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Reviewed by Tammy Ruggles for Readers' Favorite
Mine Forever: A Young Adult Romance by Skylar Nightingale is an engaging YA romance that will break your heart and lift your spirits. Teenagers Javon and Billie Rose are best friends, but she doesn't seem to know that he now has romantic feelings for her. He doesn't want to lose the good friendship they have by chancing a romance with her, and she's already dating someone else, so what's a guy to do? He begins dating someone too, hoping it will make his feelings for Billie go away. And if that weren't enough, Billie is moving across the country, far away from him. Javon is crushed, but it doesn't stop him from throwing her a going-away party. Javon's mother helps him buy her a nice diamond bracelet, which infuriates Javon's girlfriend. And then Billie lets Javon know that her boyfriend has dumped her. He stays in contact with Billie, even though his girlfriend hates this. And then Javon's girlfriend drops the either/or: He has to choose one girl or the other. When he chooses Billie, it turns out she has a new guy. Now Javon is in the fight of his life for the only girl he really loves.
This is a classic romance theme with a fresh, contemporary twist. Nightingale has a natural gift for storytelling, plot-building, and character development. The writing is lean, well-paced, and has wide appeal for a YA audience. The author's choice to use first-person POV--a good chunk of it from Javon's perspective--was a good one. I enjoyed the friendship between the two leads, and how they handle their decision-making process. I liked that they are confused and aren't sure what to do, but when the timing is right, good things come together. This author handles young love and angst very well. Mine Forever: A Young Adult Romance by Skylar Nightingale is an entertaining YA novel that doesn't disappoint.
