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Fairhill #2
The Next Forever
Friendship begins beneath cherry blossoms. Can it turn into love?
Meet Chrissie Sullivan – baking whiz, cake shop owner, and a woman on the brink ever since her grown family moved back into the house. When her meddling mother enters Chrissie’s shop into a prestigious wedding cake competition, things get even more complicated. Chrissie never expected still to be alone in her fifties, but her hectic life doesn’t make it easy to find a little romance.
Meet Keith McGraw – pub landlord, whisky lover, and a man who’s perpetually unlucky in love. He thinks he’s happy living alone, until his chaotic ex-wife reappears and turns his life upside down, making him wonder if the woman of his dreams might still be somewhere out there after all.
When Chrissie and Keith meet in the park, a friendship begins beneath spring cherry blossoms as they seek shelter from their messy lives. But as romance sparks, they must run a gauntlet of calamities that threaten to keep them apart. Can they find what it takes to overcome the mayhem and give love one last chance, or risk a future filled with regret?
Treat yourself to THE NEXT FOREVER, a sweet, funny, feel-good story about family, friendship, and falling in love when you least expect it.
Meet Chrissie Sullivan – baking whiz, cake shop owner, and a woman on the brink ever since her grown family moved back into the house. When her meddling mother enters Chrissie’s shop into a prestigious wedding cake competition, things get even more complicated. Chrissie never expected still to be alone in her fifties, but her hectic life doesn’t make it easy to find a little romance.
Meet Keith McGraw – pub landlord, whisky lover, and a man who’s perpetually unlucky in love. He thinks he’s happy living alone, until his chaotic ex-wife reappears and turns his life upside down, making him wonder if the woman of his dreams might still be somewhere out there after all.
When Chrissie and Keith meet in the park, a friendship begins beneath spring cherry blossoms as they seek shelter from their messy lives. But as romance sparks, they must run a gauntlet of calamities that threaten to keep them apart. Can they find what it takes to overcome the mayhem and give love one last chance, or risk a future filled with regret?
Treat yourself to THE NEXT FOREVER, a sweet, funny, feel-good story about family, friendship, and falling in love when you least expect it.
292 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 18, 2019
37 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
About the author
Alix Kelso
22 books26 followersAlix Kelso writes feel-good, heartwarming stories filled with romance, family, friendship and fun. She lives in Glasgow with her husband, where she enjoys pottering in the kitchen, exploring the great outdoors, and buying far too many Christmas decorations.
Find out more at Alix's website: https://www.alixkelso.com/
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Find out more at Alix's website: https://www.alixkelso.com/
Find her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlixKelsoAut...
Find her on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlixKelsoAuthor/
Find her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/AlixKelsoAu...
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 22, 2019
“The Next Forever” is a lovely story of finding romance when you least expect it. Keith and Chrissie are both realistic, likable characters that you can’t help but route for and their story makes for a truly heartwarming read. It’s 4 stars from me!
My full review: https://whatrebeccasread.wordpress.co...
My full review: https://whatrebeccasread.wordpress.co...
March 13, 2022
Never too late
I really enjoyed reading this book, it was lovely that older people can also find love and happiness no matter how long for.
I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
I really enjoyed reading this book, it was lovely that older people can also find love and happiness no matter how long for.
I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
October 19, 2019
Earlier this year, I read the author's first Fairhill novel - The Perfect Moment - and was instantly charmed by the characters, especially Keith McGraw. For him to get his own story delighted me, giving me hope that he would get his own chance at happiness. The Next Forever shines a spotlight on Keith, one he thoroughly deserves.
As a thrice-married, thrice-divorced lover of fine Whisky, Keith has all but given up on finding someone with whom to share his life. He books a tour of whisky distilleries, a tour he has promised himself for a long time and one which he is prepared to take alone. Aww! Bless him.
Unfortunately, Janice happens - his ex-wife turns up, sobbing and desperate, the night before he's due to leave on his trip. There's no way he can go now - not because he has any feelings still for Janice, but because he dare not leave her alone in his pub. So, he cancels.
Having offered to sort out a wedding cake for a customer-friend, Big Kev who is struggling to keep up with his wedding to-do list - because that's the kind of man Keith is: big-hearted and generous - Keith heads to Chrissie's cakes.
Chrissie finds herself in the shop on her day off after a distressed bride-to-be gets into tizz over her wedding cake (such a tizz that the young woman has even got the date of her appointment with Chrissie wrong) when Keith arrives, and despite being swamped with orders , she agrees to take his order - because that's the kind of woman she is: warm-hearted and selfless.
You can see where this is going, right?
Chrissie, living alone until recently, is now feeling the stress of accommodating her daughter, her daughter's boyfriend, and their young child. Her home is not her own anymore, and the boyfriend is a prolific DIY disaster who wrecks more of Chrissie's belongings than he repairs. Add to that, her mother has entered her in a cake competition at an upcoming wedding fayre.
So, when both Chrissie and Keith escape the dilemmas of their home lives for a breath of fresh air, they find each other on a park bench beneath the cherry trees.
A friendship blossoms, one that has great potential for a future relationship. It's as if their lives aligned on the park bench that night. But of course, the road to romance is cluttered with one issue after another that sees their attempt to even go out to dinner thwarted time and time again. Misunderstandings, overreactions, self-doubt and thoughts of being unworthy of love seek to keep them apart.
