Review: Forever and One Week by Caroline Cairn

Posted May 25, 2016 by Lola in Fantasy, Review, Romance / 10 Comments

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Forever and One WeekForever and One Week (Spirits of Saoradh #2)
by Caroline Cairn

Blurb;
The Spirits of Saoradh, who carry the guilt of a crime they committed when they were alive, now spend their ghostly days in the Void, dark nothingness where time and space are distorted. Until they get bound to a human. As often as needed, that human can call them to the real world, ask them to grant a wish, then send them back to the Void. The Spirits also have to follow strict rules or be punished, unaware that they can earn their redemption through a selfless sacrifice.

Spirit Logan despises the obedience he has to show to his humans, and prefers the enjoyable solitude of the Void. For three years, he has managed to threaten them into severing their bond, thus having his memory wiped of their existence. Except his latest human, an emotionless woman with a secret past, isn’t scared of him. Worse, she doesn’t care about his ability to make wishes come true.

Tessa, a twenty-six-year-old nursery teacher in Fort William, Scotland, doesn’t expect a sullen ghost only she can see and touch to burst through her solid defences. Both dismayed and intrigued, she offers Logan a deal he can’t refuse: to live with her in the human world for one week, at the end of which she will agree to release him.

Slowly, Tessa braves through the safety of her detachment towards people to show Logan some kindness. But the more her feelings deepen, the more Logan increases his distance…

My Review:
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review

I really enjoyed this book! This authors really knows how to write and her books feature realistic characters and give a unique touch to the topic. I really like her writing style and got easily into the story because of that. The story flows really well, the pace is great and once I started reading I did not want to put it down. I love it when I find an author who’s writing style works for me as it makes reading so effortless.

This is the second book in this series, but it can be just as easily read as a standalone. I did read the first book first and noticed there where a few mentions of one of the main characters from the first book and some recurring side characters. There are enough hints to still give it some feel of continuity. While I really enjoyed this book, I wasn’t a big fan of the twist at the end, it just seemed a bit sad and while it does sort of makes sense, I still preferred if things were differently.

Forever and One Week features Tessa and Logan, both have had something bad happen in their past and I felt the tone of this book was a tad more serious and dark than the first book, which was a bit more light hearted. But the author pulled off both really well. I was really curious to find out what these characters had gone through, but at the same time I didn’t want to know as I knew it would be bad. I thought the author managed the reveals very well, slowly we find out more pieces of their past, while they slowly grow closer.

I really grew fond of these two characters. And I really felt for them. Logan who pushes everyone away and Tessa who has gone through so much that she learned to retreat in herself where nothing can hurt her. These two are very solitary and think they don’t need anyone else, but seeing them change and when they meet each other and finally find the strength to face their past was amazing. Seeing Tessa open up and feel her emotions instead of burying her head in the sand as Logan would say. There are some scenes that made me a bit uncomfortable, but I do think they showed her personality and it made sense why she acted that way. And I just hope things like that never happen to her again.

The characters felt so real and they were interesting and I wanted to know more about them and what they had gone through. They change throughout this book and I felt like at the end they both were able to face their past and handle it better. There are also a few side characters I really liked, especially Alicia. I wanted to know more about her, the friendly, shy girl with the skin disease and who’s afraid to show her skin as people can be so cruel and mean. I really liked Tessa and Alicia their friendship and it was fun to see their friendship develop. Then there is Alicia her dad who also plays a part in the story and he was such a quirky character. I really appreciated what he did for Tessa and how he helped her in his own way.

I really liked the romance. Tessa and Logan are great together and I enjoyed seeing them grow closer and open up to each other. Logan starts off not wanting to do anything with Tessa and have her server her bond, but she refuses and offers him a deal. They will have one week together and after that if he still wants out she will ask to get their bond removed. And slowly their relationship changes. Well in real time it does go fast as it only spans slightly more than a week in time, but I still thought it was realistically written. The only part of their relationship I didn’t like as much was the sex, I liked their emotional connection more and the switch to sex just felt off somehow, not sure why. These two help each other and finally find a way to face their own past too, they really get the best out in each other. They made a great couple.

