First There Was Forever

by Juliana Romano

Juliana Romano's expressive debut is an absorbing and bittersweet story about first love, first loss, and the friends that carry us through it all.

Lima and Hailey have always been best friends: Lima shy and sensitive, Hailey funny and free-spirited. But Hailey abandons Lima to party with the popular kids and pursue Nate, her disinterested crush. As their friendship falters, Lima and Nate begin spending more time together. And before Lima knows what she’s feeling, she and Nate do something irreversible. Something that would hurt Hailey....if she knew it happened.

Lima thinks she’s saving her friendship by lying, but she’s only buying time. As the secrets stack up, Lima is forced to make a choice: between her best friend forever, and the boy who wasn’t meant to be hers.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Friendship, Coming Of Age, Fiction

400 pages, Hardcover

First published April 14, 2015

About the author

Juliana was born in 1982 in New York, New York and grew up in Santa Monica, California. She received a B.A. from Wesleyan University in 2004 and an M.F.A. in Painting from U.C.L.A. in 2008. She currently lives and works in Los Angeles.

Reviews

[Lucia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surprisingly, I wasn't bothered by all that teenage drama and naivity that this novel presented. On contrary, it felt quite realistic. However, this story didn't touch me in any way, it didn't have any impact on me. Still, First There Was Forever was a decent YA read. For more detailed info, read Nereyda's review at Mostly YA Book Obsessed blog.

MORE REVIEWS ON MY BLOG Reading Is My Breathing

[Korrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a pretty solid contemporary, and it was exactly the type of story I needed at this time. It definitely wasn't perfect but I found it to be an interesting depiction of friends growing up and growing apart. I also couldn't help but swoon at the romantic parts, and found Nate to be a very likeable love interest. I'd recommend this if you're looking for a quick read for your beach bag this summer.

[Laura Lovely · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a super fast-paced, easy read. 3.5 stars, over all i enjoyed the story, but it didn't have the shock factor i was hoping for. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for an easy summer read!

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Why was it always up to her when I was her best friend and when I was just a stranger?

That's the question Lima asks herself when her best friend Hailey has changed and they are now spending more time apart than together. They have been best friends for as long as they can remember, but right before they start tenth grade, Hailey reveals that she lost her virginity during the summer. Suddenly Hailey has changed, and it becomes obvious when they go back to school. Hailey finds new friends, goes to parties all of a sudden, and is basically a whole new person. Lima, unsure of how to behave around this new Hailey, is more confused than ever. But as they spend time apart, Lima finds a new friend in Nate, Hailey's long time crush. Despite their changed friendship, Lima knows it would break an unwritten rule to be with Nate.

First There Was Forever, with its not so new premise, didn't leave much of an impression. Lima is a nice character, but a complete doormat. Naive to the extreme. While it's easy to feel for her, at the same time you wish to shake some sense into her. So your former best friend found a new friend, the two of you grew apart: it is not the end of the world. This whole setting would be upsetting to a teenager, no doubt, but to the extent that Lima barely knows who she is, is not quite so believable.

But Lima's personality isn't the book's biggest flaw. Everything revolves around how Lima and Hailey were the best of best friends, inseparable. However, not once in this book is it clear why they are/were friends, or why they stay together. Maybe it's because when the story opens, Hailey has already changed. The few glimpses of her old personality that are shown aren't enough to explain their friendship or how strong it is/was. Due to that, Hailey's character never gets the complexity it needed to make the plot work. Instead, all we see is the new boy-crazy, vain, and superficial Hailey that doesn't evoke a single emotion. Thus Lima's fretting becomes annoying to read about over and over again.

This story -- girl falls for her best friend's crush -- has been done many, many times before. Unlike them, First There Was Forever doesn't capture the strong friendships that young girls form in their early and mid teens, neither the moral dilemma. First There Was Forever did capture the rush of a first love, but that part was somewhat undeveloped what with the quick development of said relationship. But yes, it did capture the general feeling of it. Still, that isn't enough since other parts were severely underdeveloped.

[BookOwl BookOwl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I. LOVED. THIS.!

Normally you will NOT hear me say that about a contemporary novel whose main theme is love and betrayal.

I'm the YA, dystopian, kickass, fantasy kinda gyal. Love love those books.

So when I chose to read this, I didn't go in expecting to actually love it.

BUT I DID!

The writing is great, and flows effortlessly.
The characters, are really great!

Hailey
I didn't like her from the first page and through the rest of it, that dislike quickly turned to HATE!
She's selfish, self-absorbed, inconsiderate and a user!

Hailey squinted up at me. “Well, you have a whole week to decide. But, seriously, it would be stupid not to come just ’cause your grandmother’s sick."

