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Lawson Family Series #5

A Better Forever

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Connor has the perfect life (or so it seems), but he harbors a shameful secret that could destroy everything he’s worked for—including his family.

Connor Lawson has always been a nerd. A rules follower. The valedictorian who worked his way up to Chief Financial Officer at his company on the Iron Range in Minnesota—and married the girl of his dreams. But his perfect life is crashing down around him. He could lose his job in a company acquisition. And the wife he deeply loves has discovered the shameful secret he’s hidden for most of his life.

Shattered dreams…

Melina “Mel” Lawson was the opposite of Connor in college, but she fell hard for the man she could talk to for hours. Now, twelve years and two kids into their marriage, life is a blur of hockey practice, drama rehearsals, part-time work and volunteering. Still, she can’t shake the feeling that something is missing. When she discovers what Connor has been struggling with all these years, his betrayal leaves her devastated.

Picking up the pieces…

They’d once vowed before God to love one another for better or worse—but Mel never imagined anything like this. If Connor is willing to work things out, is Mel ready to salvage this marriage in crisis? Can they recapture true intimacy and find a better forever… together?

*** Includes Study/Discussion Questions ***

ebook

Published July 29, 2021

9 people are currently reading
22 people want to read

About the author

Tracey Cramer-Kelly

49 books342 followers
Tracey’s writing has been described as “vivid” and “gut-wrenchingly beautiful” and has been accused of making readers cry. All of which makes her heart feel ten times bigger because (despite having the appearance of a got-it-together business owner) she’s a hopeless romantic who believes that love—in all its many forms—truly makes the world go round.

Get swept away by wounded, flawed and vulnerable heroes (and the women who love them).

Join strong heroines on their riveting journeys through loss, forgiveness and self-realization.

Hang onto the edge of your seat through action-packed adventure and drama.

And most of all, escape into the combustible combination of ‘slow burn’ sensual pleasure and true love!

Want to know more? Sign up for Tracey’s Teasers at www.TKRomance.com

Tracey is a former Army combat medic and EMT. When not writing (or working part-time to support her writing habit), Tracey enjoys riding her motorcycle (which she affectionately calls ‘Black Widow’); spending time at the lake with family; and watching her favorite soccer teams (which include her kids’).

She lives on a 3-acre oasis in small-town Minnesota with a small menagerie of critters, an infinitesimally understanding hubby, and two almost-grown children who put up with the ‘embarrassment’ of a motorcycle-riding, romance writing mom!

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5 stars
10 (37%)
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7 (25%)
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7 (25%)
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2 (7%)
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1 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
Profile Image for Gina  Rae Mitchell.
1,356 reviews97 followers
November 22, 2021
A Better Forever takes a heart-felt look at a marriage wasting away from stress, secrets, and lack of attention.

This timely book shines a light on the trap many couples fall into after a few years of marriage. It’s so easy to get caught up in the everyday business of earning a living and raising a family that couples forget what brought them together in the first place. When you add in a deep, dark secret and loads of resentment, it’s easy to see where the train runs off the tracks.

Do Mel and Conner have what it takes to save their marriage and family? They’ll need honesty, faith, and a strong will to win this battle.

A Better Forever is the book for you if you want an inside peek into what makes or breaks a marriage.
1,305 reviews122 followers
October 7, 2022
A bit dry and formulaic and a smidge tame at times but cute.Appreciate its intelligent and solution based approach to Marriage solvency!
936 reviews
August 1, 2021
This story focuses on Connor, another member of the Lawson family. We meet Connor at the end of “The Longest Run,” the last book in this series. He is seen by family members leaving a bar when he should have been home. Even though they are shocked to see him there without his wife, it is obvious when this book opens, that no one mentions the incident to him or his wife, Mel.

This is the story of a marriage in trouble. Connor spends very little time with his family. When he is home, he is present physically – but not mentally. They still love each other, but throughout the years, they have totally lost touch with each other.

Eventually, a major discovery turns out to be the catalyst that starts Connor and Mel on their road back to each other! The author does a fantastic job of following the couple through the ups and downs of their very difficult journey.

There are often obstacles along the way, but with the help of their family and their faith, they manage to rediscover their happiness as a family.
Profile Image for Ally Swanson.
289 reviews96 followers
November 29, 2021
This book exposes the raw, emotional turmoil, difficulties, and pitfalls of a marriage, the struggles of keeping secrets and hiding addictions from a spouse and determining what it takes to rebuild or walk away from the relationship.

This book follows Connor and his deep, dark, secretive sex addiction. This book deeply shows his shame, anxiety, stress, heartache, and devastation as he struggles to finally come clean and seek help, but is it too late? Has he hurt his wife, Mel past the point of forgiveness? Has there been too much betrayal and damage?

This was a somewhat difficult review for me, as I was a bit thrown off by Connor’s secret. In the book blurb, a secret is mentioned, but undefined. It’s totally on me, as I assumed, that it was probably alcohol addiction or maybe an affair. So, it was quite surprising to discover this unexpected turn.

