Always Forever Maybe

By: Anica Mrose Rissi

Narrated by: Brittany Pressley

A powerful YA debut, told with astonishing insight and wit, about the depths and boundaries of true friendship and obsessive teenage love—perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, E. Lockhart, and Sara Zarr.

When Betts meets Aiden at the candy store where she works, their connection is like a sugar rush to the heart. Betts already knows the two of them are infinite. Inevitable. Destined to become an us.

Betts has only ever kept one secret from her best friend, Jo, but suddenly there’s a long list of things she won’t tell her, things Jo wouldn’t understand. Because Jo doesn’t see how good Aiden is for Betts. She finds him needy. Possessive. Controlling.

She’s wrong. With a love like this, nothing else matters.

Great read

A bit predictable, but engaging, entertaining, and (unfortunately) somewhat relatable. If you're into first person young adult stories with a strong (but struggling) female lead, definitely check this one out.

Spoilers

Betts never minds following her best friend Jo’s lead. She knows she can never date her crush Eric, Jo’s twin, but he has a girlfriend anyway. Then Betts meets Aiden. Good looking. Charming. The boy of her dreams. She barely notices when Aiden starts taking pieces of her, convincing her to lie to her parents, pulling her away from Jo. Soon Aiden is all Betts thinks about. So what if he’s a little pushy and controlling. So what, right?

ALWAYS FOREVER MAYBE started off strong, showing how Aiden slowly crept his way into Betts’s life. She ignored warning signs. I saw how Betts could fall into his trap with overly strict parents and Jo who led the way in their friendship. Debut writer Anica Mrose Rissi showed the insidious nature of controlling behavior that escalates into physical abuse that Betts is convinced she deserved.

ALWAYS FOREVER MAYBE seemed destined to be a five star review until the weak ending which felt like a copout. Because of Aiden’s accident and moving away to rehab, Betts never had to impose boundaries on him. She never had to see him not take no for an answer and escalate. She never had to call the police or have Jo call them, never had to tell her parents that Aiden abused her, never had to call a domestic violence hotline. Additionally, Betts deciding she was worthwhile and break away based only on Jo’s support seemed unlikely.

I can’t justify giving ALWAYS FOREVER MAYBE higher than four stars because it sends the message that escaping and healing from abuse with virtually no support is easy.

It took my breath away.

it kept me on the edge and wanting to find out how it ends. I wonder how she will do in college with put her friends. will she and Eric get together?. excellent read.