Always & Forever

Oak Harbor #8

by Kimberly Thomas

Erin had a plan… Go to college, become an advertising exec, marry her boyfriend of five years, and start a family— all in that order.

But even the best laid plans are no match for life’s curveballs. Plagued by deception, rejection, and an unfortunate diagnosis, she runs away from the only life she’s ever known to forge a new one. But like they say, the past always finds a way to catch up, and after suffering from panic attacks she is forced to step back into her old life as she recuperates.

Back in Oak Harbor with her family, Erin is forced to deal with the reason she distanced herself from them in the first place and when the two people she has been trying to avoid the most show up in the beautiful coastal town, she cannot escape the decisions she has to make that will either heal her wounds or break her into a million pieces.

Marg has been happy and thriving in her relationship with Ben. The only problem is going after the one thing she’s always desired may prove to be more than Ben can handle. When her mother comes to stay with her, Marg finds herself in unfamiliar territory as she tries to navigate their new relationship.

Lose yourself in this new women's fiction series that includes friendship, love, and loss among the Hamilton family & friends. A heartwarming cast of characters that has the backdrop of Oak Harbor’s coastal serene landscapes and crystal blue waters.

216 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 18, 2023

About the author

Kimberly Thomas has a passion for writing heartfelt stories that resonate with her readers. With two adult children and a loving husband, she understands the complexities of family dynamics and uses this knowledge to create relatable characters. When she's not writing, she loves to travel and explore new cultures. She finds inspiration in the people she meets and the places she visits, and often incorporates her experiences into her stories.

Kimberly specializes in feel-good women's fiction, clean and wholesome contemporary romance. Her stories focus on love, loss, and the everyday situations that families face. Her writing style is engaging and relatable, and she has a talent for drawing readers in and keeping them hooked until the very end.

Reviews

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Erin had the perfect job and a wonderful boyfriend. A medical diagnosis upsets her greatly and after a panic attack, she decides to go home to Oak Harbor and be with her mother and family. But even with her family she's surrounded by situations that hurt her -- she misses her grandmother and doesn't understand why her mother and sister have accepted her father back into the family after he betrayed them. She refuses to even talk to him and makes sure that he know she'll never accept him back into her life. When her boyfriend shows up, she refuses to explain why she left and asks him to leave. Is Erin going to remain bitter and estranged from important people in her life or will her family and the memory of her loving grandmother help her accept the people who love her?

Marg has been looking for love and acceptance for her whole life and is very happy with her new relationship with Ben. They are happy together until Ben proposes and she realizes that there is something she wants in her life that he refuses to do. Will they be able to reconcile their differences and live happily ever after?

This is a wonderful series about love and family, loss and forgiveness set in beautiful Oak Harbor.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Erin and Marg’s story. Each are dealing with emotional issues. We catch up with everyone else too.
It’s a good continuation of the series. It almost needs a list of characters in the very beginning. I had a hard time keeping who was who and who belonged to who straight
Thanks to the author for the early copy

[Stox4story · Rating 3 out of 5]

Always and Forever … but choosing which ‘forever’ isn't easy

We have everyday people with everyday hurts, pains and sins. One big happy family, they are not.

Erin can’t stand her cheating dad… and dad’s infidelity cut deep in more ways than one. Erin was married to a guy named Rob and that didn’t work out. Now she loves Brian and breaks up with him… Why? Fear.
She gets devastating news that she can’t have children and knows Brian wants a big family. She tells him she can’t marry him, fearing he’d come to resent her since she couldn’t give him children he so badly wanted. Her dad’s infidelity affected Erin in many ways and made an impact on her relationship with Brian. Their journey isn’t an easy one.

Marg and her mother, Alice are at odds. Alice constantly nit-picks at anything and everything Marg does. It seems like Marg can’t do anything right. Oh and she finds out her ‘dad’ is not really her dad. Seems like mama dearest had a wondering eye and tried to keep the consequences hidden. Soooo, is Alice that bad or is she hiding a lot of things deep inside herself?
As if things aren’t bad enough, the man Marg truly loves, asks here to marry him and she has to tell him no’. This her story to tell and you’ll read it all inside the pages.

