Lovin' los libros

Forever Innocent
   by: Deanna Roy

Publication Date: Oct. 1, 2013
Publisher: Casey Shay Press
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Group: New Adult
Source: e-ARC received from Xpresso Tours and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 300 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 3.5/5 stars



My Review:

I will be very honest with you all- this book broke my heart several times and as I read I felt I had a vise gripped around my heart. Don't get me wrong- I enjoyed this one, but wow. My emotions were all over the place!

This book is narrated in both Corabelle and Gavin's POVs, which made it all the more heart wrenching. Both Corabelle and Gavin are two very broken people, who after sharing a painful past, are thrown back into one another's lives with no warning. Neither one is ready for the other, yet they can't stop thinking about each other either. After growing up with someone and sharing the things they did, it's so easy to remember how things used to be between them, when they were happy and in love. Feelings are re-ignited and while Corabelle says she wants to move forward, Gavin becomes determined to win her back. He knows he made a mistake leaving her years ago and wants to make up for it. Corabelle tries to push him away and not let herself fall back into what was once beautiful and effortless. If only it were that easy...

I felt both Gavin and Corabelle jumped back in with each other way too soon and way too fast, considering all they've been through. Both of them carry secrets that could destroy the other and until they come clean, they won't be able to truly be happy, despite the fact that Gavin wants them to move forward and think about a future. Both have to be able forgive each other for their pasts, but most importantly they need to be able to forgive themselves. I honestly believe they are not anywhere close to that point as of yet, which is why Corabelle's actions at the end weren't that shocking to me.

Corabelle was such a broken, lost character. She refuses to date after her ordeal and is focused entirely on work and school. She is just not a very happy character, something her best friend Jenny says on multiple occasions- in fact, she said she's never even heard her laugh before. When Gavin shows up in her astronomy class, she is absolutely floored. It's been four years since she's seen him and she has so many feelings come rushing back to her: love, anger, pain, hurt, sorrow... She is very back and forth with Gavin the entire book- never entirely sure he's what she wants, which was a bit frustrating to me.

Gavin has spent his last four years trying to forget the life he once had with Corabelle and their baby. He feels an overwhelming sense of guilt and despair at being the one to sign Finn's papers to take him off the respirator, and not being able to cope afterwards, he makes a decision and leaves. Now, upon being reunited with Corabelle, Gavin now has the shame of his less than honorable actions to add to on top of his guilt.  He is determined to get her back- he never stopped loving her and he wants them to have a future together. As I said earlier- these two have too many secrets amongst them and have not received the help they need to be able to deal and move forward, as we see from the conclusion of this book.

While not a cliffhanger, I am definitely ready to see what lies ahead for Gavin and Corabelle. Now that their secrets are out- will they be able to forgive themselves and each other? Or is there too much pain and hurt between them that a future simply isn't attainable? I can't wait to find out!



About the Author:


Deanna Roy is a sucker for romance and drama and dumps hefty amounts of both in her novels. She is also a powerful advocate for baby loss moms and has founded multiple support groups for women, from teens on up, who endure this impossible heartache. Her other novels include Baby Dust and Stella & Dane: A Honky Tonk Romance.

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