get through. I really enjoyed this book very sad at parts but gives hope to those who suffer from War that there is a way through it all.
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July 21, 2020I received this as a free read from Voracious Readers Only. It was a great choice!!
I've never read this author before, but I'm very happy she wrote this book!! Her description of the times, the very trying times of this era & the Vietnam Veterans was excellent. This is a book to definitely have a box of tissues nearby at all times! Not just for sad situations!
The characters are so real, they could be friends! The kind of friends you wanted to be there for - to help, to talk & walk with!
I've already recommended this book to my friends!
I've never read this author before, but I'm very happy she wrote this book!! Her description of the times, the very trying times of this era & the Vietnam Veterans was excellent. This is a book to definitely have a box of tissues nearby at all times! Not just for sad situations!
The characters are so real, they could be friends! The kind of friends you wanted to be there for - to help, to talk & walk with!
I've already recommended this book to my friends!
May 9, 2020
Alexa Kingaard deftly takes us on a journey through young love, service, injury and loss in the story of Paul and Elizabeth O'Brien in Keep Forever. Her moving prose brings us close to the struggles these two lovers had with Paul's PTSD, which took over his mind after his service in Viet Nam. You'll know love, devotion and compassion on this tender journey. Highly recommend.
June 1, 2020
This is a beautiful story of a life long love and journey through all its special hills and valleys. A Vietnam vet and his blushing bride are perfect for each other and no matter what happens, they have each other. It is insightful from the vet side too. He reminds me of my favourite grandpa, who also served.
I received a free copy from Voracious Readers Only in return for an honest review.
I received a free copy from Voracious Readers Only in return for an honest review.
Read
September 30, 2020What a wonderful story. After reading my complimentary copy from Voracious Readers Only, I had a little cry. What these boys went through we will never really know, but it's the people that love them and have to deal with them after they return are the true heroes. This story was about love, courage and acceptance. Wonderful, wonderful book.
August 24, 2020
Certainly no fast paced action packed novel, instead this is a story of love and survival full of heart with characters you can't help but empathise with.
September 22, 2020
I received this book for free from Voracious Readers Only.
This was a heartbreaking look at life after returning from Vietnam.
I cried real tears.
I would definitely read more books by this author.
This was a heartbreaking look at life after returning from Vietnam.
I cried real tears.
I would definitely read more books by this author.
May 13, 2020
Keep Forever is a heart wrenching story that really touched my heart. I found myself in tears on more than one occasion throughout the whole book. Keep Forever tells the story of how two families were brought together by the Vietnam War.
Keep Forever shares the story of how two families dealt with the aftermath of the Vietnam War. Not only did the ones that came back from the war have to deal with it but so did their families by watching and loving them and helping them to deal with it in the only way they knew how.
Four siblings Elizabeth, Sam, and twins Laura and Tina's, lives are ripped a part by a tragic car accident that kills both of their parents. Elizabeth comes up with a plan that Sam will become their guardian. He will get a job and Elizabeth will get a part time job to help out.
Imagine Elizabeth's heart ache when Sam informs her that he has joined the Marines and will be going to Vietnam. Elizabeth is torn that her brother is leaving them but she is more afraid that he will not come back.
Elizabeth thinks that her and the twins can go live with their uncle but is broken again when she learns that her aunt and uncle are only able to take in the twins and that she is to live with their Nana. Elizabeth is torn by this information but she is one tough girl and can deal with it.
Keep Forever not only tells Elizabeth's story but it also tells of how Sam meets Paul in Vietnam and they become close friends. Sam and Paul are both injured in Vietnam and are sent home. Elizabeth and Paul hit it off from the very beginning and after a few years they marry and have a family of their own. Sam meets and falls in love with Linda, they marry and start a family of their own.
Keep Forever goes from generation to generation telling how Paul, Elizabeth and their children live with and deal with PTSD. Keep Forever tells the horrors of Vietnam through the eyes, heart and lives of Paul and his family. It shows the love that Paul and Elizabeth have for each other and how that love kept them together.
Keep Forever will stay with me for many years to come and I know I will always be on the lookout for another book/story like this one but I don't think that will happen well not with the story. Keep Forever was so beautifully written. I can't wait to check out more of this author's work.
I highly recommend Keep Forever to anyone looking for a great story. I highly recommend you one click your copy today!
Keep Forever shares the story of how two families dealt with the aftermath of the Vietnam War. Not only did the ones that came back from the war have to deal with it but so did their families by watching and loving them and helping them to deal with it in the only way they knew how.
Four siblings Elizabeth, Sam, and twins Laura and Tina's, lives are ripped a part by a tragic car accident that kills both of their parents. Elizabeth comes up with a plan that Sam will become their guardian. He will get a job and Elizabeth will get a part time job to help out.
