Timothy Lewis (2)

"Forever Friday: A Novel" by Timothy Lewis is a love story.

First sentence: "Some great romances worth the telling are never told, their lovers slipping silently between life's timeworn cracks only to be pitched with yesterday's trash."

PLOT

In the summer of 2006, Adam Colby is supervising one of his estate sales. The old house belonged to the Alexanders- a couple who have both passed away. Whilst perusing the contents during his day, he flicks through an old photograph album, and finds six show more decades worth of postcards- each with a poem written by Gabe Alexander to his wife, Huck.

As Adam reads each one, he finds himself enchanted by their seemingly 'perfect love'. Unhappily divorced two years ago, he wonders how the Alexander's kept the spark in their marriage when his went so disastrously. The more he reads the more he wants to know, and sets off contacting people from the Alexander's past in order to discover more about them. His main interest is Yevette- the daughter of the Alexander's housekeeper. If he can find out the formula for the 'perfect marriage', perhaps he has a second chance at love.

Meanwhile, in 1926, Gabe and Huck Alexander meet for the first time. The rest is history.

Switching between point of views, we see the story told from Adam, Yevette, Gabe and Huck's perspective. The story is told through a series of flashbacks to Huck and Gabe's first meeting in 1926, and beyond, following their love story and that of the postcards- sent every Friday for sixty years.

REVIEW

This story was inspired by the lives of the author's great-uncle and aunt, and shares many similarities. At their estate sale, he discovered sixty years of postcards poems from his great-uncle to his great-aunt, and it was that which sparked the concept for this book.

In this story, each poem connects to an event in Gabe and Huck's life at the time. We don't get to see all of them, but almost every chapter starts with one of the poems- relating it to events in the chapter as they would have related to events in the Alexander's lives. They span from 1926 to the mid-80s when Gabe died.

You have two stories here- Adam's and the Alexander's. The latter is the focus of the book, and most of it is spent in the past with them. We also get flashbacks to 2004, when Huck is in a nursing home with dementia, and still believes that Gabe is sending her postcards. He promises her one final postcard, and there is a small mystery about what is says- revealed at the end.

From the very start you know the framework of the ending. You have the story of two lovers who lived full lives and are both deceased. But as the years fly by, the inevitability of it, mixed with the uncertainty of the 'how' creates a sense of dread and sadness. A bitterness that must seep through the sweet.

The Alexander's love starts off as a heady, rosy-tinted whirlwind romance. As the honeymoon faze fades, a more realistic relationship does develop. They quarrel, they bicker and they fight, but they never allow themselves to lose their love. Huck is definitely the less mature of the two, occasionally throwing tantrums if she doesn't get her way, but there is absolutely nothing superficial about their relationship.

Obviously, Huck and Gabe's story is the focus, and it shines through. Adam's story, however, I found quite predictable, and I didn't really get anything much out of it. However, as I said, this if the story of Gabe and Huck, and that's it. The story of two people who meet and fall in love. The simplicity of the concept creates a kind of magic to the words. It is a very moving story. We may know the basics of how the story ends, but as the old proverb goes- it is the journey that matters, not the destination, and that is the mantra of this story.

There are some possible supernatural elements. Perhaps an angel, or maybe just a drifter whose words inspired a young girl's heart. It doesn't matter who he was, what matters is what he meant to Huck, and what she believed he was. It was the hope he sparked in her that emanated throughout this book.

The characters are, well Gabe and Huck are the two who stand out, as they should. Their absolute adoration for each other shines through the pages, and make this story. The other characters are almost superfluous. With one exception. A character by the name of Mister Jack, who I will say no more on lest I spoil it.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book- far more that I thought I would. This is more than the usual love story. It is a story of hope. Of two people who consciously choose to never let their love slide, and that love is undeniable. While the situations may be romanticised (and therefore not entirely realistic) there is no doubt of the characters devotion to one another. It radiates. It is the lifeblood of this book.

This is a feel-good book (for the most part), but was more profound than I expected it to be. I flew through the pages, as the years flew by the Alexander's. A great love story with a deeper meaning.

Disclaimer: I received this book from Blogging for Books. This is not a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% my own. show less

Really a fantastic read. This is a love story between two people and the quest of a young man to find out what made their marriage work. It almost reads like a fairy tale, but, yes, the couple experience their share of bumps and scrapes just like anyone. It's beautifully written and well worth anyone's time.

Forever Friday, Timothy Lewis’ debut fiction, is a romance reminiscent of Nicholas Sparks and Dan Walsh. An original premise and beautiful writing bring this story of lasting love and hope to life. If you like romance, you will love Forever Friday.

Adam Colby has just about given up on love. Divorced and lonely, Adam happens upon postcards spanning 60 years that Gabe Alexander sent his wife Huck. Intrigued by the poetry written on the postcards, Adam is determined to find out the story of show more the Alexander’s marriage and the secret to their lasting romance. And what a story he finds. Gabe and Huck are soul mates and their life together, while not without hardship, is the stuff of fairy tales. It is their devotion to each other and their determination to put each other first, that gives Adam hope again that love is real.

Forever Friday is inspired by the author’s great-uncle and aunt. Knowing this made the story seem even more special. The characters are special too. Written with care, they become very real to the reader. Huck and Gabe’s story is written in a style that mimics the decades they lived in — from the roaring twenties, through the depression, all the way to the post WWII years and beyond. In between their narrative is the first person voice of Adam, a voice that searches and questions, all the while hoping against hope that true love could actually be his.

Gabe and Huck’s story is entertaining and instructive. I especially was touched by their commitment to selflessness and their determination not to fall prey to The Long Division, the circumstances of life that tend to separate married couples. Forever Friday is a great illustration of becoming one flesh. A great first novel, I look forward to more fiction offerings from Timothy Lewis.

Recommended.

Great For Book Clubs.

(Thanks to Waterbrook Press for a copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) show less

What a beautiful novel duet from Timothy Lewis. A keeper for my fiction library!

In Forever Friday we are introduced to Adam - a broken man questioning if love is even worth the effort and if marriages can realistically last. While sorting through the leftovers of an estate sale he is working, he discovered a true treasure in the remaining junk! What wisdom might he find in 60 years of postcards sent from a man to his wife - Gabe and Pearl Alexander? As Adam digs and investigates, we go back show more to the early twentieth century and are introduced to Gabe and Pearl (better known as “Huck”) and their love story....and what an adventure it is -- up, down, good, bad. This is a story of love, hope and redemption!

A negative for me was the slight toss off of the issue of children. It fit in the story easily because of Huck’s situation. However, Gabe seemed to consider them more as a negative in keeping their going strong. That just bothered me!

Anyway, here’s a quote to interest you:

“Not long ago, I’d asked myself whether soul mates evolved into lovers or lovers evolved into soul mates. An answer I considered was that the trail we took to reach the top of the mountain mattered not, as long as we arrived. But now I’m thinking that the journey itself was key. Romance wasn’t what saved Huck and Gabe from The Long Division. In fact, romance was simply an external result of the willingness each of them had to continually choose each other over their own selfishness.

Two hearts commanding devotion.”

Now you’re thinking...The Long Division? ...And what’s “two hearts commanding devotion” mean? ...So, I would encourage you to grab your own copy of this special story, which was actually inspired by the true story between the author’s great-aunt and great-uncle!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through Blogging for Books, Waterbrook Multnomah Publisher’s book review bloggers program. The opinions I have expressed are my own. show less