Cheryl McIntyre

Before Now, Long After, Always Forever

Park Reed is a bastard in every sense of the word. He hasn't always been this way. But after his heart was broken by the only girl he ever loved, being heartless gets him through the day and allows him to fill his nights with the nameless girls he has no intentions of seeing again. He now lives his life following his ever-growing list of “life lessons.”

Lucy Braden is everything Park is not. She’s sweet, caring, and an all-around nice person. She tries to follow Lucy's Rules to Live By everyday.

When Park moves in with Jessie, which happens to be the floor below Lucy, Jessie's one stipulation: Lucy is off limits to Park. The problem with that is Lucy is determined to be a good friend to Park and see past the drinking and random girls to find the man beneath it all. The other problem: Park follows his own rules. 

*This is a New Adult novel. Recommended for 17+ due to sexual situations, harsh language, and drug and alcohol use.

Before Now is a companion novel to Sometimes Never, and many of its characters are in Park’s story. However, it can be read as a stand-alone book.

****This is a companion novel to Sometimes Never & may have some spoilers in the review. If you have not read Sometimes Never, I would suggest reading it first before reading this review.****

Mag's 4 Star Review

Park Reed is the ultimate ‘use them and lose them’ type. He doesn’t care what people think about him, or what he does. He does what he wants and doesn’t think about the consequences. Park may seem rough on the outside, but this stems from being hurt. In Sometimes Never Park was left by the only girl he ever loved, which in turn made him into the man he is. 

Park only has four lessons in life to live by. 

“ You can never fucking go back. What’s done is done. Whatever damage you’ve caused is permanent. Life doesn’t have an undo button- no matter how much you wish it did. 2 Don’t waste your time wishing. It doesn’t work and you just wind up looking like a fucking loser. 3 Life is shitty. Fucking deal with it. You want something? Take it. Take it and fuck everything and everybody else. There is not a line outside your door waiting to hand it to you. 4 Do not-under any circumstances- fall in love.”

Lucy Brandon is about as opposite from Park that you can get. She is sweet and kind. She trusts to much, has an open mind and open heart, and has always tries to see the best in others. 

Before now is the story of Park Reed and Lucy Braden and their rocky road to happiness. It’s filled with ups and downs, love and loss, and a whole lotta hot yummy Park! I read Sometimes Never and was a complete Mason fan. I thought Park was a total douche, but I was too wrapped up in Mason and Hope’s story to realize what he went through. In Before Now we get a good look into the damage that Hope’s decision caused for Park, and how Lucy is able to help Park find this way. Cheryl has hit the nail on the head with Park. He has become one of my favorite bad boys!! I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good love story filled with some humor, struggles, and twists!!

For Annie Phillips, there is a right way to do things and everything has a place. College and her flawless GPA are top priority, as is planning her perfect future. Anything less than perfection is unacceptable. So when she meets Loden Guiles, she believes she has finally found her perfect happily-ever-after.

Chase Malloy is funny, loyal, and an all around nice guy. He’s also sloppy, tattooed, and undirected. All Chase wants to do is survive college, hang out with friends, and make music. Knowing his best friend’s step-sister since they were fourteen, Annie and he have always had a love-hate relationship. The last thing Chase expects is to fall for Annie, but he knows he’ll never live up to her idea of the perfect man.

On the outside, Annie and Loden’s relationship appears picture perfect. But behind closed doors, Annie quickly realizes Loden isn’t the man he pretends to be. Every time her not so well laid plans crumble, and Loden proves to be not so Mr. Right, Chase is there to pick her up and brush her off. Will she realize the perfection she’s been searching for has been in front of her all this time?

*Long After is a companion novel to Sometimes Never and Before Now. Many of the same characters appear in Chase and Annie's story. However, it can be read as a stand-alone book.

**This is a new adult novel. Due to harsh language, sexual situations, and violence, this book is recommended for 17+

Who Picked This? Book blog was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Manda's 5 Star Review:

Annie and Chase have known each other since they were 14 and have always had a love/hate relationship. Annie wants everything in her life perfectly organized. From her appearance to her grades to her future husband. Determined not to end up like her mom, who is on her third marriage, Annie will accept nothing less than perfect. Chase is Annie's exact opposite. He is the messy, unorganized, laid back guy with no real direction in his life. However, they find themselves drawn together into a friendship that neither one of then expected. Annie soon discovers that her perfect future is turning into her worst nightmare, and Chase might be the only one she can rely on.

I love the Sometimes Never series! I have been a huge fan of Cheryl McIntyre's writing from book one. I could not wait for this book and was not disappointed. Each book in the series gets better and better. If you have read the other books in the series then you know Annie's character is not always the nicest. This book gives you a good look into why Annie is the way she is. Cheryl McIntyre has a knack for writing terrific male characters, and Chase just might be my favorite! I absolutely love to find a book that I want to know more about the supporting characters. This book is definitely a must read! If you have read the rest of the series then you do not want to miss this one, and if not this book will make you want to read them.