Imagine Elizabeth's heart ache when Sam informs her that he has joined the Marines and will be going to Vietnam. Elizabeth is torn that her brother is leaving them but she is more afraid that he will not come back.
Elizabeth thinks that her and the twins can go live with their uncle but is broken again when she learns that her aunt and uncle are only able to take in the twins and that she is to live with their Nana. Elizabeth is torn by this information but she is one tough girl and can deal with it.
Keep Forever not only tells Elizabeth's story but it also tells of how Sam meets Paul in Vietnam and they become close friends. Sam and Paul are both injured in Vietnam and are sent home. Elizabeth and Paul hit it off from the very beginning and after a few years they marry and have a family of their own. Sam meets and falls in love with Linda, they marry and start a family of their own.
Keep Forever goes from generation to generation telling how Paul, Elizabeth and their children live with and deal with PTSD. Keep Forever tells the horrors of Vietnam through the eyes, heart and lives of Paul and his family. It shows the love that Paul and Elizabeth have for each other and how that love kept them together.
Keep Forever will stay with me for many years to come and I know I will always be on the lookout for another book/story like this one but I don't think that will happen well not with the story. Keep Forever was so beautifully written. I can't wait to check out more of this author's work.
I highly recommend Keep Forever to anyone looking for a great story. I highly recommend you one click your copy today!
May 24, 2020
Keep Forever was a heart wrenching, and beautiful book. It gave an insight into the traumas that affected soldiers after the Vietnam war and it was unlike any other book I had read on that subject. The author wrote this book so beautifully, that every emotion, whether it be love, hope, despair, or sadness, you can’t help but feel as you’re reading. You can’t help but be drawn into each character’s story, and by the end, you feel connected to all of them. I definitely recommend this book! I will be reading more from this author. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Voracious Readers Only.
April 2, 2020
Based on her own true story, Alexa Kingaard’s novel is an honest, realistic and at times sobering look at the problems a wife faces when she discovers her husband continues to endure psychological stress from his days serving in Vietnam.It is an unhurried, relatively low-key family drama filled with heartbreaking and tender moments. Unlike some war stories that focus on intense, harsh and graphic depictions of Post-Vietnam Syndrome, this tale unfolds gently, like an Edna Ferber novel, spread across many decades, detailing the impact this soldier’s illness has on an entire family, including children and grandchildren. Though at times Paul, the husband/solder in the story, is quite critical of the war —" We were nothing more than equipment… killing machines.” — he’s also deeply patriotic and insists the whole family visit the Vietnam Memorial, an event that will have a deep impact on his son’s future. It is a wonderful, emotionally satisfying read, and I highly recommend it.
May 5, 2020
This is a book based on true life events, while it's not an autobiography as such, it's clear when you read it that the authors own life is mirrored in the pages. The story stretches from Elizabeth, our heroine's teenage life and follows both and her close family members as they face many challenges and difficulties.
I have to admit that this isn't really my kind of book. Memoirs are not really for me and not being American I failed to relate to much that the characters faced and dealt with. Unfortunately, for me, this combined with the fact that I didn't find the way the story was told to be particularly engaging, I struggled to feel anything for the main characters.
I think for anyone who can relate to the experiences of both Elizabeth and Paul, this might be a fantastic read. It's a shame that I didn't really feel the connection, but it was still an interesting book to read.
I have to admit that this isn't really my kind of book. Memoirs are not really for me and not being American I failed to relate to much that the characters faced and dealt with. Unfortunately, for me, this combined with the fact that I didn't find the way the story was told to be particularly engaging, I struggled to feel anything for the main characters.
I think for anyone who can relate to the experiences of both Elizabeth and Paul, this might be a fantastic read. It's a shame that I didn't really feel the connection, but it was still an interesting book to read.
May 3, 2020
Keep Forever is a story that will take the rider on a roller coaster of emotions. It follows the lives of Paul and Sam as they navigate their way through being Marines and their short experience with War in Vietnam. We also follow Elizabeth, Sam's sister as she tries to hold on to her emotions and childhood while dealing with the loss of her parents and the responsibility of her younger siblings. A very well-written story, Keep Forever will pull the reader in and make up experience everything along with the main characters. The happiness, the turmoil, the heart-wrenching sadness and the flicker of hope.
Considering that this story is inspired by a true story, it is all that more eye opening. The reader is exposed to the concept of PTSD, the possible causes and the effects it may have on the person experiencing it as well as the people around. If a person is suffering from it, their pain and sorrow is difficult to relate to, but for the family, it is even more difficult to handle. The author brings in a lot of perspective on the topic and handles the concept with delicate ease. The main characters are well rounded and very well thought out. I enjoyed reading about their lives, and it was a humbling experience. We are also given a glimpse into the circumstances that shaped the characters and made them who they are, the reasons behind their decisions and finally the consequences of these decisions. These form the crux of the plot.
