Review: The Next Forever

Author: Lisa Burstein
Release Date: January 13, 2013
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Pages: 96
Series: Pretty Amy #1.5
Source: NetGalley
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Summary:  One night in college can change everything…

Away at college, Amy just wants one night alone without her high school sweetheart, Joe. So when he invites her to go to the library, she heads off on her own instead. How she ended up at a house party with the mysterious bad-boy Trevor is another story…

Joe so isn’t going to the library. He needs space from Amy, too, so he’s decided to rush a fraternity, to get back the swagger he had in high school. But it doesn’t take long for the brothers to invite him to the real rush here the beer is flowing and one particular girl has set her eyes on Joe.

Over the course of one wild night, both Amy and Joe will have to decide if their futures belong with two new people, or whether the next forever will have their first loves in it.

My Favorite Lines:

""No, but I'm doing the same thing, finding my worth in someone else's eyes.  I guess I was just making sure that for once you were my decision."
"And?"
She waited a beat, pulled the bun out of her hair, and knotted it back up.  She turned to me, her eyes so big, so beautiful.  "You were always my decision.  You will always be my decision.""

Why I Loved It:  Oh Amy and Joe.  There has been some serious growing up on their part.  Ms. Burstein's adult novella is missing some of the grit of Dear Amy, but the romance is there in full force.  Once again this is real romance.  When you are in a serious relationship, most people doubt, question, and fear what the commitment means.  Ms. Burstein shows her power as a writer in her ability to recreate parts of growing up that everyone experiences.

Many of us won't go as far as Amy or end up walking home half-naked girls wearing your clothes leaving you in turn half-naked like Joe.  But we doubt our love, mentally explore other options.  Once we leave the honeymoon stage of the relationship getting older can be a scary reality along with the reality of depending on someone else to love you.  Once again Amy's decisions frustrated me, left me emotionally spent as she made on little stupid decision after another.  But I understood.  I got her and Joe.  They are very relatable characters.

College and feelings of loneliness that come were captured perfectly.  Love and hope were so perfectly portrayed that I wonder at the magical pen Ms. Burstein must have.  Just kidding, she is just a literary genius.  This novella, after Pretty Amy, has put her on my auto-buy list.  She's just that good, in my opinion.  

Who Should Read It:  Definitely a must for people who loved Pretty Amy.  I think you could probably read this one on its own even if you have not read her first book.  I think people who love reality portrayed in a book, complete with a happy ending, will love this book.