The Pleasure of Reading Today: Blog Tour: Now and Forever by Brenda Rothert

Now that Emma and Layla Carson have landed the men of their dreams, it’s time for happily ever after. Or is it?

Emma’s with childhood crush Cole Marlowe, and Layla finally found Mr. Right in alpha cop Ben Montrose. But both couples face unexpected obstacles that will test their relationships. Layla and Emma find solace in each other as battle lines are drawn, and they rediscover the close friendship they lost over Cole.

It’s all on the line as the sisters struggle to find the answer to the most difficult question they’ve ever faced: is the love they have now meant to last forever?

Good Reads

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REVIEW

I loved the first two books and I was definitely more team Emma/Cole than Layla/Ben, well I changed teams this book!

Emma and Cole love each other but are working hard in their respective careers and their relationship is suffering a bit. Add a little surprise and a false accusation to the mix and things really get interesting for them. Would their love and commitment to each other be enough to save the relationship?

Layla and Ben definitely love each other, their love fests in the bedroom are off the charts and their new found commitment to one another seals their love story…or not? Ben chauvinistic ways might be a bit too much for Layla. Can their love survive when one person wants to dictate the other one’s future?

Brenda is a great storyteller and I loved the way she intertwined the stories of these two couples. I loved Cole from the beginning but this time around maybe a bit more. Emma on the other hand, there were times I wanted to smack her outside the head and ask her what was wrong with her, she annoyed me a bit, but redeemed herself at the end. I was on team Layla 100% this time around, while I knew she loved Ben with all her being, I completely understood her reservations on moving forward with him after what she found out. Ben is a loving man with a strong personality and an old around alpha male. He loves Layla but he will need to give in certain things as well to understand that Layla is not a woman who will be following his orders like the guys around the precinct.

Brenda leads you through the story with a fluidity that makes you live and enjoy the story along with the characters. I love that she brought their stories full circle, and also the fact that even though some of the things they dealt with were serious issues, she made it easier for the reader to stay on top of the story. I would recommend that you read the first two books of this series before you read this one but I’ll promise it will be worth it. I can’t wait to see what Brenda comes out with next, I’m a fan for life…

Brenda Rothert started her writing career as a print journalist. She now writes Romances, some Contemporary and others with a twist of dystopian society and adventure. Rothert lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three boys.

Interview with Brenda

1. Where did your love of books/storytelling/reading/writing come from?

I’ve loved reading and writing for as long as I can remember. I wrote my first book in sixth grade for a Young Authors contest. It was called ‘Me, Renee and the man from Zorkon’.

2. What is the hardest part of writing for you?

The part that requires organization. My instinct is to just sit down and write, even though I know a detailed outline will save me time and headaches later.

3. What question have you always wanted to be asked in an interview? How would you answer that question?

I love this question! I’ve hoped someone would ask which authors have inspired me along the way. I look up to H.M. Ward, Hugh Howey and Jasinda Wilder. I’ve approached Jasinda and she is one of the sweetest, most down-to-earth people ever. I love seeing success happen to truly good people like her.

4. Who is your favorite character from Now and Forever and why?

Ack! Are you going to ask who my favorite child is next? In Now and Forever, my favorite is Ben. I like his brash swagger and his efforts at sweetness.

5. How about your least favorite character? What makes them less appealing to you?

I truly don’t have a least favorite. Every one of my characters serves a purpose, and it takes all kinds to make up the world. I’ve got girlfriends who are like Emma and others who are like Layla, and I love all of them.

6. Give us an interesting fun fact or a few about your series:

This series is where I found my footing as a writer. I’d already written two books, but neither of them generated the sense of accomplishment that Now and Then, and the subsequent two books did for me. I felt like I’d told the story I wanted to when each book was complete.

7. What was the hardest part of writing your book?

I did not realize going in to Now and Forever how hard it would be to write a book with four points of view. Weaving the two storylines together, and hitting every note I wanted to at the right time, was a challenge.

8. Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Just thank you, though that hardly seems like enough. Messages of support and encouragement from readers literally move me forward every day. Readers have given me the confidence to take chances with my writing. I love the way social media allows readers and authors to connect, and I never, ever get tired of hearing from readers. When I was about to publish my first book a year ago, my readers were my mom and my best girlfriend (and that’s it), and I never get over the thrill of hearing about how my books connect with readers.