And then there’s Jules, she and Noah are back together…. They have a baby girl that is the apple of everyone’s eye. But it hasn’t always been good. She and Noah also have had their problems

This is one messed up group of family and friends. Little by little they try to forgive and rebuild. The roads will be steep and curvy, some easier than others. But since when did real life get easy?

🤔 OBSERVATIONS:

Halfway through the book, I still was having a hard time connecting, relating to the characters. I kept getting people mixed up. We have a lot of family members to remember that are parents, siblings, half siblings, exes, aunts, uncles, nieces etc. …. It gets confusing. Maybe I missed a previous book where they have been introduced or played major roles?

Really liked that Marg is old fashioned and refused to move in with the man she thought would be her future husband.

I guess all’s well that ends well, but wow, getting there was a mess

Heartless Alice …. or is she, what’s her story? Will Marg ever get to know her ‘real’ dad?

Tsk, tsk…. Erin is scared of losing Brian due to her infertility, thus breaks up with him. How silly, she definitely loses him this way…. Not giving him a choice means she loses for sure.

I received a free copy of this book via Cherrylily ARCs and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book eight in An Oak Harbor series and it is Erin’s story. Another great book in this series and has ups and downs, twists and turns and some life changing situations that will have you feeling so much. Erin has had enough disappointments in her life but being with her boyfriend Brian for the last five years has been the shining light and they have so many plans for there future only for life to thrown Erin a curveball breaking everything that she wanted apart so she does the only thing that she can and that is to break up with Brian without any explanation and go to Oak Harbor where her family lives only things don’t always go as planned and she is thrown into more turmoil complicating everything even more and she starts to wonder if she has made the right decision and also how will she get through it all without the man she loves by her side. This story is about disappointment, betrayal, deception, pain, drama, stress, hope, trust issues and trying to move forward with your life when everything around you is falling apart and I felt like I was there living through it all and I couldn’t put this book down and had to keep turning the pages to see what the outcome and future would be for them all. I am really looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

[Megann · Rating 3 out of 5]

We start by meeting Erin who has found her way into a design company and is doing great work. But, somehow the pressures are getting to her and she ends up having a panic attack and having to spend time in the hospital. Her boss, who really likes her and her work, insists that she take a month off and go home to recoup.
This is not what Erin wants to hear and actually from reading the story I was made to feel anxious with all the people that were in and out of the story. I am not saying that if you like a story that introduces tons of people then this is definitely a book you will love but I get really confused when there are to many characters interacting and loose track of who is who.
So, although this would be a great book for many it is not my style.

I received a free copy of this book via Cherrylily ARCs and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jennie Fortna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A*R*C for honest review with no compensation

Always & Forever is book 8 in the Oak Harbor series by Kimberly Thomas with Erin, Marg and the family too!

Back in Oak Harbor after Erin has some devastating news but doesn’t seem to want anyone to know…she is pushing everyone away…friends, family, her fiancé. Until she almost ends up losing her life then everything falls in perspective.

Marg is struggling with problems with her mother, Alice and the secrets Alice has hidden. Her boyfriend asks her to marry and she said no…

Family, friends, secrets, family dynamics, forgiveness, emotional issues, struggles and more…

[Pam Fleming · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many emotions and feelings in this book. Love and family support run throughout. Two women, Erin and Marg are both faces with the fact of being unable to have a child. Each woman’s feelings cause them to turn away from the love in their life. Facing the betrayal of her father, causes Erin lots of heartache as her mom and sister mend fences with her dad. Her reckless behavior causes her to seek out adventures and risks that almost lead to disaster. Meanwhile Marg, breaks up with her love Ben, after he doesn’t share her wish for a baby.

Thank you to the author for this ARC. This review is my honest opinion.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back to the wonderful town of Oak Harbor.

