Dee Ernst

Michael Carlucci, the hot, young musical genius behind the successful rock band, NinetySeven, knows that he's found the woman for him. Diane Matthews is not just beautiful and smart, she's got an infectious passion for everything in her life, from her three daughters to her new play. For him, the search is over. He knows they belong together.For Diane, it's not as simple. She's almost twenty years older than Michael. She's not interested in remarrying – she's very happy with her life just the way it is, thank you very much. But she can't deny the growing attraction between them – and it's not just his touch that she craves. But it's not until Michael is gone and an old love returns that she realizes just what he meant to her. He said he would love her forever. Can she trust that? Or should she find a safer route to happiness?A Different Kind of Forever is the story about two complicated people finding – and trying to hold on – to love.

A Different Kind of Forever

Jo H

3.5 ⭐️

So, back when 
  
 came onto my radar and forced (!) me to buy it, this book also came to my attention because it was praised by one reviewer as being the superior version of the Robinne Lee story. So, again I was forced (!) to buy it, and always mean to read them back to back to compare. I'm not usually into comparing books in this way, but given the similarities and the discussions on both I wanted to see where I fell on the slider. 

Personally, I disagree that this is the superior book of the two. It does contain a few narrative choices and plot points that I preferred overall, but I think the story itself and how it's written is much less impactful than Robinne Lee's version, and certainly more basic in its style.

Similarities between the two

Beware, many possible spoiler points noted below.

* The MMCs are both very successful pop musicians and are the main creative forces of their groups
* The age gap is 20 and 19 years between the two couples
* Both FMCs are divorced mothers who are conventionally attractive
* One FMC is in academia, the other the Arts... both which are generally more male-dominated and fairly elitist for the most part
* The MMC's both have stronger feelings for the FMCs sooner 
* The MMCs both treat other people (including the teenagers that fancy themselves in love with them) with respect and dignity 
* Only a smidgen of OW drama
* Both of the FMCs ex-husbands have much younger new wife/GF who are pregnant

I'm not sure what else, but on the face of it these books could well be two versions of the same story.

However, and this is a huge, how the stories play out in both books is vastly different and despite all the similarities mentioned above, there are many differences too, with plus and minuses for both.

The differences that I preferred in this one include; the age of the MMC Michael. I think that 26 is for most of us a different lifestage than 20 and therefore Michael is more believable in general as a long term love interest. The FMC Diane is the 45 year old divorced (amicably) mother of 3 daughters including 2 still at home. She is not a high earner but neither is she downtrodden as she a university professor and a part time playwright. Whilst she is not struggling financially she does not have much in the way of disposable income, so is fairly representative of the majority which is a relief.

So, like the other book mentioned in this review, this is going to be a WIP. So STBC

A Different Kind of Forever

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