Mag's 5 Star Review

To be honest, this book was one I read and said “crap I wish I gave 6 stars out”. I never wanted it to end! Cheryl has created this world where it is okay to be different and have struggles: to learn and to grow. All of her characters grow and mature with each passing page, chapter, and book. The one thing I love about Cheryl’s books is that all the characters are intertwined together, but you can clearly see whom the book is about. It’s also great to catch up on the other characters you loved from previous books.

Every freaking time I read one of Cheryl’s books I am totally convinced it was my favorite!! I loved Hope & Mason’s story, I lived and breathed Park & Lucy’s story, and Chase & Annie’s story absolutely consumed me!! It was great to see where Annie had come from and what made her into the person she was portrayed to be in books one and two. I believe out of every character in Cheryl’s books, Annie grew the most as an individual, and I am positive that some one reading this will connect to her and the struggles she had. I would totally recommend this book to anyone and everyone!!

Always Forever (Sometimes Never #4) by Cheryl McIntyre

"Will you marry me?"

Most women would love for Luke Walters to ask that question. But when Misty Handlin can’t seem to find the right answer, Luke offers a new proposal.

"Go sow your wild oats this summer, then give me your answer."

Knowing she’s struggling with the unanswered questions regarding her first love, Misty decides to do just that. Maybe some time with the man who stole her heart all those years ago will finally quell whatever is holding her back from Luke.

Kellin Patel was forced to leave Misty behind when he was twelve years old. While the U-Haul pulled away from the only place that felt like a home, he wasn’t sure if he’d see her again. As the years went by, and time never seemed to be on his side, he finally began to accept he would never have another chance with Misty.

Now, all grown up, Misty is back and looking for one last wild summer with Kellin. Though their lives have continued to move in opposite directions, they’ll realize one thing has Always remained the same: They’ve both been holding on to the memory of first love and unspoken regret.

Who will Misty choose to spend Forever with?

*This is a New Adult novel. Recommended for 17+.

Always Forever is a companion novel to Sometimes Never, but can be read as a stand-alone book.

Manda's 5 Star Review:

I don't think I can properly express how much I love Cheryl McIntyre and the Sometimes Never series. This has been one of my favorite series and continues to get better with each book. I have loved each character and every storyline. Each new book becomes my favorite and that streak continues with this story. Kellin and Misty have a complicated history that started as a childhood friendship. After being separated by a move they manage to reconnect and begin building an even stronger bond, but one night ruins everything. What should have been a happy reunion turns into heartbreak. Once again separating the two and forcing each to go on without the other.

As the years pass and their lives take them in different directions, they still can't help but think about that night that everything went wrong and how it ruined a beautiful friendship. When Misty is faced with a decision that will affect her future, she decides to take the summer to clear her head and maybe figure out what happened.

The summer takes an unexpected turn when Misty and Kellin find themselves on a camping trip with friends and a game of truth or dare brings the past to light. As the summer progresses they find the bond they shared so long ago is still there and is growing stronger. As their time together comes to an end relationships from their past and present intervene and threaten to separate them again for good.

I absolutely love this book and how the story plays out. I loved getting to see a little bit from the characters in previous books as well and getting to experience all that is Roh and Sadie. This is a fantastic addition to an already amazing series. Fantastic job again Cheryl McIntyre!! I highly recommend this book and the entire series.

Mag's 4 Star Review:

Let me first start off by saying, there has not been on single thing written by Cheryl McIntyre that I have not loved.  Not liked, but LOVED.  Her books have the ability to mess you up emotional, mentally and most defiantly physically, especially with all that Nesquik making going on.  While reading her books they own, consume, and eat away at me until they are all I think about.  I cannot express how much I love her characters and the emotions they portray and Kellin and Misty were no different. 

Misty and Kellin have a very complicated and long relationship full of heartache and disappointments, but fate has a way of bringing people back to each other when they need each other the most.  Misty is faced with a decision that, for most, would be an easy one getting married to her current boyfriend of ten months, but for Misty there are lingering doubts of a boy who wiggled his way into her heart and hasn't left.  Setting out on a mission to find out what she truly wants, Misty is forced to face her real emotions, the ones locked deep away. 

Kellin has always had a thing for Misty, ever since she was schooling him in basketball and before he was forced to move away from her.  Many years and stupid decisions later, Kellin comes face to face with Misty for the first time in a long time and he soon realizes his feelings haven't left or went away.  If anything his feelings have only grown over time.  

This book is a beautifully emotional journey of two kindred spirits finding their way back to each other and finding the ways to work past their stubbornness to attempt to be happy.  One of the many things I love about the Sometimes Never series is the reoccurring characters and we got to see some friendly faces from the previous books in this one, which is always nice.  Kellin and Misty have a special place in my heart, because I feel like I have watched them grow up.  They were twelve when we first met them and now we see them at twenty-one and finding out who they really are.  I highly recommend this entire series to everyone looking for a beautiful reads that will leave you wanting more!