What if your boyfriend was the world’s biggest rockstar?
Sterling is crazy in love with Ethan. Not only is he the sweetest boy she’s ever met, but he’s an incredibly talented guitarist, singer, and songwriter. And since forever, he’s believed he has what it takes to be a star.
When Ethan becomes an overnight sensation, he’s thrown head-first into the glam world of celebrity – and so is Sterling. Before she knows it, she’s attending red-carpet premieres, getting free designer clothes, and flying around the country to attend Ethan’s monumental sold-out concerts.
It’s a dream come true… but whose dream is Sterling living? And what do you do when “forever” comes to an end?
I made it through this novel in just two sittings, not just because this is Susane Colasanti’s novel, but because it’s one of her most uniquely written. Colasanti is famous for her quirky, sweet romances, and I’ve read more than enough to know that she always comes through, but this time around I felt like she took what some may call a bookish risk. This was a story I felt that was out of Colasanti’s comfort zone, but she still managed to write it fairly well.
Sterling was a character that I felt, for the most part, lacked the kind of depth that she should have had, being the main character and all. Something that I found extremely troubling about her was Colasanti’s insistent need to point out that every time Ethan, her rockstar boyfriend, did anything so simple as bat his lashes at her, she would “melt” on something. The floor. The couch. The bed. There was a lot of melting. Too much melting. All said melting should have been evaded. It got to a point where I started highlighting text every time any form of melting was mentioned. It honestly felt like Sterling was written a bit tackily, and this is coming from a girl who once read When It Happens and fell in love with Lloyd Dobler a second time. I love Colasanti with all my heart, but Sterling as a character just didn’t do it for me. I did love how she overcame her dependency on Ethan and learned to focus on herself more than other people, but there could have been more done there for me. Ethan was also a big fat baby from the start, and Colasanti did a phenomenal job dropping small hints of him being not the greatest boyfriend. Damien was an interesting addition to the cast, but considering he ends up being such a large part in Sterling’s story, I would have liked to have seen more of him.
Susane has the best taste in music, ever. I always look forward to reading her novels because she always finds ways to add little snippets of lyrics and songs that really add to her stories. Though I will say that I am disappointed there was no mention of John Mayer in Now and Forever.
Colasanti’s eighth novel is a landmark because it stresses so much the promise of forever and just what it really means. I feel as teens not many people understand that the things we wish/hope/pray will last forever, don’t always do, and being human means changing your mind. This book has some things to teach our generation, and I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to have read it.
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While not the highlight of Colasanti’s career, Now and Forever is still well worth the read.
Rating: 7/10
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