Review: The Next Forever by Lisa Burstein

The Next Forever by Lisa Burstein

Book 1.5 of the Pretty Amy series

Publisher: Entangled Publishing

Publication Date: January 13, 2013

Rating: 4 stars

Source: eARC provided by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

One night in college can change everything…

Away at college, Amy just wants one night alone without her high school sweetheart, Joe. So when he invites her to go to the library, she heads off on her own instead. How she ended up at a house party with the mysterious bad-boy Trevor is another story…

Joe so isn’t going to the library. He needs space from Amy, too, so he’s decided to rush a fraternity, to get back the swagger he had in high school. But it doesn’t take long for the brothers to invite him to the real rush here the beer is flowing and one particular girl has set her eyes on Joe.

Over the course of one wild night, both Amy and Joe will have to decide if their futures belong with two new people, or whether the next forever will have their first loves in it.

What I Liked: 

First, let me start by saying that this book is very short, as it is a novella. It involves Amy and Joe, characters from Lisa Burstein's debut, Pretty Amy. Here's the thing: 

I have never read Pretty Amy. 

When I accepted an eARC of this book from Entangled, I didn't exactly realize that this novella was based off of Pretty Amy. Nevertheless, as I was reading The Next Forever, it was obvious that I did not read to read Pretty Amy to read this novella. So much is explained in The Next Forever, that background of the series is not need. 

Ms. Burstein does an excellent job weaving in past moments betwen Amy and Joe, and showing the characters' thoughts about each other, how they were in the past, and are now, as a couple, in the present. The indecision of both characters is clear and understandable; it's two people in college, finding their way through their new relationship, from being friends to more than friends. 

I absolutely loved how this novella was broken down into chapters of alternating points of view. Readers truly get to see the how Amy feels, and her feelings are paralleled with Joe's feelings in the next chapter. I really cannot say enough about how well the emotions and feelings are explored in this book - on both sides. 

And the ending: this novella is short, and the ending is expected (in my opinion), but I really liked it, and thought that it was sweet.

What I Did Not Like: 

While I loved seeing into Amy and Joe's past, some of the lengthy passages are a little stifling. I followed the story easily, but sometimes it was too easy to get confused with the past and present. This was not a huge factor in my overall judgment of the novella. 

Would I Recommend It: 

Yes, I would! Even if you have not read Pretty Amy, this novella is a quick read, and it deals with college-age issues. 

Rating: 

4 stars. Nice job, Ms. Burstein!

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