Guest Review: Forever Yours by Debbie Johnson

A love to last a lifetime...

Gemma knows perfectly well how one moment can change your life forever. That's why, for two decades, she's lived life by the rulebook.

But this year, everything is different. The beloved daughter she gave up for adoption all those years ago is about to turn eighteen - and that means, there's a chance of being found.

For the first time in her life, Gemma can no longer run from her secrets. And she begins to realise that when everything is falling apart, love can be found in the unlikeliest of places.

Because sometimes your true family is the one you pick for yourself...

Review: Debbie Johnson is one of my ‘go to’ authors; her novels never fail to transport me to another world and introduce me to some wonderful characters. I automatically buy each new book as it is released, and discover the subject matter as I read. I listened to this one in audio format and finished it all in a day, so eager was I to discover what became of the characters. I found it difficult to review this book without giving anything away, but I hope I have succeeded while conveying the essence of the story.

The central character in the story is Gemma, who we meet in the midst of childbirth at the age of 16. She has been in care for many years. Gemma has already decided that her daughter should be given up for adoption. We next meet her 18 years later. She has been trying to put her early experiences behind her and to find happiness and stability her life. She has naturally never forgotten the baby that she gave up all those years ago, but is very aware that her daughter is about to turn 18 and will be able to look for her birth mother if she chooses. Can Gemma open up to the friends who want to help her and one in particular who might be more than a friend?

I can highly recommend this incredibly emotional book, which reduced me to tears more than once. It is so well written that you can feel yourself struggling along with Gemma as she tries to recover from her early years with an unstable mother and then a long period in the care system. She showed great strength of character in making the decision that she was unsuitable to bring up a child of her own, but she has never been able to share this fact with anyone else and has found it hard to settle anywhere. I loved the friends who supported her as she tried to sort out her life and waited to see if her daughter would make contact. Standing out amongst those is Karim, so obviously interested in romance, but so patient and gentle at the same time - just what Gemma needs. Although this book had me reaching for the tissues, it’s not all sadness; there’s humour too, friendship, potential romance and lots of hope for Gemma’s future. I hope others enjoy it as much as I did.

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