Not my favorite.... I found the writing kind of simple and repetitive. Plus I wasn't a fan of any of the characters which made it really hard for me to connect with.

Erin seems to have rebounded in love to choose her now husband, Greg. The timing of her bumping into her old flame Adam, couldn't be worse as she and Greg are struggling in their marriage. When Greg fails to live up to his word, and Adam seems to need Erin like never before, she is completely torn. Who will she choose?

If I'm honest, I didn't really like all three of the main characters in this story, but the story itself is good and the resolution of it just fantastic!

Erin is married to Greg. She loves and adores Greg; but he was her ‘second love’ and in recent years their marriage has hit sone bumps. First love Adam was her rock-star boyfriend who she adored, but he broke her heart. Adam has returned to their home town; with amnesia after an accident. Erin is now questionning everything about her marriage. But who should she make happy…Adam; Greg….or herself?

A Love to Last a Lifetime - Clare Swatman

This is my first experience of Clare Swatman's books and such a pleasant experience at that. I really enjoyed the characters and felt they all were really relatable and easy to get to know. I loved the tension between Erin, Adam and Greg, and also the warmth between Erin and her friends. I also thought it a great touch to learn Erin's parents had gone through a similar predicament. Such an enjoyable read, I flew through it and read it in two days, I'm really looking forward to reading more from this author!

Thank you so much Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the advanced copy in return for my honest views.

Do you love music as much as you love reading? Then A Love To Last A Lifetime by Clare Swatman is a must read. She manages to marry the two beautifully as well as write a stunning story.

Erin, is a thirty five year old, grappling with her life choices. After eighteen years, she stumbles upon the love of her life. The only problem, he has amnesia and she is married to another man. Good thing Erin is a music therapist and willing to help. Will their relationship stay strictly professional, or will they rekindle the love they lost?

I absolutely loved the role music played in this book. Each chapter is titled after a band and song. All of the songs mentioned connect Erin’s past to her present. In essence, they are the soundtrack of her life.

While Erin sets out to use music to help others, it is ultimately the most beneficial for her. It unlocks not only the highs, but lows of her life. She discovers her mother and her have been living parallel lives and learns to break a generational cycle of putting other’s needs above her own.

This book was close to a five start read for me. My only issue with this book was the abruptness in which it ends. I loved the choice that was made, but needed more. An epilogue would have been ideal because it would have allowed Erin’s future to be expounded upon.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

Unfortunately, this one was a miss for me. I wasn't a fan of the characters and while Swatman's writing is simplistic which I loved, it didn't lend itself to crafting a really robust and dynamic love story I wanted to follow. While this wasn't for me, I do think there is an audience for this so would recommend it. I would also happily pick up another book by this author - this wasn't for me but maybe the next one is.

I found this book to be repetitive and I didn’t particularly the trio of characters, Erin, Adam and Greg. There wasn’t a huge amount of content in this storyline so found it difficult to hold my attention. Unfortunately the wouldn’t recommend

I was intrigued by the blurb because it's sounds promising, but maybe I put my expectation too high. There's nothing wrong with the writing, the past and present narration and the dual POV is actually good and helping us to understand what's happened, how, and why it led to the situation the MCs facing now. I understand that the dilemma or triangle love is to choose one of the male love interests, but it's been dragging for too long to reach a final decision. Though, it's a fair decision to make at the ending.

I also love the premise of finding out your parents' old secrets and find yourself in the same situation and about to make the same mistake. Aside from that, I really love the insight of music therapy and it's connection towards memory to cure memory loss/dementia patient.

Once again Clare has written a book that touches every emotion. Like able characters, who make you feel involved in what they’re going through.
I laughed, I cried and I felt everything that Erin went through.

What would happen if your 1st love suddenly reappears in your life, but has lost his/her memory? Would you risk it all to help?

Is Erin looking back through rose tinted glasses as she remembers the good times?
Told in the then and now format we discover what happened between Erin, Adam and Greg. But also take a look back at her parents marriage.

Erin is a music therapist and uses music to help dementia patients regain lost memories. Can this work on Adam, who has lost his memory following an accident? Should Erin risk her marriage to try?

