?Now To Forever (Life on the Ledge Duet #2)?
By Ashley Manley
After twenty years of running from her past, Scotty, a reclusive crematorium owner, is forced to face the heartbreak she’s tried to bury. When an unexpected inheritance and the sudden return of the man who once shattered her heart upend her quiet life, she must choose between the safety of solitude and the possibility of a second chance at love. True healing, she discovers, might require more than just a change of scenery, it may demand the courage to let someone in.
I absolutely loved Forever and Back, the first book in this duet, so I was thrilled to get early access to Scotty’s story! Scotty, June’s quirky, strong-willed, reclusive best friend, was such an intriguing character, and this book dives deep into her complexity. Haunted by a traumatic past she’s never truly faced, Scotty’s journey is raw and emotional. She can be polarizing at times, and I occasionally found her choices frustrating, at times even a bit immature for a 42-year-old, but her character arc is undeniably powerful. The growth she experiences is both moving and hard-earned. While this book may initially read like a romance, it crosses into literary fiction territory, exploring heavy themes and deep emotional layers. Despite her flaws, you can’t help but root for Scotty and hope she finds her way.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I love Ashley Manley’s writing style and humor with her characters. She writes such layered characters that are vulnerable, flawed, and real. This can be read as a stand-alone, but it is helpful to have some background knowledge of Scotty that you get in the first book of this Life on the Ledge duet series. I highly recommend reading both of these books!
Do check your content warnings. Scotty uses very colorful, explicit language if you are sensitive to that.
?? Thank you to Ashley Manley for this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts. Now to Forever published 7/1/25. ??
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