Book Review: Almost Forever by Laura Danks

I’d like to welcome to Novel Kicks today the blog tour for Almost Forever, the debut novel from Laura Danks. 

When a vicious attack leaves Paul in a coma on his wedding day, the doctors fear he will never wake up. But his fiancée Fran will never give up hope.

Fran has always known Paul is the only man for her, from the first moment they locked eyes as children to the day he finally told her he loved her. Paul can’t leave her, not now their lives are just about to begin.

Love will always find a way… won’t it?

Fran is the happiest she’s ever been. She’s about to elope to Vegas with the love of her life, Paul. Everything is perfect. However, her life is thrown into turmoil when Paul is attacked and put into a coma.

Fran refuses to leave his side and whilst she holds a vigil by his bedside, she starts to think back over their journey refusing to accept that it may be over before it’s begun.

Dear Laura Danks, you’ve written a book that had me, cough, crying on more than one occasion.

Thinking about it, it did elicit the same emotions I get when I watch the first ten minutes of Up! I cry without fail and get unhappy with the injustice of it. Reading this book made me feel the same.

From the beginning of this novel, I was so incredibly emotional and I had such empathy for Fran (a loved one in a coma is something I have unfortunately had personal experience with,) so I felt the feelings Fran felt. I got drawn into hers and Paul’s story very quickly and I didn’t want to stop until I knew what happened.

All the way through, I willed Paul to be OK so that he and Fran could get married.

The book is told in the present and through a series of flashbacks. This is Fran and Paul’s love story.

I won’t say anymore in regard to the plot as I don’t want to give too much away.

The setting and style of the novel is very engrossing and at times, it transported me to sunnier climes (even if it was only in my head.)

As far as the characters go, I loved Paul and Fran but I also had a huge soft spot for Harry and for Josephine too.

This, in my opinion is very much a character driven book. This focuses on love, loss and taking chances whilst you can.

The subject matter did get very sad but it’s dealt with well and I found myself feeling uplifted at times, especially at the end.

Almost Forever is a wonderful love story that had me laughing, crying, getting frustrated with the characters and smiling too.

It is great for escaping these cold days – this book, a warm blanket, a comfy chair and hot chocolate.

Perfect!

I am looking forward to seeing what Laura Danks does next.

(Almost Forever is due to be released by HQ Digital on 9th February 2018. Click to view on Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Almost-Forever-Laura-Danks-

About Laura 

Laura Danks, was born and raised in Italy. She studied Classics in Milan hoping to follow in the footsteps of Indiana Jones, her childhood hero.

Instead of treasure hunting in snakes infested temples, in 2001 she moved to London to work in Online Advertising.

She eventually decided to give up her a fifteen-year career to write full-time. She has the tendency to hide classical references in her books as a fun brain teasers for her readers.

She now lives in a two-hundred year old cottage near Cambridge with her husband, her two kids, Hugo the cat and a type-writer.

Say hi to Laura on Twitter @auradanks – twitter.com/auradanks and Facebook @auradanks – www.facebook.com/auradanks

by

Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.