Erin, Cora's daughter, has seemingly had an amazing life. Until her dad destroys their family, she has panic attack at work and finds out some devastating news.

Forced to take some time off, she heads to Oak Harbor to heal. Can she forgive her father? Can she face the reality of some lost dreams?

Intertwined with Erin's story is Marg. Her mom arrives in town, admin her own divorce. Along with her arrival comes the volitile relationship Marg and her mom have. Then Ben pops the question but doesn't want more kids so Marg grapples with a tough decision.

Always and Forever is an amazing story of healing and forgiveness.

[Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Erin had a plan… Go to college, become an advertising exec, marry her boyfriend of five years, and start a family— all in that order.

Friends who stay by your side no matter what are the best friends. These friends are each dealing with their own relationship issues, in their own ways yet are still there for each other. A story that will have you feeling so many emotions but they are all worth it in the end.

I received a free copy of this book via Cherrylily ARCs and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. It's heartbreaking and heartwarming all in one. Erin has loved Brian forever but after getting some devastating news she breaks up with him and walks away now a year later she's back home for a rest and forced to face her problems. Can she mend her heart and get back the man she still loves or his it to late?.

I received a free copy of this book via Cherrylily ARCs and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Rhonda Howell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Welcome back to Oak Harbor where family drama is at the ihe center of every book. In this novel Erin and marg two friends with delicate working through their hurts. Will Erin be able to overcome her diagnosis to maintain a relationship with her boyfriend? Will Marg be able to accept her decision even if it's nor what her boyfriend wants? Great addition to the series.

I received a free copy of this book via Cherrylily ARCs and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet story about Erin and Marg trying to figure out their lives and happiness. Can Erin forgive her father and herself to get back to Brian? What’s up with
Marg and Ben and their future? Lovely story bringing all the characters full circle. Can’t wait to see if Erin decides to use her art skills in the next installment.

[Tcozybookcorner · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️{Kindle}
BK8 in a 10 book series. Free with KU. These are shorter books in a story continuation {180-200pgs each} based on a coastal scene of Oak Harbor. The series is hallmark like with heartwarming cast of characters. Loss, love, friendship and family. Quaint, sweet and quick reads. You’ll be vested in the Hamilton family.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review I received a free copy of this book via Cherrylily ARCs and am voluntarily leaving a review. This was cute and interesting story. it's about Isabella and her father Steve who are both trying to get over the death of his wife and her mother when their is a missing person .

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is full of family drama, heartaches and forgiveness. It was a heartwarming read that is full of emotions.

I received a free copy of this book via Cherrylily ARCs and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of friends and their relationship problems and how each one deals with and what they go through to get closure. Thank God for friends who stick by you no matter what.

I received a free copy of this book via Cherrylily ARCs and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Judith Seale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always and Forever

Erin is so unsure about her life. She is having a hard time forgiving her Dad. Until she can do that, she will not have peace. There are so many good things that happen in this book besides Erin's story. Can't wait for the next book in this series.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always and Forever, #8

I really liked this book about Erin and coming to grips with her health, her father, and her boyfriend. Also about Marge going for what she wants in life. I rated it lower due to grammar errors.

[thelma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never say no to love

Five stars a delightful and charming funny at times when you search for answers and dealing with issues of the heart

[Mitsi Dale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always & forever

Another great book by Kimberly Thomas. She is absolutely an amazing author. This book only took me a few days two read. can't wait for the next book.

[Donna Kale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Erin has high hopes for her future but her life is full of uncertainties, anger, and fear. Can her and Brian find a way to move on? Marg has her own problems in the direction of her future. Can Ben get onboard or will he move on? Lots of family drama. Will forgiveness and love bring these two couples their HEA?

[Kandiemarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story had me feeling so many emotions but it's worth all the feelings. The storyline is realistic, captivating and hard to put down. The characters dealt with so many real-life situations. I can’t wait to read more from the author. Would recommend reading this to anyone.

I received a free copy of this book via Cherrylily ARCs and am voluntarily leaving a review.