The Truth About Forever

by Sarah Dessen

[Sam@WLABB]

This is exactly what I expect when I read a Sarah Dessen book! I can depend on Dessen to deliver a heartwarming story, filled with an array of characters with the perfect balance of angst, swoon, humor, and sadness.

The MC, Macy's life, was upended when her father died suddenly. She stopped doing things and going to places she loved, because they reminded her of her father. Macy then assumed this new guise as the perfect daughter and perfect girlfriend. It all changed when Wish came into her life. The staff of Wish, also, upended her life, but in a most positive way. They taught her to embrace the chaos, that is part of life, and to ride the crests and troughs the ocean of life brings your way. With their help, she was healing, and beginning to live again. So many life lessons in this book, and they play out in a most enjoyable way.

I would be remiss, if I did not dedicate some time to Wes. Yes, Dessen gave us a most "extraordinary" bad boy. He is another member of the Wish crew, who is definitely a catalyst for the changes Macy experiences that summer. I loved the scenes between him and Macy. They were very fun, sweet, and heartfelt. I also loved Kristy. Kristy was dealt a tough hand, but she continued to make the best of her situation, and live her life to the fullest. Sometimes you need perspective like that to appreciate what you have.

It's all in there: love, loss, beginnings, endings, but what resonated with my the most, was this idea of living in the now. I feel like we lose sight of that with all our planning, photographing, looking behind, and looking ahead. Sometimes you need to be reminded that, “the truth about forever is that it is happening right now”.