Book Review – Forever With You by Barb Curtis

Title: Forever With You (Sapphire Springs #1)

Author: Barb Curtis

Publisher: Forever

Publication date: November 10th, 2020

316 pages

4/5 stars

Goodreads Synopsis

From debut author, Barb Curtis, a heartwarming small-town romance about high school sweethearts who return home and discover that first love sometimes gets a second chance. . .

Jay Wynter wants to be successful on his own merit. That’s why he left Sapphire Springs and his family’s winery to build a career from scratch. But now that he’s successor to Wynter Estate, Jay must return to his small hometown to face everything, and everyone, he left behind-especially his high school sweetheart, who happens to be his stunning new business partner . . .

Leyna Milan knows family legacies come with strings attached, but she’s determined to prove that she can run her family’s restaurant. Of course, Leyna never expected that honoring her grandfather’s wishes meant opening a second location on her ex’s property-or having to ignore Jay’s sexy grin and guard the heart he shattered years before. But as they work closely together, she begins to discover that maybe first loves deserve a second chance . . .

Review

A debut novel by Barb Curtis brings readers to the town of Sapphire Springs, an idyllic small town in wine country where everyone knows each other and there are no secrets. In terms of setting, think Nicholas Sparks without North Carolina. The characters are older in this book than I normally read – the MCs are in their mid-thirties, and the trope most prominent is second chance romance. Leyna and Jay broke up when they were 18, and now 18 years later Jay comes back and throws Leyna for a spin.

Forever With You was a sweet romance. I was more invested in Leyna as a character than Jay – he just made so many mistakes and it got harder to look past them every time. The side characters were amazing, I loved the development and the look into this town and their relationships with each other. There are more serious moments in this book while sticking with the HEA theme. Also, there is very little steam in this book. Very minor details, and then fade to black scenes so if closed door romance is your jam – this will fit in well for you.

Looking forward to reading the second book in the Sapphire Springs series, Only For You!

**Thank you to Forever Publishing for a finished copy to review**

Happy reading, folks!