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this title

This book is all about the love triangle between Erin, Adam and Greg. I felt for Erin and her indecision, and the book certainly is emotional. I enjoyed watching Erin grow and learn more about herself and what she really wants in life. I also liked the flashbacks to young teenage Erin as it gave me a good insight into her life and how she felt about Adam and her life during that time. And I liked learning about Erin and Greg’s beginning as it also gave me some insight into their relationship and why they are having problems in the present.

In a Nutshell: Interesting theme. Irritating main characters. Heartbreaking focus on dementia. Nice ending. So if you can tolerate the characters, the journey is worthwhile.

Story Synopsis:
Eighteen years ago, Erin was head over heels in love with Adam. But when he broke her heart, Greg was the one to help her back to normalcy.
Now, Adam is back, but with a difference: he has amnesia and doesn't remember Erin or their time together. However, Erin still has (or at least she thinks she has) feelings for him, despite being happily married to Greg for more than a decade.
Should Erin honour her marital commitment, or should she return to the love of her life?
The story comes to us from Erin's perspective, written in first person in the ‘Now’ timeline and in third person in the ‘Then’ flashbacks.

Where the book worked for me:
😍 Erin's mother has dementia, and the portrayal of how the illness affects a person is depicted realistically. It's heartbreaking to read.
😍 Erin's work as a music therapist provides some wonderful insights on how music is used in recovery and healing.
😍 Every chapter title is the mention of a song and the group it was sung by. For example, ‘Bittersweet Symphony’ by Verve, or ‘Time After Time’ by Cyndi Lauper. The chapter content reflects the theme or the title of the song. It also helped enhance the musical elements in the story.The music lover in me loved this unusual approach, and enjoyed some lovely nostalgic musical memories.
😍 Erin's dad is by far the best character in the book, probably the only character I truly loved. He is the only one who came across as sensible, despite his tendency to hoard things.
😍 The book explores the dimensions of comfortable or familiar love vs. passionate or lustful love. While this isn’t as in depth as it could have been, the theme comes out well through Erin’s indecision and the romantic situation of another character.
😍 The ending was perfect, and more importantly, justified. Took the character long enough to use their brain, but better late than never!

Where the book could have worked better for me:
😕 A book is so much easier to enjoy if you love at least one of the main characters. Unfortunately, the central trio - Erin, Greg, and Adam - were equally aggravating. No common sense. No sense of integrity or loyalty. Concerned just about their own selves. I do like realistic characters, but these three were probably too realistic to be likeable. Erin was especially annoying as she was judgemental about others but couldn’t see her own errors in judgement.
😕 Erin’s friend Sam is the token homosexual character whose only role is to be the stereotypical gay friend. All he has to do is crack queer jokes (and I mean ‘queer’ in both its meanings), support Erin, and give advice. Such a clichéd portrayal!
😕 The contemporary timeline is quite repetitive, with Erin going back and forth between Greg and Adam in her thoughts and actions.

I had loved this author’s earlier work—How to Save a Life—and was hoping for a similar experience this time around. The story did have great potential, but the annoying characters with their repetitive and self-destructive behaviour were too idiotic for me to ignore. Hence the midway mark. (I was actually stuck on 2.5 stars for most of the book. The ending made me go higher.)

3 stars

My thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the DRC of “A Love to Last a Lifetime”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

In this one we have three main characters, Erin, Adam and Greg.
As a teenager Erin adored Adam, was head over heels for him. But as time went on they ended up splitting up and going thier own separate ways.
Soon to follow we are introduced to Greg. Erin and Greg meet at university, and soon form a relationship. Further down the line they tie the knot.
Their marriage isn't always great, the certainly had thier ups and downs, but then who doesn't, I think.
What really puts a strain on it, is years later Adam comes back into the picture.....

I felt myself quite conflicted to be honest. I myself wouldn't really know what to do in Erin's situation 😕
This was, what I call, and easy read. Very easy to flow through it, and very hard to put down.
This is the second book I had read by Clare. The first was Dear Grace, and that one has gone in my forever pile. I can easily say I wasn't disappointed with this one either. 😊

I loved that this book revolved around music and music therapy. Reading about a loved one having dementia was tough, but Erin’s love for her mother (and father) transcended any sadness I felt with this storyline. The fact that every chapter related back to a different song was amazing. 

