Review: Forever Friday by Timothy Lewis

A Beautiful Love Story

Pearl Garnet Huckabee (known as Huck), a junior high English teacher, met Gabriel Robert Alexander in 1926, and was immediately attracted to him, even though she was already engaged. Gabe has seen too many relationships disintegrate after marriage (a concept he calls The Long Division), so determines to make sure this never happens to him by writing a poem on a postcard each week, to be delivered on Friday (hence, Forever Friday).

You might think the idea a husband would write his wife a postcard with a poem every Friday for more than sixty years a little corny (I admit. I did). Oddly enough, this part of the story is based on fact—Timothy Lewis, the author, comments at the end of the book that when he was clearing out his great-uncle’s house, he found albums full of weekly postcards with original poems. As they say, truth is stranger than fiction.

Anyway, back to the story. The postcards are discovered in 2006 by Adam Colby, owner of an estate sales business, when he is hired to clear the Alexander home. Divorced Adam is fascinated by the love that lasted a lifetime, and wonders what lesson it has for him.

The bulk of Forever Friday is the story of Huck and Gabe’s relationship: their first meeting, subsequent marriage, and key events in their lives that link to the postcards and teach Adam something more about the nature of love, and the importance of trust and hope. It’s a well-written story with excellent and engaging characters, and a sweet ending. The faith elements are present but very subtle. There is a central method of hope, but it’s hope and trust in people (specifically, your spouse), which makes me think Forever Friday is aimed at the general market (even though it’s from a CBA publisher).

A beautiful love story, recommended for fans of Charles Martin, Marybeth Whalen, and Angela Hunt.

Thanks to WaterBrook Multnomah and BloggingforBooks for providing a free ebook for review. You can find out more about Timothy Lewis at his website or read an interview with him at Novel Crossing.