First Love and Forever (Byrnehouse-Davies Hamilton Saga, #4) by Anita Stansfield

First Love and Forever (Byrnehouse-Davies Hamilton Saga, #4) Reviews

• 
  Cheryl Callahan

  I read this book years ago and just re-read it this morning, I dunno why. I was avoiding the laundry, maybe? It wasn't much of an escape, however, since the main character is mentioned to be doing her laundry no less than 470 scintillating, page-turning times.
  
  This book has a very important lesson to impart and that is: you'd better keep your rich, Australian boyfriend around in case you some day become a financially-destitute and helpless widow.
  
  With the inclusion of the always-convenient neighbor character, who is thoroughly utilized but never feels used, this book would be much more accurately classified fantasy. I mean even more than most romance novels, okay?
  
  This was a very silly book purchase - I must get this book out of the house before my daughters are old enough to want to read it.
  
• 
  Holly

  I read this book in high school my first time and then a few years ago again. I really liked the book. I really like Anita Stansfield. I love that her books wrap you into the characters.
• 
  Apzmarshl

  Now and then I just like to revisit this book. I know I've complained about some of her later writings, but this one still makes me cry.
  
  Read Dec. 2, 2009
  
  This was the first book I ever read by Stansfield and that is when I fell in love. After my last read of hers, I was feeling a little sentimental so I reread First Love and Forever.
  
  Emily is in an unhappy marriage to the man that she felt compelled to choose after much prayer. Ryan was able to give her the one thing that the 'other' man couldn't, a temple marriage. The 'other' man is Michael Hamilton. A published Australian nonmember author that Emily met at BYU. And as far as I can tell besides being an nonmember Michael is nearly perfect. That aside, Ryan and Emily aren't making happy memories when, after ten years Michael comes back into the picture asking Emily to leave Ryan and marry him.
  What will she do? Even though all works out in the end..........it is a painful process.
  Stansfield at her best. This is probably my number one top pick out of all of her books....actually her first five were great.
  So if you either haven't read this particular Stansfield or you just need to revisit the Hamiltons......it is a nice cozy, romantic escape.
  Rating 5 I've read it at least half a dozen times. I love Michael Hamilton.....I will admit after this reading Emily started to wear on me........but then there was Michael.......
• 
  Erin

  For those of you who know my (not so great) love of LDS lit, it should surprise you that I gave this book a three. It was pretty good as far as LDS romances go. Perhaps it was too much of a chronology as opposed to a story. Things I despised...Emily gave herself two choices...Marry the guy she loved heart and soul but was not LDS or marry the guy she had luke-warm feelings for and was LDS. She chose the latter. Nevertheless, there was a third unspoken choice never even mentioned hold out for an LDS man who she could love with all her heart. Hmmm...now THAT seems like a novel idea! This book gave too much to predestination and not enough emphasis on Emily's choice.
  
  I gave it three stars assuming that the writer left out that all too important third choice for the sake of conflict. Because as far as LDS lit goes, this was a pretty good read and I will read the next books in the series.
• 
  Melissa

  This was definitely written for an LDS audience. The storyline was universal. Who among us has not had to make decisions between what we want and what we think God wants us to do? The female lead, Emily, did get a little irritating at times. In the end, it was a nice romantic LDS fiction that is an easy and fast read.
• 
  Tracie

  I'm a tad embarrassed to admit I read 5 of these. Its kind of like getting into a Lifetime movie that you just have to see through to the end. Anyways, books 2-5 were 2 stars, but this very first book was the best one, in my opinion. She brings up some good points.
• 
  Sara

  At first I was not sure about this book. I don't normally do romances, but I enjoyed that this was a clean read. Took me awhile to get invested in the main characters lives, but I'm hooked now. LOL I just ordered books 2 & 3. Can't wait for book club to discuss!
• 
  Erica Richardson

  I'm not going to finish this one anytime soon. It's a bit too much for me. It's hard to put into words, but as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who is recovering from perfectionism and moral OCD, this book is too heavy and painful. It plays on a lot of unhealthy ideals and beliefs. It's a pretty heart-wrenching story, and I agree that it does rely heavily on the idea that we have to find the one "right" decision (let God tell us who the "right" person to marry is) rather than my belief that God honors our agency (our choice) a lot more than we expect. This story really plays on the idea that God is going to make choices FOR us rather than support and guide us in making our own decisions. Anyways, yeah, this book is unhealthy in a lot of ways. And I'm recovering form having a lot of unhealthy ideals, so it's not a good fit for me. But the writing is good, and I did get sucked into the story. About halfway through I realized that this story doesn't feel good to me, and I just don't want to read it anymore.
• 
  Amy Keeley

  This is an okay book. As another reviewer mentioned, she bypasses the third choice (wait for a guy she can love who is also LDS) and that's a bit irritating, but I remember being at that age (Disclaimer: I'm LDS). A lot of LDS folk get married in their early twenties, so the pressure can be pretty intense from a social aspect. (The LDS church itself doesn't put any pressure on women to get married as soon as possible. The focus is more on finding quality men than get-married-now in their advice to women.)
  
