REVIEW: Forevermore by Cindy Miles

Forevermore by Cindy Miles
Point, 2013
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On a misty cliffside, mystery and romance await….

Ivy Calhoun’s life has been turned upside down. Her new stepdad has uprooted Ivy and her mom, bringing them to live in an actual castle in the misty Scottish countryside. There are stone-faced servants and shadowy corridors, and the ancient walls seem full of secrets. Ivy is at once frightened and intrigued.

Especially when she meets Logan, a gorgeous, elusive ghost who has haunted the castle grounds for decades. Ivy is immediately drawn to him . . . but Logan is not the only spirit around. Something dark and deadly is afoot, and soon Ivy finds herself in mortal danger.

Is Logan exactly what he seems? Could his mysterious past be tied to Ivy’s present? And can Ivy stop herself from falling in love with him?

After going through a contemporary spell, I’ve since dived into several paranormal reads, of which Forevermore is the most recent. I haven’t actually read that many books involving ghosts, so this was a nice break from my usual. I liked that this wasn’t overly creepy – I wasn’t scared at any point – but still maintained a spooky atmosphere that gave the story an “edge of your seat” feel, particularly once the climax of the plot occurred. I also found myself enjoying our main character, Ivy, a lot, as well as the people who surrounded her, particularly our poltergeist, Logan.

This book takes place in the Scottish highlands, where Ivy and her mother have relocated after her mom fell in love and married Niall, a Scottish laird. I loved the description of the setting – the small, walled-in town, the creepy castle, the crumbling rectory – everything was written in a way to really help the reader see Ivy’s surroundings and better immerse themselves in the story. I also appreciated that Ivy was your typical teen – her dad died several years ago and she went through a bout of intense grief – but aside from a prodigy-like talent for playing the violin, Ivy was just a teen girl who’s having to deal with settling in a new country and adapting to a new family. It was also nice that, when she started at her new school, she wasn’t outcast or pushed into the weird group of friends that likes her when no one else does. She found friends pretty much on day one, including a very likable Emma, who becomes her best friend. It was just refreshing to read about a girl who didn’t struggle overly with her adjustment and didn’t live in the shadows of school life.

The mystery of this book revolves around the strange, dark occurrences happening in the castle. Those occurrences seem to tie in with Logan’s mysterious death, which he can’t remember anything about. As Ivy and Logan become friends and start to try to unravel his past, they slowly fall for each other. I liked the way the romance was done, particularly the way it was weaved into the overall plot and mystery. It definitely wasn’t insta-love, but took time to develop. They’re drawn to each other, but it wasn’t so over-the-top that I found it obnoxious or eye-roll worthy. While I had an inkling about what was going on, I didn’t figure everything out until it was revealed, so give the author props for the way she wrote the mystery. I also loved the way a certain other revelation was included in the story; only in the Scottish highlands can magic and romance happen quite like that, right?

I do want to mention briefly that this book features Scottish dialect, which I know can  be off-putting to some readers. Every time someone of Scottish heritage speaks, you’re abruptly aware of it, because there are plenty of “dinnae”s and “gell”s and “cannae”s throughout. I personally didn’t mind it so much, mostly because the story is told from Ivy’s point of view, and she would definitely notice the way the characters were speaking (she’s originally from South Carolina). So while it maybe wasn’t necessary, I didn’t find it bothersome; it helps that Scottish accents are rather swoon-worthy in their own right, I’m sure.

While I wasn’t blown away by Forevermore, I still found it plenty engrossing. I literally read it in one setting! I loved Ivy’s character, and the way the mystery was slowly pulled out and weaved into the narrative. All in all, I very much enjoyed Ivy and Logan’s story, the air of magic and mystery, and the enchanting setting of the Scottish highlands. If you’re looking for a semi-spooky read with a nice romantic vibe, definitely check this one out!

An e-galley was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.