A Forever Kind of Thing by Carrie Thomas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

All I can say is WOW!!!! This was easily a hands-down 5-star read for me!!! The story was great, the characters were great, and the writing was great!!!

Wesley and Mina came into each other’s lives as children at a time when they needed one another. Wesley became Mina’s protector from vicious bullies, and Mina changed his life as well. The two became best friends, and then a crush, and then had the potential to become so much more even though they were children. Their little happiness bubble burst when Wesley disappeared without even letting Mina know. She was heartbroken, and life changed for her and her mother in ways they didn’t think possible. Years later, she is now the queen of her elite private school, and her life on the wrong side of the tracks is a distant memory until her past shows up at her school in the form of her best friend and first love, Wesley. No one knows about her past, and Wesley not only threatens her new life, but he still has the power to destroy her heart.

There were so many great things I loved about this book. The chemistry between Mina and Wes was electric, the softness and tenderness they shared also melted my heart. Some of my favorite parts of the book were their cherished memories of their childhood. Despite their painful childhood, their bond and that innocent love they had for one another made the darkness a little lighter!

“Pain and loss bound us together, along with a connection so deep it could hardly be explained. I loved him.” ~Mina

Something that set this book apart from other similar books was the heroine. Mina was the alpha. To her so-called friends, she ruled the school and at times could appear calculating. To Wesley, she appeared to have grown into the type of person that terrorized her as a child. Appearances can be deceiving…was she really that cold queen of the school or were there pieces of that young girl he fell for still in there?

“No matter the mask Mina chose to wear, it would be my job to prove to her she was good enough without it. I would remind her of what was beneath, of the little girl who played in the rain with me without a care in the world. It was time to set Mina free, to release her from the shackles of Ridgefield Academy and her so-called friends.” ~Wesley

Wesley does see some of the pieces buried deep inside of her. Despite her position at the top of the food chain in her school, she wanted to remember those forgotten pieces of herself. And, there were pieces of that little girl who cared for others still there, her volunteering at the YMCA and being a protector for those at school who were bullied. She was such a beautifully flawed and complex character, I LOVED her!

What was there not to love about Wesley? He was gorgeous, but it was his heart that was even more beautiful. He didn’t care what others thought of him, and man what a strong person he was! He endured so much as a child, yet somehow, became such a wonderful human being. It tugged on my heartstrings that he wanted Mina to show the world who she really was, and she didn’t have anything to be ashamed of. He didn’t want her to hide her light; he wanted her to show that light to the world!

As you can see, I fell in love with this special couple. However, it wasn’t only the characters that made the book so good! The story itself was fantastic. Even though it was a romance, it was also a lesson in life….despite your past, you don’t have to let it determine your future. You can use your past to make life better not only for you but for others as well. Whatever side of the train tracks you come from, it doesn’t determine the type of human being you become. Money and privilege don’t buy you happiness or make you better than anyone else.

Finally, the writing was excellent! The words these ladies wrote were just beautiful, and some of them were almost lyrical. All these things combined made for a fantastic book that I didn’t want to see end.

I have never read anything by these two writers, but they make a phenomenal team. They set themselves apart as a standout in this genre. It was such a beautiful and emotional love story, and I LOVED it! I cannot wait to read more books by them!

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