Reviews

Forever Black by Sandi Lynn

yourdottruly's review against another edition

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3.0

It was just ok. Good enough to read but it was written horribly..... "Site for sore eyes"...really!!! That drove me nuts. And the characterization of the male lead was almost too much... he went from completely assholish...to...over the top in love in 2 pages(literally)!

jeannierose80's review against another edition

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3.0

This book wasn't bad though I thought that it would be Conner with the big issues, not Ellery as much. But it was kind of nice to have it not really focused on the emotional issues and more on a physical thing they had to overcome.

carlaceil's review against another edition

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4.0

I liked it, a bit choppy in some places of the story but at one point I was sobbing. Well done

ninjareader's review against another edition

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2.0

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Method: ebook

Rating: 2/5 stars

H rating: 3/5 - Connor

h rating: 3/5 - Ellery

Drama: 3/5

Thoughts: Will add to review later.

bookish_sheila's review against another edition

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3.0

Ellery Lane’s life in New York takes a nosedive when her boyfriend leaves her in their tiny apartment. After a chance encounter with a drunken stranger, she unknowingly crosses paths with Connor Black, a wealthy, emotionally detached CEO. Their worlds collide, leading to an unconventional friendship and an eventual love story, though not without its share of drama, secrets, and heartbreak.

What I Loved:
- Ellery’s sass and resilience: Her fiery personality kept things interesting, especially when clashing with Connor’s icy demeanor.
- The friendship-first approach: Their slow development from strangers to friends added a layer of authenticity to their connection.
- Connor’s vulnerability: Watching his transformation from closed-off to emotionally open was rewarding.
- Some genuinely sweet moments: Especially when Connor stood by Ellery during her chemo.

What Didn’t Work for Me:
- Dysfunctional relationship dynamics: The constant fighting and unresolved issues felt repetitive and toxic. The explosive arguments lacked meaningful resolutions, making their "happy ending" feel unearned.
- Ellery’s secret and Connor’s reaction: The handling of her illness was frustrating, with both characters acting immaturely at critical moments.
- Rushed ending: The progression from emotional chaos to an HEA felt abrupt, missing the depth needed to make it satisfying.
- Psychic aunt subplot: This was an odd addition that detracted from the overall realism.

Favorite Moments:
- The road trip to Ellery’s uncle’s funeral, where they shared quieter, more intimate moments.
- Connor stepping up during Ellery’s chemo treatments, showcasing his softer side.

Favorite Quotes:
- “You are different, Ellery, and you scare me. You make me feel things I never have before.”
- “I’ve never loved anyone like I love you, and no matter what we’ve been through or are going to go through, that will never change.”

Why it’s not 5 stars:
Despite the emotional moments, the over-the-top drama and unresolved conflicts made it hard to fully invest in the story. The rushed pacing and unnecessary subplots diluted the impact of key emotional beats.

Final Thoughts:
Forever Black has its moments of charm and intensity, but it struggles with balance. If you enjoy dramatic romance with high stakes and emotional twists, this might be worth a read. However, be prepared for a few eye-rolls and a relationship that’s more chaos than chemistry.

amarmom's review against another edition

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1.0

What a poorly written, toxic, juvenile, train wreck. These dramatic and violent losers deserve each other. I’ve read Mary sue fanfics written by preteens that were better written and fleshed out than this garbage.

astumpfreads's review against another edition

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4.0

Rounding up to 4 because of the overall plot was a realistic difficult journey and I was torn up about it, thrilled to see it in print and it made me read non-stop without putting the book down.

Having said that, I wanted to give it 5 stars for how it started between these 2. Garsh...woah. I love how the fun loving Ellery cracks the hardass facade of Connor slowly one junkfood experience at a time. However, the detours and high drama of Ellery running and smashing cell phones grew very old very quick. I tried to remember everything she had been through and still had to go through and wanted to empathize with her, but throwing her sex o a stick millionaire away every 15 minutes was hard for me to comprehend. I liked Connor's early progression, but then even that jumped the shark. The fact that once they had swapped bodily fluids they were professing love and went from 0 to cheeseball in 6.5 humps just had me rolling my eyes.

Then again, the depth of their love, the way they dealt with life's unfortunate events and the fact that Connor who one week was all Mr. Bang Bang No Sleepover one day and was a romantic mess the next was just enough to make me love this book, but I just couldn't get past the pacing and the way some of the insignificant details caused other parts of the story to feel rushed.

I wanted it to be a 5 star, and clearly it is for most because it has high ratings. Give it a chance, you will not find a book quite like it.

raddreader's review against another edition

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3.0

Connor & Ellery. Book 1 of series. Except for one chapter, this was told from the female POV. The main characters have dealt with some major issues (death, suicide, alcoholism and cancer) but each topic was glossed over so it made it feel like those subjects were no big deal. Even the cancer treatments with the main character didn’t show the depth of what someone really goes through. The story was not depressing, but it was disappointing to see such difficult topics treated with fluff and zero depth. Both characters kept secrets from each other and then blew up and got angry when the secrets were revealed. As this was told from Ellery’s POV, I didn’t connect with Connor. I liked his character, but I’m not a fan of a one sided book. I understand that Connor’s POV is book 2, but I’m not sure if I will read it. The story wrapped up with a HEA and an epilogue, but I don’t know if I want to go through the story again just to get Connor’s POV (which is a shame because something tells me I would fall in love even more with Connor). I waffled a bit on Ellery’s character. Sometimes she seemed so strong, while other times she seemed so immature and she, along with the lack of depth, are the stumbling blocks for me in this story and the reason I’m struggling whether or not to read book 2.

Quotes:
“Infinity is forever, and that’s what you are to me. You are my forever, Mr. Black”

“I didn’t want him to see me, so I did the only thing I could; I hid under the table.”

“ I love you Ellery. Not only for who you are, but for the person I’ve become because of you.

“I was simply a man with no meaning until I met you, and I’m proud of whom I’ve become because of you.”

aguslibrary's review against another edition

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5.0

Me esperaba algo super parecido a 50/S pero la historia fue totalmente distinta aunque del mismo género, super lindo, quiero leer el segundo ya!