The story is brimming with realistic characters, believable circumstances, unfortunate external interferences and so much humour. Often, it is Keith and Chrissie themselves, who suffer as a result of their own generosity and sense of duty. Such is their nature to care for and help others that their commitments impede their own chance of happiness.
Both characters ooze warmth, and will have you onside from the start, willing them to be together. Their journey is tested by real-life situations and frustrations, all of which makes it such an easy, effortless read. Charming, full of heart and a lovely way to pass a few hours. Everyone should visit Fairhill for a dose of warmth, humour, charm, and hope.
As a thrice-married, thrice-divorced lover of fine Whisky, Keith has all but given up on finding someone with whom to share his life. He books a tour of whisky distilleries, a tour he has promised himself for a long time and one which he is prepared to take alone. Aww! Bless him.
Unfortunately, Janice happens - his ex-wife turns up, sobbing and desperate, the night before he's due to leave on his trip. There's no way he can go now - not because he has any feelings still for Janice, but because he dare not leave her alone in his pub. So, he cancels.
Having offered to sort out a wedding cake for a customer-friend, Big Kev who is struggling to keep up with his wedding to-do list - because that's the kind of man Keith is: big-hearted and generous - Keith heads to Chrissie's cakes.
Chrissie finds herself in the shop on her day off after a distressed bride-to-be gets into tizz over her wedding cake (such a tizz that the young woman has even got the date of her appointment with Chrissie wrong) when Keith arrives, and despite being swamped with orders , she agrees to take his order - because that's the kind of woman she is: warm-hearted and selfless.
You can see where this is going, right?
Chrissie, living alone until recently, is now feeling the stress of accommodating her daughter, her daughter's boyfriend, and their young child. Her home is not her own anymore, and the boyfriend is a prolific DIY disaster who wrecks more of Chrissie's belongings than he repairs. Add to that, her mother has entered her in a cake competition at an upcoming wedding fayre.
So, when both Chrissie and Keith escape the dilemmas of their home lives for a breath of fresh air, they find each other on a park bench beneath the cherry trees.
A friendship blossoms, one that has great potential for a future relationship. It's as if their lives aligned on the park bench that night. But of course, the road to romance is cluttered with one issue after another that sees their attempt to even go out to dinner thwarted time and time again. Misunderstandings, overreactions, self-doubt and thoughts of being unworthy of love seek to keep them apart.
The story is brimming with realistic characters, believable circumstances, unfortunate external interferences and so much humour. Often, it is Keith and Chrissie themselves, who suffer as a result of their own generosity and sense of duty. Such is their nature to care for and help others that their commitments impede their own chance of happiness.
Both characters ooze warmth, and will have you onside from the start, willing them to be together. Their journey is tested by real-life situations and frustrations, all of which makes it such an easy, effortless read. Charming, full of heart and a lovely way to pass a few hours. Everyone should visit Fairhill for a dose of warmth, humour, charm, and hope.
September 24, 2019
I absolutely adored the first Fairhill book, and – I'm delighted to say – the second one doesn't disappoint. Chock-full of the same charm, warmth and gentle humour which made the author's debut such an enjoyable read.
We meet up again with thrice-divorced pub landlord, Keith McGraw, and are introduced to cake shop owner, Chrissie Sullivan. Both have a lot on their plates, and little time for friendship, never mind romance. 'The problem wasn't that her life was going in the wrong direction. The problem was that her life wasn't going in any direction at all.'
Other family members – including one of Keith's ex-wives – have their parts to play in a story that appears effortlessly written. Which suggests a great deal of effort has gone into to creating such a magical and believable world. A bit like barely-there makeup, which doesn't mask but enhances the finer features.
There are plenty of laughs too. As poor Chrissie's plans for a relaxed day collapse into chaos, she eyes the bottle of wine she'd planned to savour. 'You can still be mine,' she told the bottle. 'And you will still be mine.'
I devoured The Next Forever in a little over two days, and would have finished it sooner if I could. Filled to the brim with genuine emotion, acts of kindness and characters who will stick in your mind, it was a joy to read. I eagerly await the final book in the series.
We meet up again with thrice-divorced pub landlord, Keith McGraw, and are introduced to cake shop owner, Chrissie Sullivan. Both have a lot on their plates, and little time for friendship, never mind romance. 'The problem wasn't that her life was going in the wrong direction. The problem was that her life wasn't going in any direction at all.'
Other family members – including one of Keith's ex-wives – have their parts to play in a story that appears effortlessly written. Which suggests a great deal of effort has gone into to creating such a magical and believable world. A bit like barely-there makeup, which doesn't mask but enhances the finer features.
There are plenty of laughs too. As poor Chrissie's plans for a relaxed day collapse into chaos, she eyes the bottle of wine she'd planned to savour. 'You can still be mine,' she told the bottle. 'And you will still be mine.'
I devoured The Next Forever in a little over two days, and would have finished it sooner if I could. Filled to the brim with genuine emotion, acts of kindness and characters who will stick in your mind, it was a joy to read. I eagerly await the final book in the series.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews