Book Review: Forevermore

Author: Cindy Miles

Publication Date: July 1, 2013

Publisher: Point

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?

Stark, jagged cliffs of gray rock. Desolate moors. White signs written first in Gaelic, then English. Old stone houses, whitewashed, pop up every once in a while. The sky is dramatic, with enormous swirling dark clouds. Everything actually looks cold. Or dead.

My violin is suspended in midair. I feel my knees go weak and I try to scream but nothing comes out.

The weighty presence of something lingers, but the room is empty. I even drop to my knees and peak underneath the bed.

A massive medieval fortress made of gray-and-black stone stretches before us and hugs the edge of the craggy sea cliffs. Four imposing towers, one on each corner, rise above the estate grounds. We come to a stop in front of the heavy, black wrought-iron gates, and my heart begins to pound. I’m going to live here? It isn't a stuffy, manicured castle. Instead it’s…menacing. Barely a notch above ruinous. And it completely fascinates me. 

I have read so many different books this year, and I was really in the mood for a change of setting on my last read. I was completely hooked when I picked up Forevermore because of the Scottish setting and the premise behind the book. Ivy Calhoun and her mother are moving to the beautiful Scottish Highlands because of her mother’s recent marriage to her new stepfather, Niall. Ivy doesn’t mind the move because it gives her a chance to share her musical talents in a country that completely embraces them. However, Ivy doesn’t plan on solving a timeless ghost story in the process!

Logan Munro is the ghost that Ivy meets in this beautiful Scottish castle, and I adored their relationship from the start. This book might have a paranormal feel to it, but I felt that it certainly classified as a romance story first. I loved learning about Logan’s life the best. Ivy felt the need to find out what happened to him and why he was still around. I felt like I was playing a Nancy Drew game, and yes I do that. Ivy was quite the little sleuth and I greatly enjoyed going on a ghost hunt with her.

Taking a trip to the Scottish Highlands was such a treat for me. Again, this is not a setting that I come across often while reading and I if you pick up this book you are going to love it. Miles spared no details, thankfully, when it came to setting up this book. I could picture the castle and the alluring cliffside as Ivy described it all. I could hear the bagpipes welcoming me to the beautiful Scottish ruins!

On a side note, there are some amazing Harry Potter references! Good job, Cindy!

***A copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Point in exchange for my honest review***