Like who says that to a friend whose losing their Grandma. A total butch, that's who!
There wasn't anything that I liked about her.

Nate
OH GOD I prayed that he was actually a nice guy and not a douche in nice guys clothing. I would've been shattered if he was. Gutted actually.

Lima
I liked her! She was modest and just foolish to the cause. Hailey didn't deserve her one bit!
It was fun reading from her pov.

Overall this book was nice.

I'm glad Lima got her mannnnn! Lol!

[Nereyda (Nick & Nereyda's Infinite Booklist) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of those covers that caught my eye because of the pretty colors. The complicated friendship and the fact that they both like the same guy was very intriguing to me, in a weird way. Another reason why I wanted to read this was because I had a best friend for most of Elementary and Middle school that didn't survive our first year of high school. No way was my friend anywhere near as bad as the 'best friend' in this book, but it was still sad to slowly see so many years of friendship go down the drain as we slowly drifted away due to different crowds... that part of the book was a bit personal to me.

Lima and Hailey have been best friends for years. Complete opposites in every way, but their friendship has somehow always worked. Hailey was pretty much part of Lima's family and she was very close to Lima's parents and her grandmother. When Hailey starts hanging around with Skyler, who is part of a different crowd and doesn't even attempt to be friends with Lima, their friendship starts to change. When Hailey has sex for the first time, everything changes between them. Now all of a sudden, no matter how hard Lima tries to cling to their old friendship, nothing is the same. For years (years!), Hailey has been in love with Nate. This is a serious understatement and obsessed and infatuated might be better was to describe Hailey's feelings for Nate. Hailey has spent years obsessing over Nate and her love for him, even though Nate has never shown any interest in her and has made it clear on more than one occasion that he isn't interested. This doesn't stop Nate from showing interest in someone else: Lima.

Lima knows that nothing could ever happen between her and Nate, because of Hailey's crush on him. But the more Hailey disses Lima for her new friends, the more time Nate and Lima spend together. It's all very innocent, they just talk and actually become pretty good friends. Until stronger feelings start getting in the way of that and Lima has to decide if her feelings for Nate are worth losing Hailey. I know this makes Lima sound like a terrible friend, but there was no right or wrong answer here, and I loved this about the story. No, Lima should never go after a guy her best friend has a crush one. But Hailey isn't really her best friend anymore, no matter how hard Lima doesn't want to accept that. Hailey has become a terrible friend to Lima over the last few months. She makes fun of her over being too perfect, she ditches her at parties, she abandons her when Lima needs her the most, she is very jealous over Lima's life, she acts like Lima's grandmother dying is no big deal (old people die, that's what they do <--- her words) and she doesn't go to her funeral because she decides that going to a party where Nate will be is a much better option. This is just a few of the horrible shit that Hailey does to Lima and I just kept wishing that Lima would just cut her loose, once and for all. I even wanted her to start dating Nate and flaunt it (sorry if that makes me a bad person). But, just when Lima was ready to be done with their friendship, Hailey knew just how to pull her back in. Going to her in a vulnerable moment, just long enough for the next diss.

First There Was Forever isn't really a book centered around romance or even friendship, it was more about Lima being able to accept changes in her world and how she dealt with the loss of her best friend and the possibility of a new love, even if it's with the last person she should have feelings for. This book is definitely not for everyone, but I really liked it. It was a really bittersweet read that had me hooked since I had no idea how this would end. Would Lima and Hailey be able to salvage their friendship? Would Hailey ever find out Lima was dating Nate behind her back? Would Hailey finally get over Nate? Would Lima and Nate end up together? I wasn't even sure how I wanted the story to end but I was very happy with the way that it did end. I loved how realistically the teens were portrayed in this book, even if it was from a 'rich kid' point of view.

4 out of 5 stars

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***
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[Ry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness. This is my new favorite book. I hope my review came bring justice to the magnificence of this story. “First There Was Forever” is almost like a young adult version of the novel “Something Borrowed” by Emily Giffin (my all-time favorite writer). It’s a story that focuses on friendship, love, and betrayal. And the complexities that ensue when two best friends fall in love with the same person. This story will break your heart and uplift it all at the same time. That sounds cheesy, but it’s true.

What I loved about this book:

Lima and Hailey had a beautiful friendship. It’s one of those relationships where you can relate because it’s so authentic. Their dynamic reminded me of my (previous) best friend. Their friendship is multi layered. Complex. Flawed.

I loved the beautiful California setting. The description of the beaches were so vivid, it brought my back to my trips to Cali.

The prose was beautiful. I loved being inside Lima’s head, and hearing her thoughts. Lima is one of those characters you find yourself rooting for even when they’re doing wrong. She’s also very smart.

FTWF is a smart YA read that demands to be shared with the world. Grab your highlighter while reading this one, because there are sooo many awesome quotes within the text. I’m waiting with baited breath for what Ms. Romano writes next.

[Christina (Confessions of a Book Addict) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sophomores Hailey and Lima have always been best friends. Hailey is a big larger than life and Lima has always been in her shadow. But as they get older, things get more complicated. Hailey is obsessed with one of their schoolmates, Nate, and Hailey has started gravitating towards the popular group. So in turn, Lima has started hanging out with an older crowd that her parents don't necessarily approve of and guess who shows up? Nate. Well, they hit it off, but there's one problem: Hailey. How can she tell her the truth about Nate? Lima is afraid it would break her heart as well as their friendship. Juliana Romano's debut, First There Was Forever, is accurate portrayal of the ups and downs of a long-time friendship and ultimately, a coming of age story.


Read the rest of my review here:
http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...

[kath &#x1f5a4;]

as i go through all the books i’ve read, there are some ive kinda lied about completing

so this is a dnf it literally took me 3 months to dnf it cause i wanted to give a chance (or apparently like 5) but forgot to mention it :’))

[Estelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A younger narrator but very authentic look at what happens when you grow apart from old friends and fall in love for the first time. California setting was great and I also loved Lima's parents.

--- full thoughts originally posted on Rather Be Reading Blog.

It’s safe to say we’ve all had a friend that seems to outshines us. Sure, sometimes it’s frustrating but most of the time we dismiss it because “it’s just the way they are”. Even if this is the case in Lima and Hailey’s friendship, they both bring to the table qualities the other needs. They balance each other out. Lima’s life (two well-to-do, supportive parents) brings stability into Hailey’s (divorced, sort of absent). Hailey’s outgoing nature brings Lima out of her shell but also solidifies this intimacy they have with one another because Lima can trust Hailey with her most outrageous, embarrassing questions.

No one is on the same path when they are 15 or 16 years old. In fact, I think it’s probably one of the last times we might be on similar journeys as our friends. Lima might be perfectly content with spending time with her family, swimming at her aunt’s pool, and visiting food markets and gardening. At the same time, Hailey intensely throws herself into the in-crowd and the parties, and is sure she is in love with a quiet yet popular, Nate. Why does one person move ahead when another wants to stand still? Who decides these things? Like Lima, I have no idea. She maybe feel “behind” but she also wants to maintain her own pace. She even puts herself out there to meet some new friends but no one quite fills the space that was once occupied by Hailey. The heartbreak only builds because there are times when Hailey seems to be her old self. Is it possible they can go back to where they used to be? Nothing feels quite as solid as it once did.

I am completely in love with Romano’s writing. First There Was Forever was a debut, and I was in deep — the questions about sex and loyalty; the limits you set for yourself and the times you decide to go beyond them; the trust you have in your friends; the urge to hang on to our parents but to also break away — all against this brilliant, laidback California lifestyle. Romano also throws in a major wrench when Lima finds a friendship with Nate, the guy of Hailey’s dreams (or so she thinks). It’s a complicated and complex relationship but sometimes we can’t explain why these things happen. They just do and we have to go for it, or not. With Hailey acting selfish and out of character, I’m not surprised that Nate became such a big part of Lima’s life. He was simply there when her best friend wasn’t.

There’s truly a laundry list of moments to discuss in this book, but one thing I wanted to point out was how much our parent influence our friends during this time of our life. Lima needed a break from Hailey; it’s understandable she isn’t running to her parents to list Hailey’s “sins” but there’s such guilt when she sees that her mom misses Hailey having around too. The sadness continues to build, and sometimes we are helpless to put a cork in it. One quick reminder: these characters are on the younger side for YA. Romano presents their voices and actions so authentically, despite the “grown-up” questions they are asking themselves and each other.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!

*4.5 star rating*

CALIFORNIA LOVEEEEE. *plays the song by Tupac* That's a song that immediately pops into my head when I think about Juliana Romano's First There Was Forever. I cannot really think about the direct lyrics, though Romano's debut does take place in California, the land of dreams, Beverly Hills, drama and daily doses of sunshine. I don't think anything gets better than California. When I read this book, I just came home from California, so I was enduring some kind of post-trip depression where all I wanted to do was hop on a plane again and travel to the place where I am happy. (Not that I'm not happy anywhere else but... it's a happy land). First There Was Forever was raw and so meaningful.

The important detail to note here is that it, the novel, displays the realism of teenagers and their mentalities to an interesting extent. And by an interesting extent, I mean an over-exaggerated extent. I'm a teenager living in the twenty-first century, and I can tell you that the only reason why I did not give this book a perfect rating was because I was disappointed with the fact that the characters in the book were showcased as people who only cared about boys and partying, and of course, a little bit of friendship drama here and there. It's kind of wrong, and I felt all iffy about the whole situation. I definitely felt that it was real, but I cannot personally relate to any of the characters and situation because it's all just out of my realm.



This does, however, portray friendship and the problems of being a teenager. Our protagonist, Lima, undergoes the time of her life where she realizes that she needs to change her way of thinking and friend group. I can personally relate to that, and I bet many other teens can, too, because there's always that period of our lives where we feel that we just don't belong somewhere. And when we find that special group of people who we slide in with, it all works out. Lima was a protagonist who was so energetic and special; she was shy to the others, though reading about her life from her eyes made the book even better. Seeing that she was slowly climbing out of her shell to become more confident in her shoes was remarkable. I LOVED SEEING THIS DEVELOPMENT.

This isn't your typical girl-falling-in-love-with-her-BFF's-crush novel. It's more than that. It's something you can fall in love with very quickly and feel unable to let go. It's 400 pages of awesomeness and a rich plot that you won't be able to forget about for ages. I especially loved the whole story because it's summery and fluffy; it also incorporates themes that take you to a deep level of consciousness, if that is even possible. It's just deep, beautiful and full of drama to the point that I felt the fast pace in me as I read. It's been a looooong time since I read a book this quickly.



In a quick sentence: I adored Lima and Nate and despised Hailey with all of my might. She was your typical mean girl who you just wanted to depart the plot.

First There Was Forever has been sitting in my shelf for months, perhaps even a year before I decided, "Hey! This might be the perfect time to pick it up!" This is the kind of book that was not written solely for teenagers; anyone is able to find something here that they will enjoy. I am SO SO SO eager to pick up Romano's Summer in the Invisible City and see what her setting of NYC has in store for her characters. I'm lost for words; this is phenomenal.

[Sarah (YA Love) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate the story of friendship in this debut, but overall the book is too long and I think the real story, the way Lima and Hailey's friendship is falling apart, was overshadowed by a love triangle. Review to come.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Juliana Romano’s FIRST THERE WAS FOREVER is captivating and beautifully written, a blend of sad and sweet, and with this wonderful, haunting quality to it deriving from the way the author uses her words to describe what her character Lima is seeing and feeling. It’s a story about friendship and love, growing up and growing apart, having to make hard choices, and facing the consequences of those decisions. It’s a story that’s light enough to be the perfect summer read and weighty enough to be a memorable one.

Ever since school started Lima has felt like she’s been losing her best friend. Hailey is spending more time with Skyler and less time with her, doing things she doesn’t feel like doing, and saying things that don’t feel at all like something a friend would say. So when Hailey’s long-time crush, Nate Reed, starts to pay attention to her and not Hailey, she doesn’t push him away far enough. Or keep him away.

As long as they are just friends and Hailey isn’t acting like one, she could sort of convince herself she isn’t doing anything wrong. But when things with Nate turn into something more and Hailey suddenly wants to be friends again, she can’t continue to lie to herself. Or to Hailey. She’ll have to come clean or break things off with Nate and in doing so risk losing one or both of them.

Author Juliana Romano created a story that goes beyond the typical “girl falls in love with best friend’s love interest, betrays best friend, loses best friend” plot. Her main character, Lima, is interesting and fascinating and unique. The way she sees herself, sees others, and looks at life is refreshingly different. There is something more mature and yet more innocent, more introspective, more thoughtful, more centered about her. She’s not someone who’s chasing popularity or following the crowd or obsessed with her looks. She’s genuine and down to earth, but flawed just enough to be relatable and still very much likable.

The author introduces a few other quirky and intriguing and glamorous characters readers will want to get know. She paints the most gorgeous pictures that invite readers into her story and make them get lost there for awhile. She gives them something to think about while they’re there, with the decisions Lima makes and doesn’t make. And she makes them sympathize with her character for what she risks losing, what she has lost, and what can never be undone.

FIRST THERE WAS FOREVER will grab hold instantly, has a quick pace, delivers an emotional and heartfelt story that is both sweet and bittersweet, has an array of appealing characters, and some truly fantastic writing. For fans of the genre and for those looking for an enchanting and relatable and engaging read, Juliana Romano’s debut is a story not to be missed.

[Shruthi · Rating 2 out of 5]

For more reviews like this one, check out my blog, Reading Recluses

Everyone in this booked sucked. Literally every single damn character in this whole 400 page book was terrible.

Hailey was a terrible friend. Nate was boring. Skyler was a jerk. Meredith was confusing and slightly insane. Lima was weird. She was a total pushover and was too good of a friend. But at the same time she was a terrible friend. Also it's very annoying to have someone's 'flaw' as them being too pretty. That's just stupid.

This whole book was stupid. It could've been 300 pages shorter if at any time this conversation happened:
Lima: Nate and I like each other. I want to date him. Also, Skyler hates me.
Hailey: Nooo how could you. You [insert rude word]. You're a terrible friend, he's mine.
*2 weeks later
Hailey: I forgive you. Let's ditch Skyler and do something girly.
The End.

[Alyssa McCarthy · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW! I didn't expect to love this book as much I did!
Great debut from this new author. I will definitely be picking up
anything this author writes from now on.

[Abi · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.5 stars*

Wow. I have never related more to a book in my entire life. Not necessarily with the romance aspect, although partially that to. But more with the friendship elements. Honestly, I wish I had read this book 2 or 3 years ago. It honestly would have helped me through such a hard time in my life. But I also know I will now just continue to read this book over and over in the future, because it honestly means so much to me.

I loved the writing style in this book. I honestly could not put this book down. This week is finals week for me, and I literally sat reading this book rather than doing my work, so that's saying something.

The friendships in this book were really toxic, but that was exactly the point. It discusses how friendships change as you grow up, and how people grow apart, and how history holds you together even though it may be hurting you. And then through Meredith's character, it shows how people can't let others in or be serious, and in turn they end up using and dropping people. I have been friends with people like both Hailey and Meredith, so honestly this book resonated with me so much. And I'm normally not someone who likes books focused on friendship, but wow, this book did it right.

Honestly, Nate was the best. He was so respectful and honest with Lima. I really appreciated how much he cared about her feeling comfortable, and was so concerned that she gave him consent to do everything. What a great portrayal of a healthy relationship. It was also an interesting take that it was the girl who wanted to keep the relationship a secret, because normally it's the guy. But yeah, I liked how Nate had more to him than just the popular guy that every girl had a crush on.

I also really liked how everyone kept saying to Lima how she was the prettiest and most popular girl in school, but that she didn't know it or act like it. It just makes you think that people's perceptions aren't always right, and that people don't always feel the way that other people assume they do.

I can't believe I waited so long to read this book. I think I may have had this on my Goodreads TBR since I joined Goodreads, and I only ended up picking it up because I saw it in a charity shop for really cheap last week, otherwise I'm not sure I would have ever gotten round to it. Honestly, if you're going through a hard time with friends, this is a really good book to read. It also deals with the fears about the future, like about going to college and uni etc, and for someone who is feeling those things whilst being at uni, it's really comforting to know that I'm not alone in that. Highly recommend this book!

[Janaina Lima · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had originally read this boom when I was 12/13 years old. Now I'm 21 and god this book was just as good as I remembered. I didn't know it at the time but this book really was everything that teenagedom had been. 10th grade, a confusing and exploratory time. For Lima, it was new friends, relationships, betrayal, and everything in between. There is a simplicity to the book that really just makes it raw in its own way. Reading through Lima trying to manage her life that is changing at a fast rate reminded me what it was to be that age and I really could appreciate that. Probably one of my favorite YA contemporary works ever. Glad I could come back to it.

[nia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️

[Michelle (Addictively Turning Pages) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Also seen at https://meers2review.wordpress.com

4 stars

This book surprises you in more ways than one.

Normally, the YA books I read follow characters who are 17-19 years old. It’s honestly been a long time since I read a book with a 15-year old main character. Because of the age, I knew I would be reading a coming of age novel where the characters would be doing lots of “Firsts”.

So, of course, this character happened to be innocent and naive as can be. Not gonna lie, bothered the crap outta me. What’s character-reader bonding like wanting to punch the girl? But, I gotta say Lima was the star of Romano’s debut novel. She was sweet, pure and human. She made mistakes and she fixed them. She was so real and again, human. Because she was 15/16 in the novel, I was also able to sympathize and relate to her. Lima is like any ordinary girl and she has to come to terms with the fact that nothing last forever and everything is changing. She is a different person from the first page to the last, making First There Was Forever, a definite Coming of Age novel.

I did grow to like Lima but I can’t say the same for Hailey, her “best friend”. I’m not going to get started on her because I’ll probably won’t stop once I do. If you guys have read First There Was Forever, you’ll understand me when I say Hailey was a very very hard character to like. She was self-absorbed and too boy-crazy for my liking. She was also selfish, manipulative and a horrible friend to Lima. She was shallow, mean and insecure to the point of ridiculousness. (I’m not being insensitive to insecurity ’cause I know insecurity and I understand insecurity, but Hailey brought it to a whole other level. When/If you read this book, you’ll understand) I wanna say more but this will turn into rant. Key point: I really hate this character.

While I’m on characters, let’s talk about Nate. He was a disappointment. I didn’t love or hate him. I like most male characters in YA novels, especially those who are close to the main character but Nate can’t join my list of book boyfriends. He wasn’t special and didn’t really stand out like I hoped. He was like a Plain Jane (Joe? Jim? John? What’s the male version of that??). He didn’t do anything for me to hate him either. He slipped under my radar and that sucks because he plays a crucial part in this novel.

The one thing Nate contributes to the novel is the romance. The romance part kinda goes like this: Hailey likes Nate. Nate likes Lima. Lima starts to like Nate, but Hailey likes Nate, and Lima pursuing Nate goes against the unspoken girl code. Lima does go against the girl code (as expected) but Hailey deserved it in my opinion. The romance between Hailey was practically non-existent save that one kiss, (which still doesn’t count because both were drunk) so it was mostly between Nate and Lima. Their relationship was cute and sweet. Romano told the story of first love, using these characters and she did it perfectly. It’s how I imagined what my first relationship would be and the fact that I’m the same age as Lima, it was more understandable.

Plot is what made me rate this 4 stars. It was simple and not overly complicated, still sending an important message. The simplicity of this novel made it complex, beautiful and easy to read. (Does that even makes sense??) Romano wrote a story about two best friends who end up finding themselves on their own. They grow apart, they make mistakes and they lean on each other, despite the wavering friendship. A boy gets in between them, there are mean girls, and new friendships. First There Was Forever is honest and reflects on life itself.

Additionally, First There Was Forever explores subjects like drinking, drugs, parental supervision, lying, honesty, sex, parties, high school, and so much more. It goes through everything a 15/16-year old girl would go through and it wasn’t overplayed. Again, it was honest, simple and expressed growing up and maturing.

I liked this book very much and this novel shouldn’t be overlooked.

I recommend this book to 14 to 16-year olds as this book is relatable and has some good advice. Those who are interest in Coming of Age novels and realistic fiction will also enjoy this novel.

[Vereads]

And I'm done with this! DNF

[Aly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received First There Was Forever from Penguin Teen because I won a contest a while back. It was a big box of books that I divided into two piles: one that I wanted to keep, and the other that I'd donate or trade. The donation pile wasn't very big, and I knew instant that First The Was Forever was one of the books that I'd be keeping. It just seemed like a book that was very "me".

And I'm glad that I was right about that.

The thing that I love about this book is the innocence and the naivety of the MC, Lima. She's very wide-eyed and I think she suffers from anxiety. But her innocence and naivety isn't a result of her age, because she's on the younger end of the spectrum. Lima's innocence, naivety, and curiosity is just all her. There's an unwritten rulebook that most people just naturally get, and that doesn't work for Lima. She doesn't want to do things because they're done or too look cool. She just stays true to herself which is the opposite of what's happening to her best friend Hailey.

Hailey is interested in two things: popularity and her long time crush, Nate Reed. Not that there's anything necessarily wrong with wanting that, but in her path to getting what she wants she leaves Lima behind and is generally not a really great friend. I'd even go so far as to say she's a really awful friend at times. And it goes beyond the realm of normal friendship growing pains.

And I think it's because of their normal deteriorating relationship that makes Lima and Nate's "forbidden" relationship possible (this is not a spoiler as it is including in blurb). And I think that had Hailey and Lima's relationship been at a better place, it would've been an obvious choice. Ovaries before brovaries. But Lima and Hailey's relationship isn't at a great place and it tests Lima's loyalties. Is she supposed to pick her friend? Even though her friend hasn't been acting like a friend lately?

What I about this novel is that it's so wide-eyed and honest. It's so refreshing to deal with mature issues, but not come at it from an angle where the the MC is completely clueless or totally jaded.

I liked the questions that Juliana Romano forced the reader to ask and even more I like the surprising answers. Because Romano doesn't make it easy. Every character can't be categorized as good or bad, they're all a mix of both. And it doesn't boil down to Lima choosing her best friend or a guy. The romance aspect highlights the heart of the story, the friendship between two girls, who are growing up and growing apart.

I just want to hug this book so much. It's one of my favorites so far of the new year.

[Rachel007 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a young-ish YA, perfect for fans of Jenny Han's Summer series. I loved the way it looked at how friendships changed in high school. (I feel like this review is about to be incoherent lol) But it's about sex! And friendship! And being friends with cool older seniors! And what "cool" means! And GAH IT IS SO GOOD. People, just read it if you remember how much your friends changed in high school (whether thats by personality or stopping being friends by you or being sooo into a guy).

[Natalie (Natflix&Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5
The story of two girl friends and one boy has been done, but that isn't even the issue. The writing is flat, all secondary characters-including the love interest-are one-dimensional, and I just wasn't at all invested in the story. Disappointing. Full review to come...maybe.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could rate this higher than 5 stars, I so would. The author was phenomenal, and I hope she has more books I can read!

[Lauren]

This was so juvenile on so many levels.

[Kelli · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had a bunch of petty drama, a lack luster romance and not much else.

[Coriander · Rating 3 out of 5]

It wasn't bad, but I just wasn't all that impressed. Not a terribly sympathetic main character.

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book didn’t have any type of impact on me. I enjoyed it. It was fine but also very frustrating. I’ll start with the characters.

Lima: she’s a very dynamic character. From page 1 to the last she’s very changed. In the start I was completely on Lima’s side when Hailey was being the bitchiest cruelest friend. Which was for the 1st half of the book. Lima was kind and pure and innocent. It did frustrate me how much of a goody- goody she was. But she was a good character.

Hailey: I hated her in the 1st half of the book. I thought she was just so self obsessed and cruel. She was a complete bitch to Lima. And it was annoying how desperate she was for Nate. Towards the end I started to feel for her. Since the start I knew Hailey was more of how I am. I’ve always been a girl who follows the crowd. And I hate myself for it. Which is why I hated Hailey. But again, towards the end, seeing her pain really got to me and I don’t necessarily like her but I understood her and accepted her.

Nate: He wasn’t a boy who I swoon over when he talked. And I’m a very easy person to swoon. I swoon over a guy in like almost every book. And I liked Nate. But he was just like- there. Sometimes I liked him and others he was just boring. There wasn’t anything I found special about him. He was just an average teen boy.

Meredith: I loved Meredith a lot until the Lily Episode. Throughout the book I couldn’t really figure her out correctly but I liked her personality. But after the Lily Episode I think I realized that I really misjudged her. I don’t hate her or anything but like Lima said, she was kinda a disappointment. I really wish we got to go into detail about her after the Lily Episode.

Skyler: I hate this Bitch. That’s all.


The plots:

Nate and Lima: I liked them together and the entire time I was waiting for them to finally kiss. Again, I didn’t really feel a connection or anything but I just found them to be cute. I cared for them but I didn’t really care if they broke up or stayed together. (At least at the end)

1st half of book Lima-Hailey: I really hated Hailey. I couldn’t understand how she could be so randomly cruel to Lima. Lima was clearly trying and loved her. And Hailey would just give Lima fake sorrys and only talk to her when she was feeling bad for herself. And I wanted desperately for Lima to yell and stand up to her.

2nd half of book Lima- Hailey: I’m referring to after when Hailey sincerely apologized to Lima. I was hesitant to believe her but I finally chose to do so. I wanted Hailey to know about Nate really badly. I expected Hailey to act like she did when she found out and I was on her side. I do NOT think it’s wrong for Lima to have fallen in love with Nate. Nate was her friend when Hailey was treating her like shit. Lima deserves to have someone by her. And it just so happened to be Nate. It was ok for her to fall in love with the person who cared and was there for her. I don’t blame her for that at all. BUT. It was NOT okay for Lima to wait so long. She let Hailey rant and make a fool of herself in front of Nate. She literally ENCOURAGED it. I was really on Hailey’s side here. Lima should’ve told her when it started. I don’t think Hailey deserved it. I realize that Hailey was being a bitch for the entire year but she never wanted to purposely hurt Lima. What Lima did- not telling her, it was wrong and cruel. Hailey might’ve been a lot of things, but the pain she felt, she didn’t deserve that.

The ending: I was mad not to see that Lima and Hailey made up. I wanted Them to be Bff’s again so badly. And I personally believe that they will.

[Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whenever I'm getting anxious/case of the mean reds, I always go for a coming-of-age novel, preferably contemporary. And I'd actually DNF'd this novel, thinking it wasn't moving fast enough/just focused on rich Cali kids. But I stopped looking for flaws and just let myself accept a the story beneath it:

Five stars for how much this book made me feel for Lima; the rollercoaster of losing two sets of friends over the course of an entire school year. Jesus. And Hailey became a master manipulator and yes, it was an uncomfortable reading experience watching her play cat and mouse with Lima (Hailey only came for Lima when she was feeling lonely/insecure). Lima's confusion felt authentic: she's confused as to why Hailey's so cold in public (her reaction to Lima's Nana dying... WTF? She literally goes "you shouldn't miss a party just because some old lady died" Umm... is this your friend of nearly a decade or just some rando off the street?), and why for most of the book, Lima's more than happy going back for more. It's also hard when her parents are quite attached to Hailey, Lima's mom in particular acting as second/first parent in most cases. But then towards the end Lima's mom says "you withhold a lot and it makes it hard to really know you, and in turn makes life harder for you to process". The picture they're given is that Hailey and Lima are still friends, not that anything is off.

I hate to say it, but I was Lima... in some situations (that I'm in the process of changing) I still am: surrounding myself with people who I cared more about than ever cared for me. One former friend in particular comes to mind, and perhaps that's why I think it's so authentic; I've lived through being that friend who, like Lima, accepts backhanded compliments and is only invited to places/events out of pity (that scene of the pregame hurt to read).

But then there's the good that comes from this pain: Lima realizing that the pain Hailey left her with (and that she inflicted on Hailey through falling for Nate) is temporary: all the bad memories and the moments will be replaced with better. I love that Lima recognizes the fakery that is Meredith and the "promise" of teaching her to cook. Rather than wallow, Lima's counting off the good things she's got because she's out from under Hailey's thumb: an internship that deals with her interest in marine biology, her burgeoning friendship with Emily (who's also teaching her to surf), her relationship with Nate (I was worried he'd be bring bad blood), and gardening with her mom.

While it's definitely not an afterthought, Nate plays a smaller role than I thought. But he seems to genuinely love/care for Lima (he's the only one who commiserates/comforts her about Nana's death, and that scene where he buys her horrible tasting blue slushie because:
1.Lima and Hailey finally had their falling out (good riddance to that girl)
2.It was what he bought for her on their first outing way back in the fall

I may be willing to read another Juliana Romano... Maybe...

[Nicki || lostbutcute · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lima und Hailey sind beste Freundinnen, seit sie denken können. Sie haben immer alles gemeinsam gemacht und waren unzertrennlich.
Doch im Sommer vor der zehnten Klasse ändert sich einiges und mit dem Beginn des neuen Schuljahres werden sich die Mädchen immer fremder. Lima kämpft weiterhin um die Aufmerksamkeit und die Freundschaft zu Hailey. Doch dann passiert es und sie verliebt sich in den selben Jungen, für den Hailey schon seit der fünften Klasse schwärmt. Nate. Aber dieser erwidert nur für eine die Gefühle. Nämlich für Lima.
Ich bin wirklich hin und her gerissen, was dieses Buch betrifft. Einerseits war es eine locker leichte und süße Geschichte für zwischendurch, andrerseits hat es mir einfach nicht so gut gefallen, wie ich es mir erhofft habe.

Lima ist schüchtern und extrovertiert. Sie hat sich für meinen Geschmack zu unreif für ihr Alter benommen. Sie wurde innerhalb der Geschichte 16, kam mir aber eher wie 14 vor.
Hailey war ein absolutes Biest und ich konnte sie wirklich nicht leiden. Sie war immer wieder gemein zu Lima & das, obwohl die Beiden eigentlich beste Freundinnen sind. Aber wie sie sich Lima gegenüber verhalten hat, tut es eine Freundin einfach nicht. Ich konnte auch echt nicht verstehen, wieso Lima sich das hat gefallen lassen.
Nate war soweit ganz sympathisch, aber trotzdem fand ich ihn total langweilig, so wie Lima eigentlich auch. Ich konnte daher keinerlei Verbindung zu den Charakteren aufbauen.

Der nächste Kritikpunkt ist, dass einfach sooooo wenig in diesem Buch passiert ist. Der Klappentext verrät eigentlich schon alles, was passiert und es hat immer so ewig lang gedauert, bis es mal weiter ging. Es gab viel zu viel belangloses Zeug drum herum und letztendlich ist dann aber doch nicht so viel bei rum gekommen. Daher fand ich die Geschichte leider zu mehr als der Hälfte der Zeit langweilig und langatmig.

Auch das Ende fand ich eher unbefriedigend und es konnte mich nicht zufrieden stellen, sondern hat lediglich nochmal gezeigt, wie unsympathisch mir Hailey war. Ich halte sie für keine gute Freundin und auch, wenn Lima als die Schuldige hingestellt wird, hätte ich eher für sie Partei ergriffen als für Hailey.

Alles in allem fand ich die Geschichte leider eher schwach und hatte mir einfach mehr erhofft.