Then, Now, Forever BETA READ review + Release Giveaway
Then, Now, Forever by Teodora Kostova
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Amber: Teodora picks up this story with some of the
secondary characters (Gia and Beppe) who we meet in the first book as secondary
characters. This time, they are the primary characters. The plot progression is
great because you still get glimpses of what the characters from In A Heartbeat
are up to, all while watching the relationship from this series go through its
ups and downs and inside outs.
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Favorite
Quote(s)?
Hi, my name
is Teodora and I live in London with my husband Ted and my son Jason. I've been
writing ever since I can remember, but it became my full time job in 2010 when
I decided that everything else I've tried bores me to death and I have to do
what I've always wanted to do, but never had to guts to fully embrace. I've
been a journalist, an editor, a personal assistant and an interior designer
among another things, but as soon as the novelty of the new, exciting job wears
off, I always go back to writing. Being twitchy, impatient, loud and hasty are
not qualities that help a writer, because I have to sit alone, preferably
still, and write for most of the day, but I absolutely love it. It's the only
time that I'm truly at peace and the only thing I can do for more than ten minutes
at a time - my son has a bigger attention span than me.
When I'm procrastinating, I like to go to the gym, cook Italian meals (and eat them), read, listen to rock music, watch indie movies and True Blood re-runs. Or, in the worst case scenario, get beaten at every Wii game by a six year old.
Don't be shy and get in touch - I love connecting with my readers.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Then, Now Forever is the sequel to In A Hearbeat. Though it is a sequel, it can be read as a stand alone novel if you choose. (I don't recommend it. The first book is super hot too.) You can check out review of In A Heartbeat HERE.
Then
Gia had let Beppe into her life so easily, as
if it was the most natural thing in the world. She’d held him when he’d hurt so
badly he’d thought he might die; she’d talked him down when he’d been so angry
he’d considered doing something he’d regret for the rest of his life.
Gia had saved his life.
At least once he needed to be strong
for her.
This right now, this moment, was
theirs. It belonged to them, not to abusive or dead fathers, not to guilt, regret
or sorrow, not to the past or the future.
But will their love
survive when tragedy separates them?
“I have to go, Gia. I’m tired and I
feel empty. I know you need me, but I have nothing left to give you. I need to
heal.”
“I miss you so much
it’s hard to breathe.”
Now
Beppe was still Gia’s closest friend.
But they’d never be anything more than that again. Remembering what it felt
like to have the person you love most in the world torn away from you still
hurt. Gia was determined never to be put into that position again.
There was never lack of
love, but can Beppe win Gia’s trust again?
Forever
“When I was broken you gave me pieces of yourself
and made me whole again.”
We had the immense pleasure of working very closely with Teodora on this book. We were beta readers and we loved every minute of the process. So, you guys are lucky that you're fans of my blog because you get a sneak peak review before ANYONE ELSE! Hot off the presses! I've been DYING to share this book with you guys and I hope you love it as much as I do! Below you'll find a quick Q&A Kam and I did for the beta read review. Joint reviews are so fun!
Easy
to read?
Kam: Just like in her last book, In A Heartbeat,
Teodora tackles the ever complicated third-person-omniscient and does a great
job. The paragraphs flowed together, the
emotion of the characters all came through, and even the world building scenes
were on point.
Amber: This book is an incredibly easy book to get
into. The characters are so lifelike that you feel like you’re reading about
someone that you know personally, so yes. Easy to read!
Good plot
progression?
Kam: Even though Teodora tells the story is a
not-so-unique way, she still does it in a way that provokes you to keep
reading. We get the past, the present,
and the future all in one great package, and even though the story doesn’t end
the way you’ll want it to, it still moves along greatly.
.JPG)
Amber: Teodora picks up this story with some of the
secondary characters (Gia and Beppe) who we meet in the first book as secondary
characters. This time, they are the primary characters. The plot progression is
great because you still get glimpses of what the characters from In A Heartbeat
are up to, all while watching the relationship from this series go through its
ups and downs and inside outs.
Believable
characters?
Kam: These are all the characters we met in its
companion novel, In A Heartbeat, save the few new members of the family. I did notice a small character difference in
Gia from the previous book, but I’m attributing it to character
development. All in all, though, we meet
a great cast of people, and they are all very real.
Amber: Yes. Teodora is amazing at getting you inside
the head of the characters she writes about. There were times where I felt like
I was sitting right next to Beppe or Gia and I felt like I was just hanging out
with my friends. They’re pretty awesome people. They have their flaws, just
like me and you – and I think that makes them even more believable. Too bad
they aren’t real!
Grammar issues?
Kam: The only thing you might have trouble with is
the odd placement of commas, which aren’t wrong, they’re just…odd. The lingo’s a little different for our
American friends to understand, since it has European slang and terms. But still, it’s nothing a little elbow grease
on the reader’s part can make smoother.
Amber: Like Kam said it’s a bit of an adjustment
going from what we (as Americans ) read from our American counterparts.
However, if you can’t catch on to the lingo and figure it out – I’m really
concerned for you! Just pretend you’re in the UK listening to those crazy Brits
speak.
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Would you
recommend to someone?
Kam: Definitely!
I wouldn’t consider it a contemporary, specifically, but I would
recommend it to someone who likes them.
It also has romance, and who doesn’t love that?
Amber: Without a doubt. I’d recommend it to anyone
who loves romance, loves a struggle, loves heartbreak, loves feeling… you know,
all of those things – especially if you’re over 17!
Overall rating:
Kam: Overall, I’m gonna give it a nice solid 4/5
stars. Definitely better than In A
Heartbeat, but with the same loveable people and an added touch of suspense.
Amber: I’d give it a 4.5/5. Half a point for the
lack of pictures. HAHA! Kidding, I go with a 4.5 because the book gets
confusing for a few pages in a couple of sections (but it definitely clears it
up as quickly as it became confusing.) It’s not a common occurrence but it
happened a couple of times, just in certain scenarios. However, by the time I
was saying “wait. What?” Teodora was answering my question, so really I don’t
have a leg to stand on by taking .5 off. ;)
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Favorite
Quote(s)?
Kam: “The most important
thing in my life is keeping me in Genoa. You. When I say I'm not
leaving again, I mean it.” – Beppe
"You may reject me now, again, but
I'll keep fighting for you." – Beppe (I love Beppe, guys)
Amber: “I’ve been trying to get over how much I miss
you. And how much I need you to cope with everyday life.” – Beppe
“I love you so much that if I let go of
the reins and let go, it will consume me.” …. “let it.” Gia and Beppe
“When I was broken, you gave me pieces
of yourself and made me whole again.”
A message from the Author:
Hi, my name
is Teodora and I live in London with my husband Ted and my son Jason. I've been
writing ever since I can remember, but it became my full time job in 2010 when
I decided that everything else I've tried bores me to death and I have to do
what I've always wanted to do, but never had to guts to fully embrace. I've
been a journalist, an editor, a personal assistant and an interior designer
among another things, but as soon as the novelty of the new, exciting job wears
off, I always go back to writing. Being twitchy, impatient, loud and hasty are
not qualities that help a writer, because I have to sit alone, preferably
still, and write for most of the day, but I absolutely love it. It's the only
time that I'm truly at peace and the only thing I can do for more than ten minutes
at a time - my son has a bigger attention span than me.When I'm procrastinating, I like to go to the gym, cook Italian meals (and eat them), read, listen to rock music, watch indie movies and True Blood re-runs. Or, in the worst case scenario, get beaten at every Wii game by a six year old.
Don't be shy and get in touch - I love connecting with my readers.
Open International. Ends 10/15 at Midnight.
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