FOREVER by Judy Blume was a book I wasn't allowed to read  when it was first published in 1975.  I was thirteen at the time. I'm sure I wouldn't have understood some of it back then, but I loved  it now, at fifty! What a beautiful love story.  Katherine meets Michael at a New Year's Eve Party.   At first she pretends she isn't interested, but when he asks one of her friends for Katherine's number she tries to hide her happiness.  She has never had a serious boyfriend and even though she is almost eighteen, she thinks she knows it all.  She is a virgin and plans to stay that way until she falls in love.  She believes you have to be in love before you go all the way.   Michael doesn't pressure her at first, but he just keeps dropping little hints about how badly he wants to be with her!

On her birthday, Michael gives her a bracelet with the word forever on it.   She is so in love with him as he is with her, that they both believe in forever.  But summer comes and her parents are worried abut how much time she is spending with Michael and are concerned that she spends all of her free time with him and him only.  Get out and meet new people they tell her. She of course, isn't listening!    They tell her she is going away for the summer to the camp her little sister is going to.  It's only seven weeks, but to Katherine, it is the end of the world! How is she going to survive that long without him?  Well, she has no choice they tell her, she has to go!  Once there she meets Theo and over time they feel a connection, but he knows about Michael and neither one of them act on it. At first! She does some growing up away from home and decides she needs to be honest with Michael about how she is feeling. Does forever even exist?? Read the book to find out!

Judy Blume is a great story teller and even though this was written thirty years ago I still enjoyed it.  FOREVER was controversial back then and it is still banned in some places.  I don't understand that at all.  I wouldn't give it to an eight year old, but I don't see anything wrong with a teenager reading it.  I've always loved Judy  Blume books and FOREVER  did not disappoint.   Judy will pull you in each and every time and have you all wrapped up in the characters lives right away.  This book is filled with teenage drama and romance. It is also honest and a book that we can all relate to.

Book Summary

You’ll never forget your first time...

When you build up something in your mind—really imagine it, wish for it—sometimes, when it actually happens, it doesn’t live up to your expectations.

True love is nothing like that.

Especially not for Katherine and Michael, who can’t get enough of each other. Their relationship is unique: sincere, intense, and fun all at the same time. Although they haven’t been together all that long, they know it’s serious. A whole world opens up as young passion and sexuality bloom.

But it’s senior year of high school, and there are big changes ahead. Michael and Katherine are destined for another big “first”: a decision. Is this the love of a lifetime, or the very beginning of a lifetime of love?