Flirting with Forever

Forever Yours #3

by Cara Bastone

Sometimes you get a second chance at a first impression

Mary Trace is bright, bubbly and back in the dating pool in her midthirties. All of her closest friends are in love, and she refuses to miss out on romance. So when a regular customer at her trendy Brooklyn boutique wants to set Mary up on a blind date with her son, she gives a hesitant yes. John Modesto-Whitford is gorgeous and well-groomed, so maybe dinner won’t be a total bust—until he drops a less-than-flattering comment about Mary’s age.

Desperate to be nothing like his snake of a politician father, public defender John Modesto-Whitford prides himself on his honesty and candor. But his social awkwardness and lack of filter just blew it with the most beautiful woman he’s ever dated.

Luckily, Mom’s machinations keep Mary and John running into each other all summer long, and soon they resort to fake dating to get her to back off. When their pretense turns to real friendship—and some surprisingly hot chemistry—can these two stubborn individuals see past their rocky start to a rock-solid future together?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Slow Burn, Audiobook, Friends To Lovers, Adult

384 pages, ebook

First published January 26, 2021

About the author

Cara Bastone is the author of Ready or Not. She lives and writes in Brooklyn with her husband, sons, and an almost-goldendoodle. Her goal with her work is to find the swoon in ordinary love stories. She's been a fan of the romance genre since she found a grocery bag filled with her grandmother's old Harlequin Romances when she was in high school. She's a fangirl for pretzel sticks, long walks through Prospect Park, and love stories featuring men who aren't hobbled by their own masculinity.

source: Amazon

Reviews

[Ami · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

First of all, THERE ARE NO DOGS IN THIS BOOK!! What's wrong with the art department that's in charge for the cover?!? The only animal in this book is JOHN'S CAT ! As a cat person, I'm truly offended! And second, there's no way John looks anywhere near like the man in that cover. Not when John is described as a man used to wear black slacks/trousers and white shirt as his "uniform".

Anyway, for the second time this week, I was amazed by the ability of an author to turn my opinion around from a character I wasn’t sure I could like in the beginning. You see, when Mary first met with John in a date set-up by John’s mother, Estrella, who’s also Mary’s friend, John said something very, very, rude about Mary’s age. I was so flabbergasted! It was HORRIBLE.

Oh, and I didn’t re-read the blurb before I started reading. Therefore, I didn’t expect John to be main male character. I thought, that date would be just an evidence how horrible dates could be to Mary, and Mary would meet her love interest in the next chapters.

Imagine my surprise that indeed, this man who said that horrible thing to Mary ended up to be the main male character! And that Bastone, slowly but surely, provided a more detailed exploration of John as a character.

Yes, John can be rude, he’s not very good in social situation, but he has the biggest heart, and when John decides that you’re worth it, he will give EVERYTHING to make sure that he gets ALL of his attention. He will be loyal to you and protect you. I couldn’t imagine the most perfect person for Mary after all.

Mary needs someone who will champion her against the world, who will make her feel protected, seen, worthy, and loved unconditionally. After all the barbs and wire that her parents, especially her mother, has thrown to Mary all her life. Even if Mary’s close friends indeed love her, but it’s different with John. Trust me, you’ll understand what I mean if you read this book.

I know I talk more about John rather than Mary – but that is because I couldn’t really think of any flaws for Mary. Like John said, Mary is “radiant, sunny, and bright”. Her determination, her positive thinking, her charming way towards other people, her sweetness, the all make Mary such a beautiful soul. Maybe I sort of wished that Mary stood up to her mother a bit earlier, but it didn’t make Mary a doormat. No matter how dreadful Mary’s mother is.

Flirting for Forever stands on misunderstanding trope – but it’s a believable one, a misunderstanding that comes from two person who are used to see and to interpret the world differently. When John and Mary put everything on the table, and explain what they are actually thinking and real meaning behind their words, it results in a satisfying way. I admit, I had tears hanging on the corner of my eyes.

With Flirting for Forever , I am ready to announce that Cara Bastone is one of my favorite contemporary romance author, because I loved this one as well...



A Guest Review for The Blogger Girls



The ARC is provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.

[nick (the infinite limits of love) · Rating 5 out of 5]

How does Cara Bastone do it? Every new release of hers is somehow better than the previous one. I'm in complete awe of her writing abilities and for selfish reasons, I hope she never stops writing romance. Flirting with Forever is a heartwarming and tropey book about wrong first impressions, finding love in your 30s, and the various forms of family.

The book opens up with Mary, our protagonist, showing up on a blind date with the son of one of her regular customers. Only this date takes a sour note when frowny John basically calls Mary "old" to her face. Mary, the smart woman that she is, obviously leaves never wanting to see him again because who wants to be insulted on a first date? Fate (or John's mother) has it out for them though because they keep running into each other. And well, these two somehow find a way to become friends and get close to each other. The journey, as with all of Cara Bastone's stories, is slow, romantic, and incredibly satisfying.

There's just something about her stories, especially the romance parts, that evoke strong feelings for me. I think it's perhaps the fact that we see the relationship evolve during moments that one could consider small and inconsequential. It's a work of art how Cara Bastone does that. As you can probably guess, I loved Mary and John (yes, even this rude grump). Mary is sunshine and rainbows and everything good in the world. She exudes optimism and happiness and is genuinely one of the kindest characters I have come across. She lives her life "in the moment" despite the grief she had gone through of having lost her beloved aunt and her best friend. Mary also lives with the constant pressure her mother burdened on her. I found their relationship to be interesting to read because there is clearly love on her mother's part but her guilting of Mary for being a single woman in her late 30s is so bad and borders on emotional manipulation. Despite all of that, she remains this buoyant character who brings lightness wherever she goes.

The execution of the sunshine plus grumpy trope is done beautifully in Flirting with Forever with the forever quiet and sullen, John. Obviously, our first impression of this man is not a good one, but Cara Bastone makes his character work so well - I swear she is a magical genius! He is a very tense man and much of that is attributed to his career as a public defender and his convoluted relationship with his father. He repents his "old" comment throughout the entire book and the author really did make me feel like his guilt was authentic. Despite the cruel words he uttered to Mary in his moment of nervousness at her blinding beauty, I was never not convinced that he was the perfect guy that she deserved.

Watching them slowly develop crushes on each other, and then thinking that their feelings were unrequited hurt a little, but it was the good kind of pain. There were so many little heartachingly swoon-worthy scenes that stole my breath away. I've read a lot of romance books but Flirting with Forever is probably one of the most romantic books I have ever read. I could also write an ode to the sex scenes in Cara Bastone's books. They are sensual, steamy, and so intimate - it's easy to feel like you are a peeping tom because you can just sense the love characters have for each other in those scenes. The last thing I want to mention about Flirting with Forever and the Forever Yours series is the way these books explore the idea of different forms of family. For both Mary and John, their friends are probably closer to family and I loved how these people were incorporated into the story and their lives.

If you love the sunshine and grumpy pairing, slow-burn romances, and books that hurt in the best way possible, do yourself a favor and pick up Flirting with Forever. We're only in January, but it's a solid favorite of 2021 for me.

Relationship disclosure: Cara Bastone and I are mutuals on social media. This does not affect my rating and review of the book.

[Vivian Diaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75/5 ⭐️ This is my first book by this author and I’m pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it! The characters felt so real to me and I adored the romance. I’ll definitely be reading more of her books.

This was just cute and low angst. I really enjoyed the romance and the characters were all likable as well as relatable.

Mary was very upbeat, bubbly, and compassionate but she also had some insecurities that made me want to hug her 🥺.

And John was a bit dorky and such a damn cutie. He really thought that it couldn’t be possible for such a gorgeous and amazing woman like Mary to want him the same way he wanted her 🥺.

This was just a gorgeous slowburn full of pining, longing, and just so much sweetness! 🥹❤️

I also loved the relationship that Mary had with John’s mom. It reminded me so much of the relationship I have with my own mother-in-law ❤️.

I did wish there was better communication between Mary and John though 😆. There were a few instances where they both assumed a lot of things about one another and it just made me want to yell at them to FINALLY TALK! Lol but I still loved them though 🥹❤️🫶🏻

Overall, this was such a joy to read! I adored Mary and John’s romance so much 💕

“You’re something else, Mary.”
“Something good, I hope.”
“The best.” 🥹❤️

[Kelsey reviews•books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was for sure my favorite of the three, but the FMC Mary’s mom being into marriage pressure coupled with the amount of times Mary mentioned under boob sweat nearly did me in :)
This is book 3 in the “Forever Yours” series. I suggest they be read in order for maximum effect.

▹My ⭐ Rating: ★★★★.5 out of 5
▹Format: 🎧Audiobook (Narrated by Susannah Jones; rating: 5/5)
─────────────────────────

○★○ What to Expect from This Book: ○★○

– About: Mary Trace is ready to date again after a heartbreak and find love. So when she’s set up on a blind date with the son of her customer, she gives a hesitant yes.
However, John’s social awkwardness and lack of filter causes him to say something less-than-flattering about Mary’s age, causing a miscommunication for the ages.

But John’s mom’s meddling keeps Mary and John running into each other, and they soon resort to fake dating to get her to back off. When their pretense turns to real friendship—and some surprisingly hot chemistry—can these two stubborn individuals see past their rocky start to a rock-solid future together?
– FMC: Mary Trace (aka “MFT” or “baby”). 37-year-old ball of sunshine who owns her own flower shop/local artist goods store in Brooklyn. Hasn’t yet been lucky in love, but keeps putting herself out there. Level-headed and sweet.
– MMC: John Modesto-Whitford. 31-year-old grump who, up til now, has been OK with being alone. He’s a public defender trying to make ends meet in Brooklyn. His mom is nosy (but lovable) and his dad and half-brother are...well, it’s a work in progress.
– Location: Brooklyn, NY
– POV: Dual third-person
– Spice: Several (3+) open-door explicit and romantic spicy scenes
– Tropes: blind date to friends to lovers, grumpy x sunshine, she owns a flower shop, he’s a public defender, meddling mother, strong friend group, slow burn, cat daddy
– Content warning: estranged parent, pressures on women to marry/have kids by a parent, grief, cheating ex, cancer (mention; not a MC), vandalism and destruction of property, potential home invasion
– Representation: FMC in late 30s, LGBTQ+ supporting character

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↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺ 1:00 ──ㅇ────── 4:12

Now Playing: You Are in Love by Taylor Swift

╰┈➤ ❝You can hear it in the silence, silence, you; You can feel it on the way home, way home, you; You can see it with the lights out, lights out; You are in love, true love❞

─────────────────────────

★○ If You Like the Following, You Might Like This Book ○★

➼ It had vibes of 2000s romance movie but with a slightly more modern outlook
➼ The Love Wager by Lynn Painter and Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams
➼ Going on blind dates and putting yourself out there with the hope you’ll find the one

─────────────────────────

⍟»This or That«⍟

Character Driven———✧————————Plot Driven
Fast Burn————————✧———Slow Burn
Sweet—————✧——————Spicy
Light/Fluffy————✧———————Heavy/Emotional

─────────────────────────

🎯 My Thoughts:

I’ve really enjoyed this series as the early workings of Cara Bastone. While it does have some things that feel tonally different than her newer books, it still has her signature style of layered characters, emotional plotlines, and NYC as a supporting role.

This was my favorite of the three (though I know there’s another one that’s like a “spinoff” that I still need to read). I just really liked Mary and while it took some time for John to grow on me, he eventually really did. Some readers might find Mary to be too perfect, and she might be, but I just think she really balanced John in all the right places.

I also loved John’s family storyline. His estranged father and half-brother (which wasn’t a main focus, but added to the complexities that is John) and his mother (he’s a momma’s boy!).

What made me knock off half a star (and almost a full star) was Mary’s mom’s plotline. It was a bit melodramatic. I do know that some mothers put a LOT of pressure on their daughters to be married and have children, but the whole reasoning behind Mary’s mom’s pressure felt strange and perhaps not as fleshed out as I would have liked.

