Thank you to Beauty and Lace for the opportunity to read The Forever Place written by Michelle Montebello.
This is a wonderful story. Once you start reading you can not put it down!
Marley Kincaid is a criminal lawyer. She is beautiful, intelligent and successful. She appears to have it all.
Everyone is entitled to a defence, and as a criminal lawyer, she has defended her share of horrific cases.
Austin, her boyfriend is also a lawyer. The two of them party hard, spending most nights in the bars of inner-city Melbourne. They need to unwind after their highly stressful jobs – and isn’t alcohol and drugs the way everybody gets over a hard day at work? Well, at least all her friends do.
Recklessly, after a long drinking session, Marley drives the few streets to her St Kilda townhouse. Marley walks away from an accident with minor injuries. The occupants of the other car, a heavily pregnant woman and her husband are lucky to survive. The accident could have been so much worse for everyone.
Being lawyers, they are familiar with ways to exploit the legal system. The problem for Marley is she needs a character reference to assist with a more favourable sentence.
The one person she can ask is her sister Anna. The sisters are vastly different. Anna lives in the Dandenong Ranges with her husband Tom and three children. They are expecting their fourth child. Tom and Anna are not drinkers and are supporters of a healthy lifestyle.
Anna confronts Marely hoping to make her realise that she needs help and that she is an alcoholic.
The deal is, Anna will write a reference if Marely goes into rehab. Not just any rehab, but to spend two weeks on White Cedar Island, east of the Canadian mainland and in the North Atlantic Ocean. The island is considered one of the healthiest places on Earth. A Blue Zone.
Island life is so different to her Melbourne one. Marley meets some amazing people.
But not everyone on the Island is welcoming to Marley.
In this tranquil place, Marley has a chance to deal with her problems and face the trauma of her past. For any relationship to work, there must be truthfulness. If you can’t be truthful to yourself, how can you be truthful to the people who care about you?
The story is about Marley’s journey to recovery. Her highs and lows and a chance to love and to be loved.
The book is easy to read with wonderful characters in an exquisite setting. Marley’s story is told with empathy and an understanding of all that she is going through. You so want things to work out for her.
Five stars.
ISBN: 978-0987641687
A selection of our Beauty and Lace Club Members are reading The Forever Place by Michelle Montebello. You can read their comments below, or add your own review.
I love to read, any book on any topic. I now love ebooks as they are easier to store, I was running out of bookshelves! My other interests are family, gardening and our beautiful King Charles spaniel dog who is my reading companion.
What a fantastic read! Absolutely loved this!
Marley is such a likeable character, I really enjoyed reading about her.
My favourite character however was Noelle. She is the support system that everyone needs in their life.
10 out of 10. Will definitely read again. And again. And again!
Thank you to Beauty and Lace and Michelle Montebello for the chance to read and review The Forever Place.
Hello Rach,
Thank you for picking up The Forever Place and reviewing it so beautifully. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Noelle was a lovely character to write and I’m thrilled she was your favourite. We all need a “Noelle” in our lives 🙂
Michelle x
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
I really enjoyed the story of Marley and her drinking problems. It shows how hard it is to given up an addiction and how easy to fall by the wayside.
I was glad she got rid of her awful boyfriend who was not supportive.
I felt like Noelle was something of a fairy godmother to Marley and it was she who was the star of the book.
I enjoyed this book as much as The List Letters of Playfair Street.
Hello Carla,
Thank you for reading and reviewing The Forever Place. It was a beautiful review. You explained Noelle so aptly – she was like a fairy godmother. I couldn’t have put it better myself 🙂
Michelle x
Thank you @beautyandlacemag for supplying this month’s ebook, The Forever Place by Michelle Montebello.
This is a fantastically easy read. Very relatable, normal, and super enthralling. I know this isn’t your first rodeo with writing, but still, very well done, Michelle, you have a gift I hope you continue to use for the benefit of your fans.
The story is about a young, accomplished lawyer, Marley, and her life experiences and journey as a functioning alcoholic. Set in Melbourne, Australia, it’s a familiar setting and written in a way that presents Marley in an engaging and simultaneously endearing manner. The narrative is realistic and character development is spot on.
Marley has an epiphany about her job and her life, after her little sister, who’s carrying her fourth child, encourages Marley on her journey to sobriety and self-reflection, albeit on the other side of the planet. Marely relents and makes the long haul to the edge of the world (as she sees it).
Her new life comes with its own challenges and she falls for a local man. Their relationship grows, stalls, and rekindles as the chapters progress. Sadly, the thing she went to the island conquer was too strong for her.
Omiggod, I didn’t see the surprise in Chapter 35 … great twist Michelle!
And another in Chapter 39.
I highly recommend reading this masterpiece and recommend it to a wide audience.
Luisa Sommer
Dear Luisa,
Thank you for your kind and thoughtful review of The Forever Place. I’m thrilled that you enjoyed the story as well as the characters (and the little twists too!)
Michelle x
Marley has a great job, good relationship, nice place, but none of that really makes life easier, but drinking does, well, it did.
After an accident under the influence Marley gets a bit of a wake up call and intervention from her sister Anna. Its time to detox, become responsible but none of thats happening in her Melbourne home and life.
The other side of the world, an island that promotes longevity, healthy eating and healthy living. Vegan diet for the most part and aparently, much to Marley’s dislike, minimal if any alcohol.
Detoxing sucks, and why put herself through it, she’s just fine… right.
Journey and suffer alongside Marley as she lets her demons out, people in and finds more than she bargained on. How does this all work… really?
I loved the escape, the characters were well developed and storey emotive. Thanks for the opportunity to leave my couch to a good read.
Dear Sharyn,
Thank you for your review of The Forever Place. I’m so thrilled that you embarked on Marley’s journey with her. Thank you for taking the time to write such lovely words!
Michelle x
Thank you to beauty and lace for the opportunity to read this fantastic book!
I loved this book and found it to be a fantastic read. Marley was so likeable and a great representation of someone struggling with addiction.
Noelle was my favourite character and someone that everyone needs in their life.
Not much more to be said other than I recommend to everyone!
Thank you Beauty and Lace for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Michelle Montebello’s book ‘The Forever Place.’ This is the second book I’ve read if Michelle’s – both of which I have thoroughly enjoyed and recommended to friends.
The Forever Place is about Marley – a criminal defence lawyer who is struggling with some demons in her life linked to her job, which she numbs by drinking. Her boyfriend Austin is also a lawyer and enabler. They work hard and party harder. After one night at a bar an accident occurs and Marley’s sister convinced her to go away to an island to get herself better.
Island life isn’t easy at first with the vegan lifestyle but soon Marley finds it a place of healing with the help of her landlady Noelle and a handsome man named Lachlan.
There are twists and turns and Marley’s story is not predictable or straight forward. Even with her faults it’s hard not to like her!
A fabulous read – highly recommended!
This is a compassionate book that explores a number of topics, but in an entertaining and engaging way. Great characters, and an interesting book that keeps you wanting to turn the pages late into the evening. This is a debut novel, but I look forward to reading more. Thanks Beauty and Lace for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Forever Place was a really enjoyable read, Marley the main character really grew on me and I loved Noelle. I would love to be able to take a break on Cedar Island, the concept of ‘blue zones’ was new to me but I found it really interesting.
I really enjoy Michelle Montebello’s writing style and look forward to continuing to read more from her.
The Forever Place is the first book of Michelle Montebello’s that I have read. It won’t be the last. It’s a truly touching story that guides you through issues of high functioning alcoholism and changing your life in a way that is authentic and empathetic without seeming like you’re being preached at. The main character makes you feel and you alternate between wanting to shake her and hug her. This book demonstrates that even those who seem to have it all may not if you look just below the surface, and that sometimes you have to get back to basics to find yourself. Thank you Beauty & Lace Bookclub and Michelle Montebello for the chance to read an advance copy of this book.