Concerning the world building I am pleased to say this book added quite some things. We see other wishes that Tessa made than the main characters of the first book and see more of wheat the spirits can do. And we learn more about the void and the two spirits who live there. There is also something about the punishments that get explained more and I felt like we got a better feel of how this world worked and why the spirits exist, which was neat.

To summarize: I really enjoyed this book! The authors her writing style really works for me and once I started reading I didn’t want to stop. The story unfolds nicely, telling the story of two solitary characters who had something happen to them in their past they still aren’t fully over. I felt like they both helped another and were able to change, open up and deal with things better because of that. I really liked these two man characters and their romance, they brought out the best in each other. This book also adds some details concerning the world building, which I liked as it gave me a better feel for why these spirits exist and it explained things like the punishments. I think I might like this book even more than the first, it’s really good and I am looking forward to see what she writes next!

4-star

Links:
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Get Forever Hers for free!

Forever Hers Forever Hers (Spirits of Saoradh #1)
by Caroline Cairn

You can grab your free copy of Forever Hers here:
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Tell me about the last book you read which had a well done romance?

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10 responses to “Review: Forever and One Week by Caroline Cairn

    • I hope you’ll enjoy these! Same here, I don’t like too dark books, but I do like a darker read now and then and this one had the right amount of darkness for me.

      I am sorry to hear you’ve been struggling with romances lately. It’s a shame when the romance lacks chemistry.

  1. The way you describe these characters and their relationship have me eager to try. It’s refreshing that they brought out the best in each other instead of it being this huge conflict. I think this world the author created is pretty amazing and I haven’t even read one of the books yet.

    Honestly, that is a good question. I’ve enjoyed several of the romance books I’ve read lately, but that’s not the same as enjoying the actual romance. I’m going to say Katie Ruggle’s Fan the Flames. She really took the time to make the romance happen and work so the reader could trust they were really in love and would still be in love for years.
    Sophia Rose recently posted…Z by Larissa Ione #ReviewMy Profile

    • Yes it was amazing seeing them get out the best in each other. They did have some trouble at first, but that made sense. These two were just so great for each other once they let down their walls a bit.

      I read a lot of romances books or books with romance in them, but it’s not always the romance part I enjoy most. Here the romance and their relationship was definitely one of the best parts of the book. I hope you give one of this author her books a try!

      I’ll have to look up the book you mentioned, that sounds great how she convinced the reader they really are in love and would be for a long time.

  2. I just one-clicked Forever Hers. 🙂 I’m glad you found this second book so enjoyable, Lola, despite it having a darker feel and not liking the ending. It is nice that the author’s writing is such that it flows so well and had you glued to the pages. I love stories like that. 🙂 And you’ve now added another book to my COYER list. <3
    Bookworm Brandee recently posted…New Release Review ~ Wild Abandon ~ Jeannine ColetteMy Profile

    • Yay! I am glad to hear you grabbed Forever Hers. It sure is a good read for Coyer ;). I hope you’ll enjoy Forever Hers!
      Once you read the book you’ll know what I mean about the ending, the first book does something similar. It does make sense and on the one hand is nice, but on the other hand it still bothers me what happens. And it’s great when a book has you so engaged you are glued to the pages.
      Lola recently posted…Lola’s Kitchen: French Toast RecipeMy Profile

  3. I have actually read and reviewed the first one on PureTextuality, late last year sometime. I liked it and thought it was unique. I didn’t know she had another one out so thanks for sharing! You have me wondering about the twist at the end and I really don’t like romances that don’t have a happy ever after so I don’t know if I will read it or not.Glad you enjoyed it though:)
    Lorna recently posted…Review: Howard by Faleena Hopkins (@Mollykatie112, @FaleenaHopkins)My Profile

    • Don’t worry it does have a happy ever after. It’s similar as what happens at the end of the first book. Just not a fan of that twist.
      I didn’t realize you had read the first book, it sure is an unique series. And I really like the author her writing style.

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