And while I didn’t knock any stars off for it, Mary should see a doctor about her under-boob sweat issues 😉 hahahha

I also think two things are interesting:
There is no dog in this book. but there is a dog on the cover. there IS a cat though, so the designer missed the mark imo
The first two books were narrated by a male, but this one by a female. I’m curious about that decision, not that it impacted the overall experience for me, but perhaps it’s because in this friend group it was Seb, Tyler, and Mary and that’s what drove them to choose the narrators? idk. I think of the weirdest things to latch onto sometimes

Would I Recommend?: Yes!!! If you are expecting Promise Me Sunshine you won’t find the same with these books, but this has Cara’s signature voice and wonderful characters. They do seem to be a little spicier (though still as slow of a burn) as her recent books, but nothing overly explicit or shocking. I loved getting to read these to round out my love for Cara’s work.

•♥Consider following me on Instagram @kelseyreviewsbooks for more visual content and bookish discussions.♥•

[aarya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cara Bastone has a rare ability to create fully realized characters without relying on a one-page bio sheet. That’s the highest compliment I can give to an author. A few subplots surrounding the secondary characters didn’t work for me, but the central ship was spectacular. That end scene at Mary’s family home in Connecticut was one of the most satisfying scenes I’ve ever read.

Also: WTF at the Ruth erasure on the cover! My precious, friendly fictional kitty. Stop putting dogs on covers when the main characters don’t even have a dog. John has a cat. I DEMAND RUTH!!!!

I read this via the library despite receiving an arc; the PDF format hurt my eyes and I couldn’t get through the arc.

Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Ⓐlleskelle - That ranting lady ッ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine meeting this handsome guy on a blind date set up by his mom which is a dear friend of yours, only to have him ruin it by flat out telling you he expected someone younger!? What. An. Ass!

Flirting With Forever is slow burn romance between a sunshine heroine and a grumpy hero that grabbed me from page one.
This opposites attract romance steadily and organically morphed into an engaging friends to lovers story. Cara Bastone built a tension so high-strung between Mary and John, antagonizing both their insecurities—Mary's age and John's wealth or lack thereof— I found myself considering crafting voodoo dolls of the main characters and have them kiss prematurely. Waiting for them to realise their mutual attraction was pure torture but the reward of their first kiss was glorious. That grinding action at the bar was *chef's kiss* material.



The author has a real knack at writing genuine, real characters, John the hero is a grouch but a true cinnamon roll hero at heart, such a great guy, just a little awkward. The heroine, Mary, was wonderful, she comes with emotional baggage but it doesn't dull her positive nature and magnetism.

The storytelling is wonderful, Cara Bastone truly does excel at delivering authentic and compelling romance stories. I can't wait to read more from her!

More reviews and book talk at :

You can find me here too ☞

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this and highly recommend. Very safe and so good.

The cover does not do this book justice. The dude is always dressed up. He's an attorney and wears a work "uniform" of black pants, white button-up shirts, and wing-tips. There's a whole thing about this. There is no dog. The dude has a cat... and his relationship with his cat is adorable. Don't choose this book for the cover... but choose this book.

I love a slow burn... and this is pretty slow. The beginning was so painful that I actually returned it to the library while I read reviews. And reviews convinced me to recheck it out and continue. And I am so glad I did.

These are two people that have some insecurities they have to address. They felt like real people. Sometimes romance main characters feel way more like fantasy versions of people, but these two felt like humans with human experiences.

Mary is 37 and open to dating. Her mom gives her a hard time because she's older and not married, so Mary has some insecurities, while also being confident that she's awesome. She's put together and successful. She has her own thriving business and a nice apt above it. She's bright and loving and open. Definitely the sunshine of the pair.

John is 31 and a public defender. His bio dad is wealthy and he left when John was a baby. John has a bit of a chip on his shoulder regarding wealth and this lack of it. But he also refused his dad's offer of a trust fund. He comes off as harsh when people first meet him, but once folks get to know him, they realize he's a mushy ball of kindness, sincerity, and love. He blushes and he's adorable.

John's mom sets the two of them up and there is a misunderstanding on the first date that rolls through the book and finally gets explained way later. But it slows their relationship down by a lot. And, because of that misunderstanding, there are more times where one or the other almost reaches out for something more, but are stopped because of a continued confusion. To me, it felt natural and like something you might see in real life and not a made-up drama.

I loved the unveiling of the truths about each other, especially seeing John for who he is.

This is a lovely story and I really hope I've found a new author I'll love... cause she's got more audiobooks on overdrive and Hoopla!

Safety deets
- No OM/OW... tho both of them are set up by their mothers with other people, but there's no interest in others. We hear a little about past relationships, but not in detail.
- Consent is very good!
- We get to see them together at the end, but there's no epilogue showing them years later. I felt satisfied that they are really together tho... and that they have what it takes to work out really well.
- explicit descriptions of sex tho it doesn't happen until 80% I think
- no third act breakup... cause they're not together until the third act.

[buket · Rating 5 out of 5]

👵🏼 older fmc(37) x 👶🏻 younger mmc(31)
👔public defender bf x 🛍️shop owner gf
🫂great friends and family members
🧿 no omd/owd their mothers try setting them up with other people but it doesn't work🤭
❤️‍🩹 no third act because it's a very slow burn so they're not together until the very end🤍
👩🏼‍❤️‍👨🏻 no epilogue i would love to see them in the future but they made plans for next summers so it was enough 😈

when it's the first chapter and he says i was waiting someone younger



it's all a big misunderstanding🤭 he explains later what he meant by that and we already knew from his pov that he liiiiiked her😋 but being old is her insecurity created by her own mother so it wounds her🥺 since we're talking about insecurities.....he thinks she's too rich for him so he isn't sure if she would want to be with him😭

it's the perfect book for a cozy weekend under the blanket🥺 (what i did 🤭)

He wanted a long luxurious, soapy shower with Mary. But he also wanted a quick late-for-work shower with her just as badly. He wanted to watch her brush her teeth while she wore a white towel in that twist thing that women did. He wanted to race around a kitchen with her, make sure she left the house with at least a cup of coffee and a muffin. If she even ate muffins.