  There's some unbelievable moments. However, Michael is very well done (especially his angry trip to the temple to see what all the fuss is about). You want good things to happen to him. In fact, of all the characters I think he's the one with the most depth.
  
  Emily is okay. She's a wimp who can't stand up to her husband, but that changes over the course of the story. Her husband, Ryan, also changes and I thought they made a good couple.
  
  However, I found the ending more than a bit of a cheat. It's like the author couldn't bring herself to end it the way it should have ended because that would have ruined the fantasy of The Perfect Guy. Emily's husband was not a bad guy. He was far from perfect, but he wasn't bad, just weak. When Emily stopped being such a doormat, he improved and respected her more (tends to happen). Their marriage was going well when he died. I would have much rather read a story about two people improving their marriage than a story about Mr. Imperfect dying and Mr. Perfect saving the day. I feel more strongly about this now than when I was single.
  
  However, it's a nice fantasy with a good, interesting hero (Michael). Good for killing time when you have nothing better to do.
• 
  Breeana Wright

  If I would've read this before getting married, I would not have liked it one bit. I would've judged the characters as all doing wrong. I would've said things like, "She should do THIS" or "He should NOT be saying that to her."
  
  However, this book really hit home. I was often so emotional throughout it, and not because I'm pregnant, but because it's relatable (not in EVERY aspect of the story, but a few).
  
  I read others' reviews and many people, fortunately, can't relate to Emily's situation, so the book seemed sort of fantasy/fairytale'ish' or exaggerated to them.
  
  I did not like, however, how she and Michael, the Australian, would argue over trivial things. He'd give a compliment or something, and she'd argue it. Or he'd insist on something to be nice (like paying for something), and she'd argue and argue it. Sometimes that got old. I think that's just a personal petpeeve of mine: When someone won't accept a compliment or a ltitle bit of kindness and they think they have to argue.
  
  But overall, a good LDS story. It was refreshing to read after the die-hard, born-again Christian ones I recently read.
• 
  Lori

  BLECH! Sorry - I am not one to appreciate the excessive "prayer and fasting" that is so prevalent in Mormon romance novels. This was a book club book that we're reviewing next week. I don't have anything good to say about it, except that it only took about 3 hours to read. I've read only one other Anita Stansfield book - while in high school - and I swear she just uses the same tragic formula.
  Good Mormon girl meets boy (may or may not be LDS) whom she falls in love with.
  Good Mormon girl meets another boy (that is LDS) and feels she must marry him.
  Good Mormon girl does all that she knows to be right but is miserable in her marriage.
  Old flame comes back in Good Mormon Girl's life and rekindles old flame - without have adulterous thoughts, of course.
  2nd boy (now husband) is killed or dies from an illness.
  Good Mormon girl is left without anything and is in emotional and financial stress.
  Old flame - who should now be out of her life forever - mysteriously shows up again and solves her problems.
  Old flame and Good Mormon girl get engaged.
  The end.
  I think this will be the last Stansfield book I ever read. Not my thing.
• 
  Vivian

  Our heroine, Emily, is a devout "Mormon" and having made all her choices for the 'right' reasons finds herself miserable in a loveless marriage. It seems everything has gone wrong -- she married a 'returned missionary' who she dated in high school when he was a handsome charismatic football star, having refused a proposal from a college boyfriend who was not a member of her church. Now her husband is 'inactive' in the church, works long hours, is distant from her and their children, and scrutinizes her spending with a magnifying glass. She tries to be the perfect housewife and has encouraged them to avail themselves of counseling to no affect.
  
  Now after a chance meeting with her college boyfriend who is now a successful author Emily finds herself tempted to leave her husband. Again she aligns her choices with her faith and... the plot thickens.
  
  This heavy/light story is romance candy for the "LDS" audience.
• 
  Andrea

  So I read this in High School and thought it was the "BEST BOOK I'd EVER READ". But books of her's that I've read more recently were just so stupid I couldn't finish them. I came across this at the library and was curious what I would think of it now, 12 years later. The verdict: definitely not the best book ever. I didn't think Emily was believable as a person. On top of not being believable, she was super annoying. I was wondering why Michael was SO IN LOVE with her. If I knew her personally she would drive me insane. Plus she was so weepy. Can we please have a different reaction other than crying, PLEASE? I do think Anita Stansfield is very talented at writing a good love story. There were really good parts that I went back and read again. She just needs to cut back on all the cheesy churchy stuff and the weepy men and women.
• 
  Priscilla

  I feel pretty lame for giving this book four stars but I really enjoyed it! LDS romance novels are my guilty pleasuere and this book is the standard held up for all the other novels to follow! I can't say you will feel like the most intelligent person after reading this, but it is an enjoyable, feel-good book. I definitely went to bed smiling when I was done with this.
  
  Emily Ladd meets an amazing man Micheal and they fall in love and want to get married. But he isn't a member of the Church. So she decided to marry Ryan instead, a man who holds the priesthood and can take her to the temple. Ten years later, Ryan and Emily's marriage is falling apart and Micheal comes back into her life. Emily must once again choose between the two men! Now doesn't that plot sound delightful?!
• 
  Annalisa

  I guess I'm just really not a modern day lds fiction fan. I like the author's writing style but I just was not into this story - there was so much about the relationship triangle that bothered me .
  
  Amazon Product Description:
  Emily Hall has not seen Michael Hamilton since the day she told him she'd decided to marry another man. Ryan Hall's membership in the Church was enough to make Emily's decision clear, and she married Ryan in the temple. A decade and three children later, she finds herself enduring marriage to an inactive and insensitive husband. She relies on the Spirit to help her cope, but ife is not easy. Then Michael - a handsome, wealthy, nonmember Australian, reappears in her life and creates a maelstrom of emotion tht she can't ignore.
• 
  Marci

  Okay. This book in the series starts to get into the cheesy love stories that I typically associate with Anita Stansfield and that I don't really enjoy. The previous books in the series were a little more "historical fiction" -ess and I could deal with the cheesiness when it's dated in the late 1800's or early 1900's because that's sort of how I picture those romances anyways.
  
  However, this book is more in the present time and falls into the LDS romance I-have-something-really-bad-happen-to-me-but-my-faith-gets-me-through-so-I-can-marry-the-man-of-my-dreams category that doesn't really appeal to me. It's not very realistic.
  
  It is a clean romance though which I greatly appreciate.
• 
  Rebecca

  The main character, Emily did so much fasting and praying in order to make any decision in her life that it became an eating disorder for her. Emily was naive and almost idiotic and I just wanted to slap her silly. She should have stood up for herself and finished school instead of worrying whether to marry this boy or the other. Maybe if she educated herself she would have discovered that Ryan wasn't a good marrying choice. Ah well, another Mormon stereotype perpetuated in this book...women can't think beyond getting married!
• 
  Emma

  Like Andrea, I read this when I was in high school and I was forevermore hooked on Anita Stansfield novels, until recently. Now that I'm not the giggly, flirty, hopeless romantic that I was back then, I've decided that her books are too fictional. She does a good job of trying to incorporate real life scenarios, but for me, it's just not working. This is what I have noticed with her books - Money is never a problem and marital intimacy is always just bliss. Since I can't identify with either of those situations, I've decided her books are just not for me.
• 
  Jenny

  This was the first Anita Stansfield book I ever read. I just love the story of Emily Hall, who after been married for 10 years to an insensitive, in-active husband finds her self face to face with Michael Hamilton her first true love. This amazing story of faith, healing and first loves is a book I have reread many times over the years. Glad I own it! It never takes me very long to read this book, so I have labeled it a quick read. Which at times is something that I want when I am dragging with other books that I am trying to read.
• 
  Sara

  This book is in the same category as Jack Weyland's "Charly". However, this book is a little more cheesy. The main character is self-righteous and is constantly commenting on how she is feeling the spirit (not that there is anything wrong with that). It was just a bit much for me to really be able to enjoy the book. There is a second book that I am now reading, also very cheesy (perhaps worse than the first).
• 
  Natasha

  I'm not a big fan of adult fiction in general. This book was good, though somewhat predictable. It's about a woman named Emily and a man named Michael Hamilton who is from Australia. (I completely had Hugh Jackman pictured in my mind!) They were collage sweet hearts at BYU. While in college he proprosed marriage, but she decided to marry someone else because Michael was not LDS. 10 years later, their paths cross again and this book is just the beginning of their story.
• 
  John Newall

  My main complaint about this book would be that certian things came too easy for the protagonist. I wish it would have been harder for her to deal with some of her dilemmas. very clean, very nice book though. If you are LDS and looking for some romance literature, then Anita Stansfield is a very good choice.
• 
  Cristina

  I absolutely loved this book! It is a contemporary romance from an LDS perspective and I couldn't put it down! I read it in two days and now I am dying to read more of her books. It is a fun, easy read that is really light and enjoyable. If you have never tried one of her books, you should try this one...it was fabulous!
• 
  Katie

  This is the first book I read of Anita Stansfield. After I read this book I just had to get my hands on all of her books so every time one comes out I read it.
  This a great love story that continues on in her next books. It is a series of 3 but later but she did come out with some books later on that have to do with the same characters and it continues on to six more books.