Unfortunately, as the story progressed, I found myself not rooting for either male romantic lead. Greg seemed wishy-washy and Adam was self-centered. He kept apologizing for coming on to Erin, even though he knew she was married…but then he would keep doing it! 

Rose and Sam were incredible friends who told the truth! Erin’s ending felt unresolved but I hope Sam and Rose find their happily ever afters one day.

3 1/2 stars

Having enjoyed this author's last book, How to Save a Life, I was pleased to have the opportunity to read and review her new release. Even though it didn't read as smoothly for me as the last one, it's still a good book. I think the important thing to remember when reading Swatman's books is that she writes women's fiction - - not romance. If you go into these stories, looking for a fluffy romance, you will undoubtedly be disappointed.

A Love to Last a Lifetime follows main character, Erin as she tries to sort out her struggling marriage and the inconvenient return of her first love after not seeing him for eighteen years. She's trying to figure out if it's a sign that Adam has returned right when things with Greg seem to be going so poorly. It's as if she's trying to find reasons for her marriage to fail. Truthfully, Erin wasn't likable and neither were either of her love interests for me. They were all very flawed - - to the point that I didn't feel that they were good people. But, you don't always like the characters you read about.

The redeeming parts of the book for me were Erin's two best friends. They both tried to reason with her when she went 'off the rails' after her first love, Adam came back into town. They constantly tried to remind her that things with him hadn't all been 'sunshine and roses' before the way she was choosing to remember it. They also didn't necessarily support her husband, Greg either as he was messing up things royally as well. They simply tried to point out that she needed to proceed with honesty and be up front - - which she wasn't doing. She was sneaking around behind her husband's back to see her former boyfriend for fear of 'upsetting him.' Yep....that's always going to end up well.

I also felt that the relationship between Erin and her mother was well done. Albeit, it was heartbreaking to read as her mother was suffering from dementia and often didn't remember things clearly but it felt real. The things that she learned about her own parents through some of those discussions with her mother also added to her own personal confusion but maybe helped her to grow as a person. I believe that for a good portion of her life, she simply had been floating along on auto without really putting herself out there. It was obvious that she fell into the relationship with her husband, Greg after Adam and she broke up years before. Whether or not that relationship was one of convenience or love was a big question that lied at the heart of everything for her.

Overall, I appreciated what the author was trying to achieve with this book. It had a good premise. There was just a bit of repetition and things moved slowly for me. I never truly was able to connect solidly with the characters. To really care about the outcome of the book, I at least needed to feel invested in the main character, Erin and I never really did. I think it was just a one off for me. I'll definitely continue to follow this author and pick up her next book. I think this was just a miss for me personally.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to read and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

BOOK REVIEW: A Love To Last A Lifetime by Clare Swatman
2023 Publication Date: January 23

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐

T.I.M.E. Best Books By Genre | Best Contemporary Fiction Books
T.I.M.E. Most Anticipated Books Of 2023

CONNECT WITH A BOOK | T.I.M.E. SIMPLE LIVING TIP
"When you have a choice to make, don't forget to include the option to choose yourself..."

T.I.M.E. BOOK REVIEW:
First Love... Lost Love... Love That Can Last For A Lifetime...
Romance novels are often a treat for anyone looking to get away from the stresses of daily life. But this book dives much deeper which is why I am categorizing it as Best Contemporary Fiction with strong contemporary romance themes.

In A Love To Last A Lifetime, Clare Swatman tells the story of Erin and Greg, a couple who have been together since university. But when Erin's first love Adam re-enters her life in desperate need of help, their relationship is put to the test.

It is a story about first love, lost love, and the kind of unconditional love that can last for a lifetime. It is a compelling read for anyone who has ever experienced the pain of unrequited love or had their heart broken by someone they thought was “the one.”

Let’s take a look at this book and find out if it’s a perfect book match for you...

What Is The Book About?
A Love To Last A Lifetime focuses on the complex relationship and intricate secret history between Erin, Greg, and Adam. Throughout the story, Erin has to figure out what it means to be true to herself while also being faithful to Greg... all while being tempted by the memory of Adam.

It’s an interesting exploration of relationships, how they evolve over time, and how our perspective of memory is diffused by the veil of emotional attachment.