“This is how I look without makeup.”
“There’s no need to brag, Mary.”
when she was panicking because she thought he wouldn't like her in the morning light 😭😭😭 he's so real and so in love

As John was reading, one last text came through, an emoji of a shiny, smiling sun, its rays waving at him, reminding him of Mary’s sunny, wavy hair. It should be meaningless. It was just something she’d absently clicked on and sent. But for some reason, for a split second, John wondered if it was personal. If she purposefully picked it and sent it his way, actively wanting to send him a little sunshine.
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭



To me, Mary, you’re radiant.” He touched her hair with his free hand. “You’re sunny and bright.



😭good night😭i'll be thinking about them while i cry myself to sleep😭

[Leigh Kramer · Rating 2 out of 5]

With this, I can now conclude Bastone is not the author for me. It's unfortunate because she has a lot to offer. She knows how to craft a gorgeous sentence and her characters are richly drawn. There was such great chemistry and pining between Mary and John. The bulk of the conflict comes down to miscommunication and their respective insecurities and that made my heart ache in the best way.

And yet the good did not weigh out the bad. It was death by a 1000 paper cuts. If she had tighter editing or if more attention was paid to timing and logistics, this story would have worked better for me. But that still wouldn’t have addressed the gender essentialism in all of her books or the unaddressed gentrification and class issues or how white and cishet her version of NYC is. There was actually a secondary queer character with a good amount of page time in this installment, which was great to see. Richie is John’s best friend and he’s gay. I can’t speak to the representation but I didn’t love that the first part of the book he’s had a long-standing crush on a straight cop who’s an absolute jerk. At least by the end of the book he’s in a seemingly happy relationship. Although there’s also an instance of bi-erasure when John realizes who Richie’s new love interest is and says “I didn’t realize he was gay.”

Concerning the whiteness of this book, there are very few characters of color, outside of a couple of people John represents as a public defender. That doesn’t send a great message in terms of representation since they’ve been accused of various crimes. While John does think about racial disparities, especially in opposition to his father’s approach to crime, the book didn’t lean into that nearly enough. The other POC character I remember was one of the bad blind dates John’s mom Estrella was trying to set Mary up on. These were all minor characters with little page time or dialogue. I just don’t understand setting a book in a diverse city like NYC and not at least letting your secondary and minor characters reflect that diversity. (Absolutely fine with white authors not writing non-white main characters—that’s a whole other issue and based on what I’ve read, Bastone is wise to not try.)

Then there was the incredibly weird and hurtful attitudes around singleness. Romance may be about falling in love but it does not have to be anti-single and anti-child-free in the process. Mary’s mother is obsessed with dwindling chances to get pregnant since she’s 37 and single. She harasses her about her odds and her choices every chance she gets. Mary does have some hard limits but she hasn’t put many boundaries in place and continues to visit her parents for much of the book, even though she doesn’t like spending time with them. It was extremely hard to read about Mary’s mother’s obsession with her fertility and the way her mom tied that to the death of her sister who never got married. I was befuddled by why Mary would spend any time with her mom if she’s only going to bring up her singleness and fertility. Why not tell her that she’s not allowed to discuss these topics anymore and why would she not have done this years ago? Mary finally confronts her mom at 65% through and puts up some great boundaries—although I thought she should have had a separate conversation with her dad as well. But that good work was undone when John says they should visit her parents since they’re in the area, thus undermining her boundaries. Of course that interaction doesn’t go well. I could not tell what the author wanted us to take away from this. My kingdom for characters who recognize the need for boundaries and stick to them and for authors who don’t normalize harmful family dynamics. I would also love for people to stop caring about anyone’s fertility but their own.

But the real kicker for me was when John asked Mary why she was single. This is not a question you should ever ask someone! His smarmy dad had asked her this question at brunch and they diverted the conversation. I thought the inclusion was to further prove what a jerk his dad was. (Same question of why John spends time with a parent he clearly doesn’t like.) But why on earth would John then turn around and ask Mary the next time they’re alone?! That...is not a thing single people ask each other! None of my single friends and I have ever asked each other this. If someone asked me that on a date, I’d leave. If a married person asked me that, I’d shut the conversation down. It’s rude. It implied there must be something wrong with you if you’re single. There was no good reason for John to ask her this, especially as her friend. The most charitable interpretation I have is that people think they’re complimenting you: how can you, a catch, be single? But really it’s negging.

That wasn’t even the worst part of this scene. Mary goes on to explain that she knows it’s considered culturally weird to be a 37 year old single woman who doesn’t have kids. But she lives in New York! She should be surrounded by people her age who are in the same situation. In what universe would her situation be considered culturally weird in NYC?! Granted, her circle does seem to be more the “married with kids” set but that’s just another indicator that the author made some odd choices for her world-building. It’s maybe “culturally weird” for me to be 41, single, and child-free in the Chicago suburbs in the eyes of some. But I’d be in good company in Chicago. All the more so for someone living in NYC. And anyone that finds me culturally weird for being single is really just telling me they’re an asshole. This perspective felt very written by someone who is married with children (although I’m not sure if the author has children) and I did not appreciate it.

Character notes: Mary is a 37 year old white home goods shop owner. John is a 31 year old white vegan public defender. He has a cat named Ruth. This is set in NYC.

CW: toxic mother who is obsessed with heroine’s fertility, burglary and vandalism of heroine’s store she lives above the store and heard it happening, called the police and while the burglars broke down the apartment front door, the police arrived before they made it to her place or stole anything. Nothing really comes of this incident: she is shaken up and has a lot of work to do restoring the store but the burglars aren’t caught and the plot focuses on other things after that, heroine’s ex cheated, past death of aunt (cancer), past death of best friend (car accident), hero’s father left after his birth and got another woman pregnant before the divorce went through, alcohol, inebriation, hyperbolic slang around suicide, diet culture, bi-erasure, gendered insults, gender stereotypes, gender essentialism, ableist language, references to hero’s public defender cases (including murder, felony assault, and sex trafficking)

[b.andherbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was not confident that John Modesto-Whitford would be able to redeem himself after starting his blind date with Mary Trace by saying "I was expecting someone younger" but wow does Bastone make me a believer in this meet-disaster friends-to-lovers romance.

