Book Review – Forever Right Now by Emma Scott

Forever Right Now
Looking for an excellent, heartwarming “moody new single-dad neighbor” read? This was pure Emma Scott at her very best. Gorgeous writing, a story brimming in emotion and, with real-life, relatable characters that I found myself wishing I could be a part of.

I love everything that I’ve ever read by Emma Scott, so I knew this one was a no-brainer. But its when it kept appearing on the “Best of 2017” lists that I decided to jump on it ASAP, and sure enough, it was exactly what my book-buds told me it would be.

R: Forever Right Now is a must read. If it weren’t for my RUSH bias I’d say hands down it’s my favorite.

Leslie M: I AM in corner reading Forever Right Now. This is my happy place. No boring starts, no not getting what is going on, immediate connection to story…pure CR bliss. …Did you realize that the h, Darlene is side character from The Butterfly Project?

Grey: Forever Right Now… Is amazing. I loved it. 4.75 stars for me.
Leslie M: Forever Right Now sucked me in and made me cry all over the place. Those characters were so real and gave me all the feels. I don’t remember having that strong of a reaction since I read It Ends With Us. …Books like this are why I read!!  *basks in the happy after glow of a great romance*

D.G.: Started Forever Right Now last night!!! *happy dances around room*. And I am LOVING it!!! Surprise, surprise…it is Emma Scott! So surprise, no surprise. A little over 57% in and I have that dreaded feel in my belly…

Grey: *Shoves Manny, Godiva and Moscato and makes up a blankie fort for D.G.* here you go!!

D.G.: *cleans up Godiva wrappers and empty Moscato bottle then folds blankets and sets Manny on top*.

Abso-freaking-lutely LOVED Forever Right Now! I worried over Darlene…I worried over Sawyer…I also feel in love with Olivia! This book was awesome!

Maryse: Yeahhhhhh Forever Right Now should be my next too. Emma Scott is awesome, and obviously this book is, too.

Kathy P: I just finished Forever Right Now. That Emma Scott sure can write beautiful heartfelt stories!! But I am a little upset, I saw that she has a new book coming out in February but that is not the one I want. Please please write a book with Max as the main character. I need for him to find his happiness!!

Maryse: I finished Emma Scott’s “Forever Right Now” and I loved it – I’ll be reviewing tonight!!! Thank you guys for THAT awesome recommendation.

OMG you are so right about no boring starts, Leslie. Not in this one. I was hooked from the start, having gone in blind except for knowing all the HUGE love for this book, and my jaw dropped with that initial reveal. OH I COULD FEEEEEEL IT!!!!!!!! And then… the character’s personalities. Each one, completely their own, and real… him with his jaded moodiness (and with good reason… you know… considering) 😉

I watched her walk away and the weariness hit me.   It did that sometimes, like being punched in the gut. The late nights and sleeplessness, stress and anxiety; it all bowled right into me. No beers with the guys. No dates with hot study partners. No sex, no parties…
“Suck it up, Haas,” I muttered into the wind as I began to walk. “This is what you signed up for.”

And her… with her hope, and optimism despite the personal struggle she’s been overcoming. Ready to start again. Ready and open to new friends. New experiences. Her new life. And the TWO of them becoming neighbors. What a perfectly imperfect pair, and yet perfect for each other in different ways.

This. This is what “you complete me” means. I was right there with them, while the butterflies fluttered in my belly, and my heart was in my throat, (or were those an abundance of almost tears?).

So what’s it about?

Darlene is starting over in a new city after a stroke of bad “trying to escape life” decisions that have landed her in the hot seat. After a few months in jail, she’s ready to get back to her roots, her creativity, and find herself again in her love of dancing. She messed up her chances once, but she’s ready to take back her life. And after finding an amazing deal in a gorgeous neighborhood, her life is finally looking up, and she’s in control.

They both glanced at me at the same time, like parents trying to figure out what to do with their problem child.

Let them, I thought. The past stays inside these walls. That’s what anonymous means. No one has to know. Sawyer doesn’t have to know…

And then she meets her neighbors. Including Saywer. He takes her breath away at first sight, but he barely gives her a second glance. He’s serious as a heart attack, and focused to the core, about to graduate law school soon, AND raising his baby daughter as a single father. He has no illusions about love and romance, and no time for distractions, no matter how friendly and cute they are.

I watched a beautiful woman hold my daughter in my kitchen, talking easily to her, making her laugh. An ache—a thousand times more potent than any sexual frustration—rose up from a deep place in my heart. It felt like hundreds of emotions I’d been keeping locked down were suddenly erupting out all at once: what I wanted for me, for Olivia, what she had lost and what I was working for to keep her. They were all spilling out of me like a bag of marbles, and now I had to scramble to put them all back before I fell on my ass.

But Darlene, being carefree (to an extent) and wanting to make new friends and help those in need… helps him when he least expects it, and most needs it. And the friendship begins.

I LOVED it. Just a slow-enough burn to make me believe it, and how I loved every single character that brought this story to life. Everyone of them fitting together to solve this puzzle called life, and together, completing each other to make a family, no matter that they might not be family by blood. A truly heartwarming, and fulfilling read, that had me stressing for so many different reasons.

Both characters had their own cross to bear, and yet amongst their own internal struggles and concerns, there were the stresses of new potential love too. So much was at stake.

A short silence fell, and my mind—so full of every goddamn thing I’d ever seen and read—had no words.

Well worth the read and satisfying right to the very end. If I was to have a hiccup of sorts, I’d say Sawyer’s sweet daughter was a bit more advanced in intelligence for her age than I’ve ever known in real life, and so I questioned the realism in that. Then again, Sawyer was above average himself, practically a genius, so who says his was didn’t transfer to her? I went with it. 😉

Oh yes. You’ll see. What a journey this is, in SO many ways. The personal growth is… incredible and this group, together, is a force to be reckoned with.

“I keep saying I need to work on me, but I’m doing everything right and I still feel like something’s missing.” Her eyes were impossibly blue as they gazed up at mine. “Is it you?”

4.5 stars!!

➔➔➔  Looking for my must-read recommendations? Browse my 5 star and 4.5 star and 4 star reviews. 😀

➔➔➔  Love this author? Browse more Emma Scott features and reviews on my blog. 😀