The book also touches on themes such as family dynamics, grief, and loyalty... with a fascinating exploration of the healing power of music. All these themes are explored through the characters in an engaging way that will keep you turning pages late into the night.

The Characters
The main characters of this book are beautifully written and easy to relate to. Even though they are fictional, you can’t help but feel like you know them personally after reading this novel.

Each character has their own unique flaws and strengths that make them realistic and interesting to read about. The author does a fantastic job of showing us how each character has grown and changed over time without losing sight of who they really are at heart.

This is especially true for Erin who is forced to confront her feelings (since she was a young woman) for both Adam and Greg throughout the novel.

Greg is an affable everyman — he isn’t particularly flashy or exciting but he is reliable and devoted to Erin. He loves her with a quiet intensity that is both captivating and heartbreaking.

Adam Bowers is everything Greg isn’t — charismatic and confident with a rock star charm that draws people in like moths to a flame.

Both characters are fully fleshed out and believable — even if you don’t always agree with their choices or understand their motivations. Thankfully, the author makes character choices that create fully dimensional characters. Meaning there are no clear-cut villains or heroes in this love story. Just real people navigating the complexities of love as time goes by.

The Writing Style
Clare Swatman’s writing style captures the beauty of everyday moments as well as the intensity of pivotal moments in this couple's story. She does an excellent job of conveying her characters' emotions without resorting to overly sentimental cliches or purple prose.

Her story flows effortlessly from one emotion-filled scene to another without ever losing momentum or feeling rushed along its course.

I particularly felt like I was on a whitewater rafting adventure as I read. Finding myself often wondering "why am I even in this raft?" while simultaneously knowing how courageously authentic the writing is to explore the characters' journeys with such honesty... and rowing their raft with all their might. So yes... I picked up my oar and rowed as well!

♡ T.I.M.E. TIP ➾ This book is an example of why I love reading books... Just when you find yourself faulting someone's choices, you discover an undeniable honesty. Making you wonder whether you would be brave enough to admit it in your own life.

Thank goodness we have wonderful books and characters who are willing to take us on that journey... until we are brave enough to do so ourselves.

A Love To Last A Lifetime is an engaging read filled with poignant moments, heartbreak, and ultimately hope for those who believe in lasting love even if it comes at unexpected times or under unlikely circumstances... or in a form we least expect.

Perfect for fans of contemporary novels from Sophie Cousens, David Nicholls, or Josie Silver... Highly recommended!...✨😎✨

Pages: 315
Genre: Contemporary Fiction | Best Contemporary Novels
Sub-Genre: Women's Fiction | The One That Got Away Romance
Time Period: Present
Location: England
Publisher: Boldwood Books

IF YOU LIKE THIS BOOK THEN TRY…
Book: Before I Do by Sophie Cousens ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️️
Movie: Celeste and Jesse Forever

BOOK SYNOPSIS
A Love To Last A Lifetime follows the main characters Greg and Erin as they navigate the tumultuous seas of young adulthood and discover what it truly means to commit yourself to someone.

When Adam Bowers, Erin’s handsome teenage flame, unexpectedly reenters her life after all these years, Greg is forced to confront his own insecurities and confront the idea that he may not be enough for Erin.

The novel offers an intimate look at how people can make it through tough times together (or apart) and come out stronger on the other side.

A Love To Last A Lifetime is an emotional rollercoaster ride filled with complex characters and plenty of twists and turns along the way.

If you’re looking for a modern fiction romance novel that explores relationships in depth then this book is definitely worth checking out!

BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION
• Communication is key in any relationship... make sure you take the time to really listen and understand what your partner is saying.
• No matter how complicated things may get between two people, love can be the ultimate source of strength and courage.
• What challenges did Greg and Erin face?... Greg and Erin faced a variety of challenges during their relationship, from trust issues to insecurity to communication barriers. They also had to grapple with the idea that life isn't always fair or simple, as well as how to handle difficult decisions and challenges together. They also had to learn how to balance their relationship with their individual goals and aspirations. Most of all, they had to overcome fear to take the leap of faith toward whatever their future relationship will be.

BOOK QUOTE
"It was a flip of a coin in the end, only this time, the coin didn't fall and show me the answer, but continued to spin, revealing all of its faces and all its endless possibilities as it hung there, suspended..." — A Love To Last A Lifetime by Clare Swatman
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All my book reviews can be seen at This Is My Everybody | Simple Living | Denise Wilbanks at thisismyeverybody.com/blog/what-book-should-i-read

♡ Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

What a predicament! Choosing between the one you want and the one you need. I think most of us have been through this time of triangle at least once in our lives. This book was heartwarming, and I loved the titles as songs!

I do enjoy a story involving the one that got away, and it didn’t disappoint. This one is slightly different with a love triangle, as the one that got away returns.

This was uplifting and emotional. I really felt for Erin as these two supposed loves of hers really weren’t all that nice! She seemed to see things through rose tinted glasses a lot of the time. Her two best friends were great I loved them, they certainly tried talking sense to her.

I loved the past and present chapters and how each chapter had a song title!

Having previously read a couple of books by this author and enjoying them I was excited to read this one.

Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources and the publisher for having me on the tour and for my gifted ebook.

TRIGGER WARNING: Early onset dementia, sudden medical diagnosis, brain injury.

What happens when a past love reappears?

I was really looking forward to this. I did not find the characters very well fleshed-out or very visual though, which is a shame. I struggled to get into this novel, but it grew on me because of the pace and plot.

The plot was good and I loved the way that songs were woven into it and the therapeutic aspect of them in the characters’ lives and as a kind of life ssoundtrack. I remember liking some of the songs, and I have some on CDs. The plot and songs bought me back to my own teen/university years and was nostalgic. There’s so much emotion in this book.

The writing style is easygoing and relaxing and the chapters are a good length. A Love to Last a Lifetime is a great combination of past love, loyalty to the past or present and made me ask who Erin’s true love really was. Her teen love or her husband? I liked Erin’s friend and Erin’s parents, but Erin was hard to like. She seemed self-centred and indecisive.

I felt like maybe this was intentional though, as the other characters were so different. There’s a real feeling of doubt and being hesitant about what you really want in life running through the book as a theme.

Thanks to Clare Swatman and Rachel’s Random or present and made me ask who Erin’s true love really was. Her teen love or her husband? I liked Erin’s friend and Erin’s parents, but Erin was hard to like. She seemed self-centred and indecisive.

I felt like maybe this was intentional though, as the other characters were so different. There’s a real feeling of doubt and being hesitant about what you really want in life running through the book as a theme.

Thanks to Clare Swatman and Rachel’s Random Resources for my eARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

3.5 stars

A Love to Last a Lifetime

Thank you Boldwood Books for inviting me on this Blog Tour.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 1/23/23
Author: Clare Swatman
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Pages: 315
GR: 3.74

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from Rachel’s Random Resources, NetGalley and Boldwood Books and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

My Thoughts: The story is narrated in a dual timeline, past and present tense in first person and third person POV. Erin let her first love go and fell in love with Greg for the last decade. Her first love, Adam, comes back to town after almost two decades. Swatman has a way with words and I really enjoy reading her books. Boldwood Books has some of my favorite authors. The past tense chapters does a great job of filling in the backstory on the characters. Gives a sense of how they got here. Swatman does a superb job at portraying the dementia of Erin’s mother, you can tell she researched this topic well.

The characters were well developed, fleshed out, had depth, were emotional, and creatively built. The author’s writing style was complex, multifaceted, humorous, connecting, and keeps you engaged. The author keeps the storyline light and it flows well with a great pace. The subplot with Erin’s parents was a brilliant spin in the book. While I could connect with Erin, I did not like her character. Her best friends, as supporting characters, were fabulous. While I can understand her attraction to her first love, she should have left Greg fully before starting anything with Adam. However, this was likely the author’s intent in writing the book. The book brought about many emotions, from laughing out loud, to sadness, and even tears, all qualities of a well written story.

I would highly recommend purchasing or borrowing this book. The audiobook would probably be really good too, especially with the past and current timelines. This book is already out in both book and audiobook format. The audiobook is listed on Hoopla (library).

This one was a fabulous read, full of ups and downs, heartwarming moments, laughs and tears it had me gripped.

My full review is on my blog.