The Forever Year [Hardcover]

Let me start by saying that Nicholas Sparks is my absolute favorite author. I have read every one of his novels immediately upon their release. Since he usually only publishes one novel per year, I usually spend the rest of the year trying to find another novel to satisfy me as much (or close to as much) as Sparks' books do - - I think I've found this in Ronald Anthony!

I stumbled upon this book by accident, after reading some reviews here on Amazon. After seeing more than one compare this to a Sparks novel, I headed down to my local book store, and immediately picked up a copy to see for myself. I am so glad I did, and can now add Anthony to my list of favorite "new" authors.

Written with so much emotion, I can't imagine anyone reading this book without feeling something.

Three stories are actually told - one of the relationship between an aging father and his youngest son, one of the father's long ago love affair with a woman he just never got over and one of the son's current relationship with a wonderful woman.

Even after marrying another woman and producing four (now grown) children, Mickey never got over the love of his life. Jesse (Mickey's son), is now in a not-so-serious relationship with the beautiful, mesmorizing Marina. Jesse & Marina decide to take their relationship slowly and don't have any plans for a "future." Both have been badly hurt by previous relationships, and rather than run the risk of suffering through that pain again, they both decide to take their relationship one day a time, without any expectations from the other about what direction their relationship is headed. It is this attitude that causes Mickey to share the story of his lost love with Gina - a love story that took place more than 50 years earlier.

All three stories are equally touching and moving, and cannot be read without some type of emotion. As love evolves among all the main characters (Mickey & Gina, Jesse & Marina, Mickey & Jesse), I found myself thinking about the many "loves" in my life. It's very hard not to get emotionally attached to this story as readers of all ages and genders - in all types of relationships - can easily identify with the characters and the choices they make, mistakes that are made, and chances that have been lost. While this is a "love story", it's not simply the story between a man and woman that is told. Fathers and sons, brothers and sisters, boyfriends and girlfriends, mothers and sons, even between two best friends - all of these relationships are covered within this story.

The story flows nicely from chapter to chapter - some chapters are told from the point of view of Mickey, while others are told by Jesse. It's not confusing, however, and readers can easily follow along. I also liked how the story was not very predictable - readers are left guessing what happens right up until the very end - I hate it when a story is so predictable, you're just waiting to get to the part that you already KNOW is going to happen! This isn't the case with this book. While I'm sure readers will figure out part of the story - you won't know the full story until you've read the very least page. There's the perfect amount of light humor involved - I loved how Jesse & Mickey endearingly referred to each other as "Moron" throughout the story!! Instead of envisioning a cranky old man in his early 80s, readers are left with the image of a spunky, fun-loving, light-hearted Mickey. Readers can also see how both Mickey & Jesse grow through the book - each opening the their eyes & hearts to thoughts and feelings that neither one ever thought they'd ever experience. Both father & son learn from each other - both, from their mistakes & accomplishments - and its fun to see each of them evolve through the story; i.e., Jesse loves organic food, gormet coffee, "turkey burgers" - Mickey is set in his ways and just wants a simple cup of coffee and bacon. By the end of the story, both have tried & done things neither would have imagined at the beginning of the book.

I'm so glad I found this book, and decided to give it a try. It was truly a emotional read, one that will be difficult to top in the near future - the new Nicholas Sparks book isn't due to be released until Sept, but at least I had THE FOREVER YEAR to occupy at least some of my reading time til then.

I can't wait to read the next novel from Ronald Anthony - I hope all of his books stay with this theme. If so, he definitely has a dedicated fan in me!

Jesse, youngest son of widower Mickey Sienna, 83, asks his father to move in with him instead of to the assisted-living facility preferred by his siblings. Father and son quickly acclimate to each other's idiosyncrasies, but Jesse's healthy twenty-first-century relationship with his girlfriend, Marina, completely befuddles Mickey. To him, Marina is a rare woman whom Jesse should treasure, but Jesse, still smarting from numerous failed relationships, is not ready to commit. Trying to show Jesse how disastrous it would be for him to lose Marina, Mickey reveals the secret of his first and greatest love. In a series of emotionally draining chapters stretching out over several weeks, Mickey confides his love for Gina, an intelligent, passionate woman to whom he was engaged before her untimely death over 50 years earlier. Jesse realizes how foolish he has been, telling Marina his father was right when he called him a moron. Compelling characters quickly engage the reader in a heartfelt, if somewhat predictable, tale of romance lost and found.

The Forever Year is a wonderful tale of learning about life from the eyes of experience. Jesse Sienna finds this out when his 83-year old father moves in with him. Jesse, the youngest and unplanned child of Mickey, never had quite the same relationship with his father as his three siblings. He has also had his experiences with love that has left him convinced that each love is doomed to die, thus making him resistant to fully commit to anyone. Thankfully for him, he has met Marina, a beautiful school teacher that has also lost faith in love. Together, they decide to have a relationship based on one day at a time.

When Mickey meets Marina, he becomes fond of her. She reminds him of a lady from his youth, Gina, that up to now none of his children have heard of. Mickey is not fond of that fact that his son is unwilling to commit to Marina and starts to tell him of his own love with Gina before he met Jesse and his siblings' mother. He tells the story to him in little bits over a series of weeks. In the end, Mickey's love affair of 50 years previous is the guiding light in Jesse's own love with Marina.

The author has done an excellent job in going back and forth between first and third person in the story. It reflects two tales in one as Jesse tells the story from his eyes mixed with the author telling the story from beyond Jesse's point of view. A noteworthy novel from this promising new author.

I received my order promptly. The packaging was superb.
My book, Puff the Magic Dragon, arrived in perfect condition. thank you!!!