Mary Trace loves to flirt, loves love, but is also super tired of her mother sending her articles about aging and infertility, tired of being worried she's seen as old. She doesn't feel old. But then her six-years younger blind date, a "good boy" per his mother, calls her old. She walks out, and is ready to move on.

But John's mother is Mary's good friend and an artist who's work Mary carries at her home goods shop. And his mother will not allow John's rudeness to stand. John apologizes, and it is a good apology.

They form a friendship, and soon find themselves both pining for the other, but not believing the other could possible want them.

Seriously, you will be begging for these two to kiss, but when they do you will have loved every minute they made you wait.

I especially loved the exploration of John feeling inadequate because he's a paycheck to paycheck court appointed lawyer with student loans. He lives in a studio apartment, and often cannot afford to take a date out, or get an extra drink at the bar. He thinks Mary, a well-to-do small business woman who comes from a well-to-do family, judges him for his life (she doesn't), much like she thinks he judges her for her age (he doesn't). A lot to chew on, including Mary's grief over losing her best friend some time ago.

Bastone is a voice I'm now eager to keep reading. The audiobook narrator was also exceptional, and did a great job making the various characters sound distinct.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC, and LibroFM and HarperCollins for the ALC.

[Miki’s⚠️ Safety Reviews & Rants⚠️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up

🌟Brief Summary:
🫣Have you ever read a book where both characters desperately want each other but constant misunderstandings and wrong assumptions keep them apart for most of the book? Frustrating??? …….. yes… yes it is.

💞This was cute for the most part. I did find a few things annoying after a while cause I just don’t like things dragged on for the whole book….. but that’s a me thing.

It goes a little something like this…..
2 people are set up on a date
It DOES NOT go well
They have made wrong assumptions about each other
They become friends
The secretly fall in love w each other
They continue their wrong assumptions
They have more wrong assumptions
They eventually talk like adults after more assumptions
They have sex for many pages many times
They are in love 5 sec later
The end


🌞Not so meet cute
😅Miscommunication/ Misunderstanding trope EXTREME
🌞Friends to lovers
🌞Dating app mix ups
🌞Mild Reverse age gap
😭Slow burn maybe to slow for me
❤️No Manwhore

Main misunderstandings….
‼️Goes on a date and he accidentally disses her about her age

‼️He thinks she is out of his league. Hes insecure about his financial status

‼️He is kinda a dick and knows it he has no real filter

‼️She is insecure about her age.

‼️They are 2 adults with serious differences but become friends and eventually find love.

‼️This book is for you if you want a SAFE slow burn romance where each character is likable and there is very low angst.

🥀 Hero:
John 31 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ very likable
Public Defender
Kinda of a nerd and can be awkward yet sexy and confident to.
Yes definitely more of a beta he’s not
An alpha by any means.
2 GF his whole life
He’s very judgmental and insecure about certain things
NOT A MANWHORE

🦋 Heroine:
Mary ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ very likable
37yr -shop owner
Blonde and beautiful
Generally confident unless it’s about her age and relationships cause her mom has done a real number on her.
Sweet, fun and a ray of sunshine

💭 POV:
3rd person duel

😡/😍 Angst level:
LOW

❤️‍🔥 Sex & Burn Rate:
SLOW SLOW SLOW
They don’t get together till 80% and then it’s a lot of sex

🌓 Push/Pull:
I would say no more of misunderstandings but not fully push away

☠️ OW/OM Drama:
No

🤮 OW/OM Sex / Fluid or DNA Exchange:
None

🤬 Cheating:
None

👰🏼‍♀️ Virgins:
No V

He has hookups a few times a year when the need calls.

She had a recent breakup where the guy cheated w a younger girl. Not sure how recent

No OP after meeting

< b> ⛈️Separation/ 3rd Act Breakup:
None

🎧AUDIO
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Good the narrator did a great job with the voices and emotions

Safety⚠️Triggers🗡️:
Loss of a loved one
Issues with a parent
Insecurities to the extreme
Condoms then none

🌈Epilogue:
None

🥂HEA:
HFN

❌My opinion is just that… MY OPINION.❌
I know we all get passionate about our favorite reads and characters but we should respect each opinions a thoughts. ~Thank you

[Flower · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't understand the praise for this book. I wanted to like it, and at first it seemed wonderful. The writing itself is top-notch, but ultimately it failed to deliver what it promises. Mary is a sunshine character, but she comes across as absolutely perfect at all times. She's model thin, effortlessly gorgeous, and as sweet as pie at literally all times. She even cries prettily. She didn't seem real. John is the grumpy character, but we're mostly told that instead of seeing it.

The back cover copy talks about a mid-thirties woman fake dating, and there's a dog on the cover. At no time in the book is there ever a dog, there is no fake dating, and 37 is not "mid-thirties". I was glad she was older, tbh, but the initial idea of battling agism resolves in the author beating us over the head with "37 isn't old" instead of coming around to the fact that love is possible at any age. Also how Mary got to 37 and doesn't have at least one backache or bout of indigestion, or anything to make her not seem like a bubbly 19-year-old is beyond me.

There's some other issues I had, like with John being depicted as "poor" by him just not having things. There's also the point where John says he supports his gay officemate's "lifestyle". I full-body cringed. The only characters of color in this book are the ones John is playing white savior for.

The plot leaves a lot to be desired, including the break-in of Mary's art studio. A lot of one-of-a-kind art and handiwork is destroyed, for the sole purpose of the above mentioned pretty crying. It's never resolved, and it frankly feels like the author forgot about it. I also haven't forgiven this book for setting up a "there's only one bed" scenario and then not doing anything with it.

Not a recommended read.

[steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one is my favorite of the series.

And that says a lot about how talented the author is because I straight up HATED John for what he said to Mary on their blind date and I had no idea how Bastone was going to redeem him enough to be the male lead.

Well, she not only redeemed John, she showed how selfless and kind he truly is under his grumpy and scowl faced exterior and how he does so much good in the world in order to spare other people pain or hurt (that scene when he pulled Mary onto the dance floor? BE STILL MY HEART).