I particularly enjoyed reading about Elizabeth and how she grows into a strong woman. She takes control of her life, takes care of her family and builds a new one with the man she loves. Even in the end, she manages to give him distance while maintaining normalcy to ensure that he never feels useless. Her delicate handling of things and her ability to understand or make and effort to understand her husband's pain is what makes her a wonderful person.
This story is a must read for everyone, a way to try and understand the nightmares of war and how it affects us human beings!
Considering that this story is inspired by a true story, it is all that more eye opening. The reader is exposed to the concept of PTSD, the possible causes and the effects it may have on the person experiencing it as well as the people around. If a person is suffering from it, their pain and sorrow is difficult to relate to, but for the family, it is even more difficult to handle. The author brings in a lot of perspective on the topic and handles the concept with delicate ease. The main characters are well rounded and very well thought out. I enjoyed reading about their lives, and it was a humbling experience. We are also given a glimpse into the circumstances that shaped the characters and made them who they are, the reasons behind their decisions and finally the consequences of these decisions. These form the crux of the plot.
I particularly enjoyed reading about Elizabeth and how she grows into a strong woman. She takes control of her life, takes care of her family and builds a new one with the man she loves. Even in the end, she manages to give him distance while maintaining normalcy to ensure that he never feels useless. Her delicate handling of things and her ability to understand or make and effort to understand her husband's pain is what makes her a wonderful person.
This story is a must read for everyone, a way to try and understand the nightmares of war and how it affects us human beings!
April 3, 2020
Based on her own true story, Alexa Kingaard’s novel is an honest, realistic and at times sobering look at the problems a wife faces when she discovers her husband continues to endure psychological stress from his days serving in Vietnam.It is an unhurried, relatively low-key family drama filled with heartbreaking and tender moments. Unlike some war stories that focus on intense, harsh and graphic depictions of Post-Vietnam Syndrome, this tale unfolds gently, like an Edna Ferber novel, spread across many decades, detailing the impact this soldier’s illness has on an entire family, including children and grandchildren. Though at times Paul, the husband/solder in the story, is quite critical of the war —" We were nothing more than equipment… killing machines.” — he’s also deeply patriotic and insists the whole family visit the Vietnam Memorial, an event that will have a deep impact on his son’s future. It is a wonderful, emotionally satisfying read, and I highly recommend it.
July 11, 2020
Keep Forever was a heart wrenching, and beautiful book. It gave an insight into the traumas that affected soldiers after the Vietnam war and it was unlike any other book I had read on that subject. The author wrote this book so beautifully, that every emotion, whether it be love, hope, despair, or sadness, you can’t help but feel as you’re reading. You can’t help but be drawn into each character’s story, and by the end, you feel connected to all of them. I definitely recommend this book! I will be reading more from this author.
March 12, 2020
KEEP FOREVER is a wonderful, insightful story that reveals the hidden trauma of the Viet Nam war era that dominated the news in the 1970s. The horrors of the actual combat were evident to all, but the life long hidden struggles of the men who returned home were not. In the story, Alexa has expertly placed us in the lives of two families brought together by this war and takes us through the ups and downs of life in the 60s and 70s. It reveals the impact Viet Nam had on the families as well as their returning loved ones. This is also a story of courage, perseverance, and unconditional love.
March 7, 2020
KEEP FOREVER is a wonderful, insightful story that reveals the hidden trauma of the Viet Nam war era that dominated the news in the 1970s. The horrors of the actual combat were evident to all, but the life long hidden struggles of the men who returned home were not. In the story, Alexa has expertly placed us in the lives of two families brought together by this war and takes us through the ups and downs of life in the 60s and 70s. It reveals the impact Viet Nam had on the families as well as their returning loved ones. This is also a story of courage, perseverance, and unconditional love.
May 6, 2018
Very well written and engrossing account of a Vietnam veteran's struggle with PTSD while raising a family as well as a commentary on the horrors of war.
October 20, 2019
This book holds a special place in my heart. Inspired by a true story, Keep Forever follows a strong female character from her childhood to maturity as she struggles with the scars the Vietnam war left on the men she loves most. Keep Forever is heartbreaking and inspiring, a true tour de force, and a must-read for anyone who loves historical fiction.
July 22, 2021
4 Stars
Keep Forever by Alexa Kingaard.
Part of my 2021 reading challenge.
New-to-me author.
Based on actual events.
Review to come.
Keep Forever by Alexa Kingaard.
Part of my 2021 reading challenge.
New-to-me author.
Based on actual events.
Review to come.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews