...Bookfanatic

...and review. That's what happened here. I finished this book for 2 days ago and I'm not really sure my brain is any more ready to write a review now than it was 2 days ago, but I need to get this done, however, before I do, I just need to say there are already some pretty damned good reviews out there for this book and I'm going to try really hard not to be redundant, sadly, we all know it's going to happen, so I'll just strive not to be too boring, ok?

This is only my second Cara Dee book and believe me fixing that is high on my list of reading priorities because 'Damn! This woman knows how to write a story.' Usually I can go through a book and at least say 'I really, liked this or this was really good' but to be honest this ones a case of I really liked the first page of this book and the last one was pretty excellent too and oh yeah, everything in between was freakin' fantastic. 

Ok, let's see if I can nail down a couple of specifics here. I'm pretty sure that most people by now know that this book deals with depression...what do you mean, you didn't know that? Seriously go read the blurb and then come back. I'll wait...there now that's better...as I was saying this book deals with depression and it deals with it realistically, but not with an air of hopelessness.

Two mature MCs with a history who haven't seen each other in over two decades, each has their own family.

William has a wife, a son and a daughter. William's struggling with depression...not for the first time in his life. Depression has been both William's companion and his nemesis for years having his childhood best friend and the man who ran from him after William kissed him, 24 years ago, suddenly return to Camassia Cove is the last thing that he needs or at least that's what William believes. 

Kelly's a single dad with a 16 year old son. Kelly's no stranger to depression and wants more than anything to be there for William. He's learned a lot about himself since the day that William kissed him. The day he ran and didn't look back, not the least of which was that he's gay and he's still in love with William, but did he stay away too long? Has 24 years created a gap he can't close? 

This story is filled with a wonderful cast of characters who are so easy to visualize as real people. People who I can quite easily imagine meeting in my day to day life. They're not perfect, they have their ups and downs, their good moments and their bad...just like you and I. It's not too often that I read a book where I like every single character in the story...well, except William's parents but there not really a part of the story...thankfully.

From start to finish this story was handled with warmth, compassion and a sense of realism that permeated every page. The problems were real and so were the solutions there were no magic fixes up to and including the ending.

William's struggle to deal with his depression took medications, time and effort. There were days that were one step forward and two steps back, there were days spent hiding from the world in bed because these are things that happen when someone suffers from depression and at the end there was no magical cure-all. William's success was hard earned and keeping it came with continued effort. So yes, he got his happily ever after and he damned well deserved it.

'When Forever Ended' is book 2 in Cara Dee's 'Camassia Cove' series and can easily be read as a standalone story, I know I did it but honestly I'm going back for the first book because 'damn can this author tell a story!'

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An ARC of 'When Forever Ended' was graciously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.