Book Review – Veteran Dreams: Forever Young by Cherron Riser

Veteran Dreams: Forever Young
By Cherron Riser

How could one party change so much?

It had been ten years since that night, and walking into the high school reunion, Lita wasn’t sure what to expect. Her mind was riddled with memories, and her heart was racing. The moment her eyes locked with Alex’s, her heart started to beat again, as if part of her had been dead all those years. Life certainly hadn’t gone as expected, and she had not lived up to the promises made that last night.

Feeling broken, Alex longed to move past the disappointment of his military career. After his friend convinced him to go to his ten-year high school reunion, he was surprised to find himself smitten with a girl from the past. Lita had been sweet and innocent back then, but was she still? Part of him longed to see.

The two of them fall into a whirlwind, wanting to help the other heal and pursue their dreams. But they may find the pressure is more intense than the passion the old spark ignited in them.

A stand-alone novel, Forever Young mixes passion and a drive for new beginnings in the Forever Young series.

Grab a copy HERE!

I bought my copy of this book several months ago now. I did initially start reading it as soon as it had downloaded to my ereader, but for some reason, I never got further than the first chapter, and then didn’t read any more for weeks. When I finally did pick it up again, I read the whole book within two days. I am not sure why I never finished it initially, but I do wish I had read it sooner!

Alex had been Lita’s high school crush for ages, but it was a crush she never acted on. It was only when, at a party to celebrate the end of school, when Lita was dared to dance for Alex, that any sort of sparks seemed to fly. She drove him home afterwards, and he kissed her goodbye.

Ten years later, Lita’s artistic dreams have been pushed aside for a more realistic job, not that working in an office was ever part of her life plans. Going to her high school reunion wasn’t something she thought she would enjoy, but it was a chance to get away for a while. What she didn’t expect was to run into Alex again, and to find herself just as, if not more, attracted to him as she was ten years ago.

But neither Alex, nor Lita, are the same people they were ten years ago. Alex’s time in the military has left him in a wheelchair with a damaged back, and the girl Alex remembers was into writing stories and singing. Life has got in the way, and the dreams they both had ten years ago have dissipated. But with everything that has changed, the way they feel when they see each other hasn’t. But, Alex and Lita know the dreams they each had ten years ago, and while they want to help each other follow their dreams, maybe their dreams have changed. The Alex and Lita from ten years ago have grown up, and what they saw for their futures has been adapted as things have gone wrong.

Alex and Lita’s love develops quickly, but really, it has just been lying dormant for the last ten years. While neither of them acted on their feelings before, they can’t deny them now. Even just going out for coffee seems to be something they have been missing. While Lita has been independent and on her own, Alex has been unable to have such freedom, but together, they give each other what they each need. Lita finds the inspiration to pick up her old hobbies, and do something for herself for once, and Alex gains the courage to put in the effort to strengthen his body. They don’t depend on the other to give them what they need, but rather, the other person gives them a reason to push themselves further.

This is the kind of book you don’t want to put down. There is plenty of world building that makes the story seem very real. Lita is living away from her friends, but she keeps in touch, and their relationships and dramas help to flesh out Lita’s life. I loved Alex and Lita, and there are some incredibly steamy scenes in this book. Maybe not the book to read when you’re sat in the car, waiting to pick someone up… I speak from experience! I turned off my ereader very quickly when they got into the car!

There were some aspects of the story, nearer the end, that I started to find slightly unrealistic. There is a happy ending, but I wish it had gone in a different direction. It seemed slightly like things were happening just to make sure there was a happy ending, rather then because it was a natural way for the story to go. Nevertheless, I did really enjoy reading this book and getting to know the characters. There was a very strong theme of learning to do things for yourself, rather than doing them to please others, and I loved watching Lita and Alex both build confidence and realise that they did have the courage to do the things they wanted to do.

It mentions in the blurb that this book is a stand-alone novel in the Forever Young series. I can’t find any more books in this series, I think it may be the first, and I am not sure if any future books will follow on with Alex and Lita’s story, or if they will feature other characters, but I am excited to find out more about the series, and read more by this author.

Cherron Riser is a multi-genre author that writes in romance, paranormal, fantasy, and sci-fi for both adults and young adults. When not hard at work on her next novel, she can be found with a good read in hand or trying to convince her puppy that she is in fact a dog and not a person. She is a mother to two great kids. Her family is unabashedly geeky and enjoys sharing a good board game or role-playing game. Cherron is happy to spend time at conventions enjoying books and the geek life with friends, family, and fans.

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Cherron Riser was born in Dothan, Alabama on November 2, 1983. With her family being military, she spent a lot of her early childhood traveling all over the country, giving her a lot of new and different experiences she would not otherwise have been given. When she turned ten, however, her family settled in the small town of Ozark, Alabama where she finished her high school career.

After high school, Cherron began college, however she found herself focused on family and would have to revisit college later in life. She welcomed her first child in October of 2003, after moving to Knoxville, Tennessee. In December 2008 she welcomed her second child. Not long after that, she returned to Alabama. In 2019, Cherron finally finished college, obtaining her Associates Degree.

All through her life Cherron has been drawn to the arts. As a child she danced and sang all of the time, often driving her family crazy. During middle school, a group of friends and Cherron started "The Outcast" a club established for building a love of writing. Once the club was formed, Cherron was never seen without a spiral notebook and pen. She wrote daily, developing silly stories for her friends. After high school, Cherron began to write more serious stories and develop more original plot lines. It is a talent and love Cherron has developed over the years, filling her computer with story after story.

As an author, Cherron began her career as a self published author, releasing the book Defying Destiny in March of 2015. She gives a lot of credit to her family and friends for inspiring her characters and worlds, and she looks forward to showing them to all of her readers in the near future. Cherron can often be seen at conventions, both for readers and for geeks, as she is and will always be a geek herself, and proud of it.