I've loved Mary ever since we've met her in book 1 and I am so glad she got her own story because it made me love her even more seeing how cruel her mother is to her due to her age and unmarried state (we are not in the 19th century! It is okay to be single past thirty five!) and how much love, joy and vibrancy Mary brings to the world. When John says Mary lights up the room, I believed it because I felt it as I read this entire book.

Mary was a joy, John was a joy (once we got to know him) and watching these two come together in a very realistic and natural way was nothing short of perfection. Great secondary characters too including the couples from the earlier books and new characters such as Richie, John's office mate and Estrella, his mother. I will definitely be reading more by this author (perhaps John's half brother Maddox will be in a later book? I got some inklings from here that we might be seeing more of him.....)

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

He was a good kisser. John Modesto-Whitford: scowler, sayer of rude things, sweet, kindhearted, kisser of the lights out.

I love Cara Bastone. She writes the best angst and sexual tension in relationships. I don't normally love reverse age gaps but this worked so well for me. While the age difference was an issue, it was more of a miscommunication and coming into her self journey for Mary. Mary is one of my favorite characters. She is PURE sunshine and joy. She loves her friends and people so well. I love how even tho she was dealing with insecurity, she continues to press forward. It was realistic. John is the best asshole grump with the biggest heart. The way he is gone for Mary & protects and cares for her is EVERYTHING. I love his own personal journey. Ugh, Cara Bastone can do no wrong!

[RLbooks (in and out) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Way back in October, several friends read and loved this book and it's sat on my TBR for a while sadly, but I said I'd get to this author and I did! I also really enjoyed this sweeter read with main characters in their thirties who suffer a bit through their insecurities before they get on the same page. I will say that I probably would have rated this a little higher if not for the fact that the book I finished before it was another contemporary where insecurities held one of the main characters back significantly. Both books were also sweeter and overall lower angst so had a similar tone that made me less appreciative of them so close together. Timing can be a pain when it comes to books honestly.

Mary (h) and John (H) are set up on a blind date by John's mother and it goes horrendously with John putting his foot in his mouth and making just the worst possible first impression. Mary's deeply-rooted sensitivities are poked and she thinks he's an ass. He is kind of a dick, but not for the sake of being a jerk, he's simply a very straight-forward individual who also happens to come across as grumpy while covering up the marshmallowiest core. Mary though is a ray of sunshine and as the book continues, John often thinks about how gorgeous her smile is and how she lights up the room and how everyone is drawn to her, it's adorable.

First impression aside, these two continue to end up in each other's orbits and they form a friendship that also hides the fact that each is developing a bit of a crush on their new friend. Naturally, there's some angst that's a hold over from that first impression and another overheard talk, as well as some throwaway comments, so they do have to face being emotionally vulnerable and lay their cards on the table and have some frank conversations about their interest and blossoming relationship. Steam-wise, this is slow burn and there are a couple of scenes with some vocal participation (realizing the thinness of some apartment walls in NYC made me laugh).

Written in third person, dual POV. No ow/om drama really, though each does get set up on a date or two and h's still looking for a partner. It didn't bother me though and nothing comes of interactions with others, which obviously don't develop into anything. Both are experienced and there was minimal info on their pasts.

The side characters in this were mostly precious from John's mother and best friend/co-worker to Mary's found family crew of friends. Special shout-out of course to John's furry sidekick, Ruth, and how adorable she was, along with how Mary fell in love with the cat. Mary's two best friends were the MMCs of the previous two books so there are some updates on their romances too. Mary's family was less supportive and amazing than her found family and John's unfortunately. There's emotionally painful drama surrounding her interactions specifically with her mother and what her mother wants for her future. I had a genuinely difficult time with some of these scenes and I wish that there had been less and that more confrontation occurred earlier in the book to put the situation in its proper place.

Most of the book is focused on the main characters' daily lives however, some of the bumps in their roads, and their interactions. The ending is HFN with them in love and discussing the potential of what could be in the future, so it was satisfying, without there being an extended epilogue. I would certainly read this author again.

Friends' amazing reviews that led me here:

Elizabeth's review
buket's review
Vivian's review

[Maria Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a perfect example of how a terrible first impression can be undone by kindness, generosity and honest apology. Having loved the first in this series (it made my top ten list of 2020) and enjoyed the second, I knew that I would be in for a treat reading this one. The author does a great job of making you dislike the main character John from the get-go with his bluntness on his and Mary's first/blind date (set up by John's mother who is one of Mary's friends and vendors in her flower shop). Yet eventually we find out the reason for that bluntness and that deep down, even though John appears rude and standoffish to outsiders, he's got a really sweet nature and a kind heart. Beta hero lovers rejoice! Here's an example of one, a man who is instantly attracted to his date but trips over his own feet in trying to show it, and who over the course of the book shows his true nature.

This is a slow burn romance with a couple close in age (though Mary is a few years older), with Mary having had a disastrous last relationship and John having had little experience with women. They eventually form a friendship that slowly blossoms into a romance (helped along by pretending to be in a fake relationship to appease others) and leads the way to their very real happy ever after. I would place this author in the same category as Jill Shalvis, Kate Clayborn and Lucy Parker, to name a few - the type of authors who can mix emotional situations with likable characters, laughs, friendships and true romance. Just delightful!

Note: a copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

[Camy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blah.

It wasn’t bad. But it wasn’t that good either. A lot of telling not showing. Too much interiority and little external action. A lot of ruminating. I liked the moment real communication actually happened. And I always like seeing Brooklyn done well in books. But other than that, just okay.

I’ll just add that I was surprised John turned out to be the hero after that first encounter. I had to go look at the book description again. That was turned around well enough by the end. And I was aggravated at how much abuse Mary took from her mother. But that, too, was turned around a little by the end. It’s just that none of this was magical to me.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 3rd book in the Forever Yours series, and like the other two it is a heartfelt, slow burn love story, featuring found family and strong friendships. It is a standalone book, but I honestly believe you should read the others first for the full glorious experience of this group of friends. All of them are here in full force, and that's why I love this series so much: Secondary characters are important to the story and the main characters' lives, and main characters just don't disappear from one book to the next. So for me, this book was like visiting you old book friends with a new, fresh love story.

"Flirting with Forever" is Mary's story of finding love. Her former beauty queen mother has tried to convince her that she's too old at 37 and her opportunity at husband and family is passing her by. This criticism has gotten under her skin, as mothers are good at doing, even though she logically knows it's not based in reality. When she is set up on a date with a slightly younger public defense attorney, things go bad when clumsy John says exactly the wrong thing about her age.

John is bowled over by Mary on their blind date, but screws it up, royally. For his part, he has a mighty big complex surrounding his financial status as a lowely paid government attorney in comparison to Mary's upscale lifestyle. His relationship with his father is just as fraught as Mary's is with her mom. Over the course of the summer, their lives continually intersect and they begin to see that their first impressions of each other weren't as accurate as they thought.

I loved this grumpy / sunshine love story, featuring fully formed adults, who apologize when they mess up, consider each other's feelings, and show up for their friends. This series is like a warm hug of family, friendship, and love. Don't sleep on it!

[Christina (A Reader of Fictions) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone needs to know how much I loved this book. It's so, so, so good. I fell in love with Mary's voice instantaneously, as she goes on a terrible first date and stands up to a judgmental asshole in wingtips. Then, when it became clear that that guy was the love interest, I spent a moment going hmm, but oh my god such a perfect romance of misunderstandings and awkwardness.

Like, honestly, this whole book was just so pure. John and Mary are such precious sweethearts. It's such a fun play on grumpy/sunshine, which isn't inherently a me trope, but I feel like I like the trope more just for how good this book is. But seriously, there's such a good slow burn and evolution of feelings here. And I feel like it's tricky to make what John says believable but also very easily forgivable. And I one hundred percent buy all of that.

Also, on top of the romance, which is perfection, I looooooove Mary's arc with her parents. That's definitely more spoilery, so I'm going to have to hit the tags here, but for the broader audience, it hit so good. I love that she calls her mom out; just because someone has good intentions doesn't mean that they're not hurting you. And I actually love that the ending is open-ended. She's willing to sever that connection for her own mental health, and she's not sorry. She feels lighter. Just yes! It's so rare to see this in fiction, and *chef's kiss*.

One hundred percent recommend this if you're into bantery, low drama romances. That is exactly my jam, and I just wish I could read it again from the start right now.

[Rachna · Rating 5 out of 5]

The romance in this is both achingly, sweetly realistically fumbling and like, incredibly magical? When they click and start to seek each out in earnest it feels like exactly my kind of love story. It helps a lot that both leads are wonderful - one of the heroes friends calls them hardworking & big-hearted & made for each other and I thought YES!, because this book so thoroughly shows how much of those things both Mary and John are. They're both just to-the-bone good characters that don't have any self-improvement to do, only a better & kinder sense of themselves - and that doesn't always work or feel engrossing in a story, but it was perfect here, and I adored every second of the time I spent with them.

Maybe my favourite of the series? I loved the older leads in this compared to the others, and I particularly understood Mary's brand of feeling whole but also uncertain and just a little lonely.

Can't wait for more from Bastone! She is such a gem and I'm so glad to have found her writing.

[Bethany · Rating 3 out of 5]

WHY IS THERE A DOG ON THE COVER WHEN THERE'S LITERALLY NO DOGS IN THIS BOOK BUT THERE IS A CAT?! EVERY SINGLE COVER IN THIS SERIES HAS A DOG BUT THERE ARE NO DOGS TO BE FOUND IN THESE BOOKS I AM ENRAGED

Okay now that's out of the way, onto the actual book. This one started slow, which seems to be a trend in Cara's writing as I've thought this about every book in the series. In saying that though, I do in general really love Cara's writing style, even if I could do without the slow starts.

I thought this book was exactly how to do the miscommunication trope well - misunderstanding what people mean, rather than unnecessary drama. I will say that I thought the age thing was played into a little too much at times - she's barely older than him so they likely look the same age, like was he expecting a teenager? And I totally get her insecurities but at the same time they're both in their thirties and only five years apart, which doesn't feel like a very large gap at that age?

Anyway, despite a few issues I had with this, overall it was a fun read and I'm looking forward to seeing what the author does next (also give me a Maddox book pls xx).

[Bookish brown girl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread- Jan, 2024
Still a favorite. I love this book. John Modesto-Whitford is THE PERFECT HERO for me. A grumpy socially awkward defense attorney with a bleeding heart, with principles, who cares about justice, is a vegan for the environment and animal rights, is thoughtful and so sweet. I love him so much. He is one of the few main characters I have read in a romance novel I would actually date IRL.

This book also captures New York City and its glory very well- it made me wistful and reminisce about the years I lived there. All in all a great re-reading experience.

----------------------------------------------------------------

First read- May 2021
Beautiful, heartwarming read with two adorable, sweet characters. One of my favorite books I have read this year.

[Melinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars, loved

[BOOKLOVER_81 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flirting with Forever is another wonderful installment, focusing on 37 year old Mary Trace—a gorgeous shop owner who is the last member of her close friend group who has not found her One yet—& John Modesto-Whitford, a public defender who is very grumpy & often rude.

When they’re set up on a blind date by John’s mother, he actually says to Mary, “I thought you’d be younger”—or something like that—& Mary ends up leaving.

But after meeting again at a block party, they form an arrangement whereby Mary will run John’s mother’s other date suggestions by John to get his opinion before she wastes her time. Along the way, Mary realizes there’s some secret kindness in John & he realizes more than ever that he was an idiot & not very nice to her & he’s been FRIEND ZONED.

This book is a delight & the tropes keep coming & they don’t stop coming (I’ve been waiting to use Smash Mouth lyrics in a review.) There’s older woman/younger man; enemies to friends to lovers; sunshine & the grumpy; & some money difference conflict, with her having a lot more money & coming from a wealthier background than he did.

The chemistry between them is so sexy; the hero is a big grump w/ a heart of gold, & and the plot is straightforward. The end started to drag a scotch for me, but Flirting with Forever is another winner & I really want this series for my shelves.

[Ari · Rating 5 out of 5]

*4.5 Stars!*

[Kelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably my favorite slow-burn romance of all time, probably going to be in my top 5 reads of the year. I adored this book.

[Simply Love Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I loved this book, I did; it was unexpected and had sweet moments that honestly took my breath away. It wasn’t perfect, much like the hero in this story, but it felt real. My one complaint was I needed more time with this couple after they admitted to one another that their complicated relationship was more than friendship. I love a slow burn romance they are a favorite of mine, but I also need to see the couple being a couple for more than a minute.

Mary Trace is a 37 year old single business owner in NYC, she has a good life. Her shop is successful, she has wonderful friends who have added partners to their friend group, her late best friend’s little boy, but she wants a partner, a lover, a family of her own. Spending a good deal of the last decade dealing with the loss of her best friend and her beloved aunt dating and romance weren’t a priority for her and while she wants to meet “the one” she hasn’t and her mother’s constant nagging about her biological clock is helping. Mary is described as sunny, always smiling and willing to go out of her way to help anyone and it is evident that she is a good and lovely woman, whom everyone adores upon sight, but we also see there are scars left from her mother’s constant harassment, her father’s lack of support, and her ex-boyfriend’s cheating.

John Modesto-Whitford is a public defender who decided at a young age that he wanted to defend those who weren’t always given a fair shake. Abandoned by his father almost from birth, his mother Estrella raised him on her own often working 2-3 jobs to support them. So finding out who his father was, that he was wealthy, and that he had a half brother barely a year younger left John with quite a bit of resentment toward his “father” mostly on his mother’s behalf. He refuses help or to take the trust offered and while he does okay he has a tight budget. John comes across as quite grumpy and almost rude, but it is also obvious that he is a dedicated public servant and works hard to help his clients get the justice they deserve. When his mother sets him up with a woman she sells her art to, he is so blown away by her he opens his mouth and inserts his foot and knows he’s just blown a good thing.

I appreciated the complexity of Mary and John’s relationship and the fact that they had to overcome their first disastrous meeting to eventually become friends and then more. I’m not kidding when I say this was a slooooooooow burn romance, it moved at a snail’s pace, but for these two it was needed. John needed time to come to terms with the fact that Mary had money and he didn’t was his problem and not hers. Mary needed time to trust that John wasn’t as judgmental as she first feared or that he was an uptight guy whose looks mattered more than anything else. She also had to move past the verbal/emotional abuse her mother heaped on her and learn not everyone felt the way she did.

I loved the way they fell into a friendship and how their relationship built over time, it was satisfying to watch them discover so much about one another and grow to appreciate each other’s unique personalities and traits. They shared a strong bond made only stronger by their growing feelings for one another.

I was blown away by the first book in this series and while the second book wasn’t quite my cup of tea, this third book was truly special. It is so refreshing to read a book about grown-ups who mess up and apologize, who don’t play games with each other, and took their time to really get to know one another.

Flirting with Forever and this series is filled with friendship, family, hope, and love making Cara Bastone a must read author for me.

Review copy provided for a voluntary review.

[Jacque · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly I kind of can’t believe that a mere month ago, I’d never read a Cara Bastone book?? After just ~shotgunning~ her backlist in about three days at the beginning of April, I think Cara has cemented herself as one of my favorite contemporary authors— I find her prose really beautiful, her characters ~deeply~ compelling, and the stories she tells feel really magical despite their contemporary setting

Flirting With Forever was just so swoony🥰 With all of her friends happily pared off, Mary is ready to find her person & agrees to go on a blind date with her favorite customer's son John. Things take an abrupt turn for the worst when John makes a comment about Mary’s age and the pair quickly realize that this would NEVER work. But after repeated run-ins around the neighborhood, Mary & John realize that NOTHING will stop John’s mother from matchmaking, and the reluctant allies decide to fake a relationship😏 And as they spend more & more time together, Mary & John (but mostly Mary) realize that first impressions aren’t everything, and they might need to revisit that whole “this would never work” thing…

I just loved everything about this book🙌🏻 The way Mary & John slowly build intimacy & trust is just devastating, an immaculate slow burn. And while I initially had some reservations, by the end of this book i was ~obsessed~ with John!! He was such a secret softie— what Mary initially saw as John being abrupt/rude was just him being an awkward, starstruck babe bc this man was GONE for her from day one😍 and RUTH!! omg he loves his cat so much it was amazing!!! The fact that there’s a rando dog on the cover is Ruth erasure and I’m a lil upset👀

This book is deeply romantic, utterly charming, and also pretty dang steamy (I’d say on the hotter end of a 3🔥 on my personal scale) If you’re looking for books with fake dating, caretaking scenes, “oops we woke up snuggling,” pets or sunshine & grumpy trope, this might be the book for you💛 big thanks to Netgalley for my review copy!!

[Miranda Benson · Rating 2 out of 5]

So clearly I have an unpopular opinion here! But this one was just not for me. I like a low-pressure romance, but this was...pressureless. The stakes were non-existent. The characters were bland. The voice reads like a “we don’t cuss in the name of the lord!” suburban mom. This one just isn’t for me, at all.

And two quick, stupid complaints:
1. The back cover copy mentions fake dating. There’s...no fake dating? At all. If you stretch the truth and squint you might be able to see an idea of it.
2. The cover is lovely, but looks like it should be a cover for a completely different book. Where is the dog in this book?! Is it the dog that shows up for five pages at the end, that doesn’t even belong to the main couple? Mary Trace is supposed to be older than John, but based on the cover, he’s again and she’s forever young. It just doesn’t fit.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading a book about a 37 year old woman who is pressured by her mother to get married and knocked up before she shrivels up and dies sure hits different when you’re a single woman who is turning 37 in two weeks 😬.

Anyway I did super enjoy this, I love a romance hero who is grumpy on the outside but has a big bleeding heart on the inside, and I love second chance/friends to lovers. I’ll be interested to see what Bastone writes next, because this series was so unique in how the stories are structured, with so much time spent on the buildup.