All I Want Is Forever

Rating:
Summary: engaging ethnic romance
Review: Political consultant Talia Marchand has come along way from her poverty stricken childhood as she hobnobs with US senators. Talia's prime ambition is to never go back to the Louisiana Parish that she despairingly once called home. The only positive thing from her school days was her friendship with Derrick Guillory, but she fled him as much as she did her hometown of Rougon the first chance she could.

Derrick arrives in DC and using his investigative skills easily finds Talia. Though he still desires the woman who was his first love, he knows she will never reveal that she wants him too because he represents her dark past. Still Derrick persuades her to come home in order to take care of personal responsibilities even as he has a secret agenda to convince her that they belong together.

ALL I WANT FOREVER is an engaging ethnic romance filled with a strong love story supported by subplots involving murder and drugs. The story line retains a serious undertow, but insures that the romance remains pivotal, taking the front and center position throughout the tale. Though Derrick is an intriguing hunk, perhaps a bit too perfect, and the support cast adds depth especially to the subplots, this novel is owned in every sense by the complex Talia. Her negative feelings about her heritage has propelled her into making a success out of her professional life, but distrusting anything personal including Derrick. Lynn Emery provides a strong tale that focuses on the theme that a person has no choice but to go home because the adult is the result of the child.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: engaging ethnic romance
Review: Political consultant Talia Marchand has come along way from her poverty stricken childhood as she hobnobs with US senators. Talia's prime ambition is to never go back to the Louisiana Parish that she despairingly once called home. The only positive thing from her school days was her friendship with Derrick Guillory, but she fled him as much as she did her hometown of Rougon the first chance she could.

Derrick arrives in DC and using his investigative skills easily finds Talia. Though he still desires the woman who was his first love, he knows she will never reveal that she wants him too because he represents her dark past. Still Derrick persuades her to come home in order to take care of personal responsibilities even as he has a secret agenda to convince her that they belong together.

ALL I WANT FOREVER is an engaging ethnic romance filled with a strong love story supported by subplots involving murder and drugs. The story line retains a serious undertow, but insures that the romance remains pivotal, taking the front and center position throughout the tale. Though Derrick is an intriguing hunk, perhaps a bit too perfect, and the support cast adds depth especially to the subplots, this novel is owned in every sense by the complex Talia. Her negative feelings about her heritage has propelled her into making a success out of her professional life, but distrusting anything personal including Derrick. Lynn Emery provides a strong tale that focuses on the theme that a person has no choice but to go home because the adult is the result of the child.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: To forgive is divine
Review: Talia Marchand has finally escaped Ponte Coupee Parish, Louisiana,
and all of the heartache it held for her. Her life is now in
Washington, D.C. as a political consultant. But her past is calling
her back home, back to family responsibilities and back to Derrick
Guillory.

Talia is a product of the foster care system, and were it not for her
foster mom, Ms. Rose, and the promise of her childhood friend Derrick
that he would be her protector, Talia would have slipped through the

cracks. But after graduation Talia needed to escape Derrick's boy scout
mentality and the antics of her birth mother. Now ten years later, her
foster mom is sick and Talia needs to go home. The timing is perfect
as Talia has just been assigned to assist the District Attorney's office
in Coupee Parish, they are studying prison regulations involving non-
violent crimes. But the fact that the case under study is Talia's birth
mother and because she has to work with Derrick, her plan is to spend the
least amount of time in Coupee Parish, treat Derrick as part of her job
and return to her safety net in Washington. But Derrick has other ideas,
all he's ever wanted is forever with Talia.

Those familiar with Ms. Emery's works know she always treats readers
to a well seasoned story about the Bayou state. And this romantic
mystery with unsolved murders and drug world implications does that
indeed. Talia is in for some shocking surprises as she starts to uncover
the background of a mother she wants desperately to hate. And as feelings
that she thought were buried begin to fill her head she starts to conquer
her demons and open her heart.

Reviewed by aNN Brown
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Rating:
Summary: Love Story With an Engaging Subplot
Review: This love story is centered around two childhood sweethearts that fatefully come together again after a much tormented past. Talia returns to her home town to face her demons and is very fortunate to find much strength and love in Derrick. Derrick's character is very lovable and likable. However, I had much trouble getting to appreciate Talia, seeing her incessant and sometimes unbearable mood swings. But given her dark past, I can see why it was so difficult for her. Lynn Emery does better work in subsequent novels. However, I did find this novel to be somewhat engaging.