Like myself, I think many readers may be surprised and uncomfortable after learning this revelation. I honestly was considering taking off half a star to a full star from my review score. However, after weighing the pros and cons of the book and my review, I felt it was unnecessary and perhaps unfair to mark a book’s score down simply for not going in the direction that I had thought it would. The book blurb didn’t intentionally mislead me – it never revealed what the secret was, and I jumped to my own conclusions about it. Now, had the book blurb flat out said this book was about an alcohol addiction or the untold biography of Steve Jobs, and then none of that had been part of the book, then I absolutely would have felt tricked and would have subtracted a star.

Even today, sex addiction is still considered to be a bit of a taboo phrase (and diagnosis), and I think this should not be hidden as a plot spoiler, but upfront so readers know what they are signing up for. I understand the need for the author to try to keep some mystery, intrigue, and suspense to her book, however, this is more of a bombshell than a plot point.

This book significantly focuses on the martial relationship and family dynamic of a couple that is past those happy, wedded bliss, honeymoon days. After twelve years and two kids, Connor and Mel, no longer have the same happy relationship they did when they first got together. While this is not untypical of a marriage, especially several years in, as many couples drift apart, people change, and life, family, commitments get in the way; the substantial barrier in this marriage are the secrets and lies that have built up destroying this once happy couple.

This book is full of strong emotions, and the author does an excellent job at conveying those feelings through her characters.

This book focuses on understanding, listening, and communicating with your partner, overcoming complex obstacles, forgiveness, and reconciliation.

This book also has strong Christian, religious, faith themes that are weaved throughout the story. However, it’s more of a younger version, modern day take on religion, as it offers a more understanding and less judgmental stance.

This book is Book Five in the Lawson Family Book Series. I had not previously read any of the other books in this series but did not have any trouble keeping up. Therefore, this book can absolutely be read as a standalone, and read on its own.

All in all, I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it!! However, like I previously mentioned, I think it’s important for readers to have all the facts and know what they getting to before they start reading this book. I think all contemporary romance readers and fans of books with strong Christian, faith themes will like this book too!! In addition, I think this book would be invaluable for someone going through a similar situation and looking for shared understanding, common ground, and insight into sex addition. So, add it to your TBR List and get to reading - you won't be disappointed!!

**Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book and have voluntarily provided an honest, and unbiased review in accordance with FTC regulations**
Profile Image for Eclectic Review.
1,689 reviews5 followers
November 18, 2021
There is a lot to like about this book. Ms. Cramer Kelly has delved into an unfortunately common problem in marriage. The inability to communicate.  Yes, there are the issues of addiction and thoughts of infidelity in this book, but it comes down to feeling too comfortable in the daily grind of our lives and losing the trust and spontaneity of being with the people we love. When the first time something goes wrong at work, we shouldn't lose our self-worth and sense of purpose. We need to count on our family and get over the illusion of having a job that defines us.

Connor Lawson makes a good living as a young CFO in his company, but when his job is threatened, he falls into a destructive habit that could lose his family forever. 

Melina Lawson is a good mother who has gotten into a routine of taking care of the kids, but not herself or her marriage. Her husband often works long hours and doesn't spend enough time with his family. As her resentment grows, she discovers her husband is hiding an addiction from her that threatens their love and destroys her trust in him.

It takes two to destroy a marriage and many times before everything is out in the air, it's too late to salvage anything. But Mel confronts Connor with what she finds and he confesses everything which starts a chain of despair and self-reflection that leads to getting help from friends and family. I love the fact that Connor learns to contact his brothers when he is thinking about relapsing which brings them closer together as they discuss their own insecurities growing up. In addition, his brothers convince Connor to put his trust in God to help him through the tough times. 

What I love most about this book is the two points of view and the struggles Connor and Mel go through. I thought the possibility of infidelity would trigger me and my heart dropped a few times, but Connor's determination to save his marriage and do anything to get Mel's trust back turned me around. His will to fight for his marriage and do anything to win Mel's trust again is so gut-wrenchingly heartfelt and genuine. Mel understandably takes it slowly in accepting her husband's apology which gives her the time to reflect on her own mistakes, to acknowledge them, and show him the same respect and honesty that he is giving her. May I also say how angry I get with women who prey on married men? Women should be uniting and supporting each other, not tearing each other down. Ms. Cramer Kelly does a fantastic job explaining how men and women express themselves both physically and emotionally. The lessons are many in this book and at my ripe old age of 58, I learned a few things myself.

I highly recommend this incredible book about a marriage in crisis and the choices we make to either give up or work on making our life better.  Book 5 reads very well as a standalone, but I plan to pick up the other books to get some insight into the lovely Lawson family.

Thank you to Ms. Cramer Kelly for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
Profile Image for Harlie Williams.
Author 2 books41 followers
December 5, 2021
I’ve just got to say that this book wasn’t what I was looking for but it definitely opened my eyes not only to Connor and Mel’s marriage but to my own. That’s a gift that Ms. Cramer-Kelly gave to me and I will cherish it forever. I read this book a couple of weeks ago and it is still with me. It’s one of those books that makes you think and think again. The one thing that I took away from the book is communication is the key. I know it sounds so cliched but that’s one of the major problems that most marriages have. Don’t lie and shake your head. I know that my marriage could use some work in the communications department. It happens. Life happens. We get busy with our jobs, the children, and everyday stressors. The spouse is the last person that you will talk to if you have something personal to share. I know I do. Same as my husband. I actually get jealous when my husband decides to talk to his friends and not me. Fortunately, we don’t have the problems that Connor and Mel have.

I’m not going to spoil what the problem is because that’s what makes this book unique. It’s something that is not discussed but should be. I admire Connor for owning up to it and seeking help. His brothers are pillars of strength for him as his parents and it’s comforting to him to get back to his family and figure out what is most important to him. There is true love and devotion between Mel and Connor, they just lost their way. Their kids are there but they aren’t the main focus of the book. Mel and Connor are and Ms. Cramer-Kelly keeps the focus there most of the time.

Trust me when I say that everyone should read this book. It is an eye-opening, cautionary tale of how a disease that manifests itself in youth can affect a solid marriage that unfortunately, spirals out of control. Ms. Cramer-Kelly doesn’t let her characters have It easy. She tells it like it is. I will have to tell you that the scene in the shower is beautifully written. That scene is when I finally connected with Mel as a person. I had already connected to her as a married woman but that scene alone…

I highly recommend this book to everyone. It’s heartfelt, eye-opening, and oh so good. You will thank me later.
Profile Image for B. Koe.
948 reviews11 followers
July 30, 2021
An inspirational, MUST-READ look at romance, marriage, & recapturing forever.
A BETTER FOREVER, the newest release by Indie author Tracey Cramer-Kelly is an absolutely marvelous love story, about the most amazing couple. Not only did it hold my interest from page one, but it was also the most inspirational love story I’ve read in quite a while. It was fascinating to watch Mel and Connor fall in love and then later fight for their marriage, and it was as incredibly romantic as any of the “first-met electricity” to the “falling in love” scenario readers usually experience in a romance. While I loved the story, I did not always like both lead characters. Actually, that was true for some of the realistic secondary characters as well. There were points in the plotline where I had to remind myself about the special love these characters began with - a love that took their chemistry and devotion to the point this reader “felt” it way deep in my bones. Connor and Mel worked hard to make their waning marriage work by rediscovering a devotion so strong that each of them found a way to fight for their marriage, a faith so strong that insurmountable hurt was forgiven, and a grace so strong that their love for each other was not just repaired, it was made new. If you are looking for a new romance read, then A BETTER FOREVER should be your next romance purchase! I volunteered to read an early copy of A BETTER FOREVER and am posting this voluntary 5-STAR review as it is a MUST-READ!! Get your copy of A BETTER FOREVER by Tracey Cramer-Kelly, today! Happy pages! 😉
Profile Image for Beth James.
42 reviews1 follower
December 7, 2022
Wonderful marriage in crisis book!

This is an excellent story about a marriage in trouble. With this type of story you usually start out hating the H for being a piece of $#@! and never really feel like the h should forgive him. That wasn't the case here. I was rooting for both characters from the beginning. The dual POV probably helped with that. I would score it pretty low on the conflict scale but there was a little. This has a definite spot on my re-read list. I was being backwards so I'll have to go back and read book 1 now because I liked all of the characters and need their stories.
Profile Image for Sandra Lopez.
Author 3 books348 followers
October 31, 2021
A marriage on the rocks, crumbling under the weight of a demanding job and a family. He was always working and she was always too busy raising the kids. Forget about having a conversation let alone any chance for intimacy. But what if he was able to find other outlets for his needs?

Story had a good narrative, but it was often slow at times and a bit repetitive. The story is good about building up all the tension, the resentment, and the emotional strain. But it does take a while before we start seeing the real havoc.

A fairly nice read overall.
Profile Image for Maria (Miasbookadventures).
48 reviews2 followers
January 9, 2022
This book is simply beautiful. I loved the rawness that was encapsulated in the story and the characters. It was gripping and heart wrenching, and it was authentic. I finished this book in one sitting, it was so captivating. This book is so very much worth the read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for E..
2,043 reviews20 followers
November 28, 2021
3.75 stars

“A Better Forever” by Tracey Cramer-Kelly is a Marriage in Crisis romance and book 5 in the ‘Lawson Family’ series. The story centers around the stress in the marriage between Connor and Melina Lawson as he deals with challenges in his profession and his unwise coping mechanisms and she struggles with the estrangement she feels from her husband and his lack of commitment to their marriage.

This sensual Christian romance provides a realistic and inspirational look at the obstacles that can arise in a marriage as the family grows and stresses increase. I couldn’t help feeling sympathy for each of the main characters as they sink deeper into the ruts of daily life yet grow further and further apart. The shocking revelations and the wake-up calls are deftly depicted, and the importance of having a strong faith to rely on and good counseling from both friends and professionals is underscored. The value of good communication and trust and honesty in a relationship are also emphasized in this heartwarming story.

Although this tale is part of a series, it stands alone with no problem and features cameos by other members of the family with enough details to pique interest in their stories as well.

A copy of this title was provided for review
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews

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