Secrets of Forever: A Pilot and Doctor Contemporary Romance

Forever, Texas #22

by Marie Ferrarella

She could be his chance for a new beginning…

A temporary assignment could have permanent side effects

Ellie Montenegro and her secondhand plane just delivered an angel of mercy to her remote Texas town. Forever’s warmhearted inhabitants are counting on New York cardiac surgeon Neil Eastwood to save their beloved matriarch. But it’s the heart of the sexy, outspoken pilot Neil hopes to steal as he joins Ellie on a secret family search. Is the runway long enough for a relationship to take off?

224 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 1, 2020

About the author

Marie Rydzynski-Ferrarella
aka Marie Charles, Marie Michael, Marie Nicole, Marie Ferrarella

Marie Rydzynski was born on March 28 in West Germany to Polish parents. She moved to America at the age of four. For an entire year, Marie and her family explored the eastern half of the country before finally settling in New York.

Marie swears she was born writing, "which must have made the delivery especially hard for my mother." From an early age, Marie's parents would find her watching television or tucked away in some private place, writing at a furious pace. "Initially, I began writing myself into my favourite shows. I was a detective on '77 Sunset Strip,' the missing Cartwright sibling they never talked about on 'Bonanza' and the 'Girl from U.N.C.L.E.' before there was a 'Girl from U.N.C.L.E.,' not to mention an active participant in the serialized stories of 'The Mickey Mouse Club.'" Marie began to write her first romance novel when she was 11 years old, although she claims that, at the time, she didn't even realize it was a romance! She scribbled off and on, while dreaming of a career as an actress.

Marie was only 14 when she first laid eyes on the man she would marry, truly her first love, Charles Ferrarella. During her days at Queens College, New York, acting started to lose its glamour as Marie spent more and more time writing. After receiving her English degree, specialising in Shakespearean comedy, Marie and her family moved to Southern California, where she still resides today.

After an interminable seven weeks apart, Charles decided he couldn't live without her and came out to California to marry his childhood sweetheart. Ever practical, Marie was married in a wash-and-wear wedding dress that she sewed herself, appliqués and all. "'Be prepared' has always been my motto,"the author jokes. This motto has been stretched considerably by her two children, Nikky and Jessi, "but basically, it still applies," she says.

In November of 1981, she sold her first novel for Harlequin. Marie, who now has written over 150 novels, has one goal: to entertain, to make people laugh and feel good. "That's what makes me happy," she confesses. "That, and a really good romantic evening with my husband." She's keeping her fingers crossed that her reader's enjoy reading her books as much as she enjoyed writing them.

Reviews

[Harmony · Rating 2 out of 5]

I struggled reading this book. It had a strange, stuttering, awkward cadence to it. The words didn't flow smoothly. It read old-fashioned, like it had been written decades ago or something. The author used words like "the young pilot" or the "young doctor" instead of the characters names or even just using pronouns. She did this over and over.

Then there was the way that the reader had access to the thoughts of ALL the characters. It made it confusing and impossible to connect with ANY of the characters. I also felt as if I had been dumped in the middle of an ongoing story. All these characters are introduced as if I'm already supposed to know them.

This is NOT a stand alone book, not even close.

The MC's, Ellie and Neal, had no chemistry. They first meet when she picks him up from the airport to fly him to a small town. He doesn't even like her, he's not at all attracted to her and she isn't to him. They notice that each other is good looking in an off hand sort of way. He even talks down to her.

“You make her sound like some sort of a rare enigma,” he said, then realized that he was probably talking over the pilot’s head.

What? He assumed that the word ENIGMA is such a big and fancy word that she couldn't possibly know what it means. Seriously? Also, there it is again with using "the pilot" instead of a pronoun or her name. It's awkward when it's done repeatedly.

Then the next thing you know, they're kissing. Out of the blue. BAM! A kiss and I'm just shaking my head. No attraction, no spark, no chemistry but they're kissing.

I gave up reading this book at about 50%. The story is boring, the couple is boring, I didn't want to read about the little sister (a massive slut) making a play for Neil (it may not have happened but the author sure did telegraph that it was coming).

Disappointing book, the description captured my attention and I was looking forward to reading this book. I'm really striking out recently with these Harlequin books that I purchased, seems like I'm only liking every 3rd or 4th one. The "free" ones on Kindle Unlimited are so much better.

[Becky Tatar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miss Joan runs her diner with a iron fist covered in velvet, and makes no bones about her opinions. But she has a heart condition, and refuses to see a doctor, and won't travel to see a specialist. So the local doctor calls a New York cardiologist who's a friend, to come examine Miss Joan. And the person who flies him from Houston to Forever is pilot Elena Montenegro, who also helps him deal with Miss Joan, and the rest of the characters who live in Forever. Miss Joan is a tough nut to crack, and surgeon Neil Eastwood is a fish out of water in the wilds of Texas.

[Harlequin Books]

Categories
Small Town & Rural Fiction, Contemporary Romance
Miniseries
Forever, Texas (Book #22)

[Nancy Lathrop · Rating 3 out of 5]

Romance and friendship in a small town as everyone comes together to support the owner of a a diner who needs heart surgery.

[TLynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars