Forever Friday by Timothy Lewis

Every Friday, a postcard.
Every Friday, a love poem.
Every Friday for sixty years. 
Adam Colby is just doing his job, sorting through the unsold Alexander belongings after the estate sale. He is unprepared for what he finds in an old photo album, overlooked by the bargain hounds and treasure hunters—six decades of postcards and poems from Gabe Alexander to his wife, Pearl. The mystery of the Alexanders’ love entices Adam, a man unhinged by divorce and puzzled by the depth of commitment that he finds in the unabashedly romantic cards.
 
Forever Friday invites you to travel back in time to the early twentieth century Texas Coastal Bend where a young couple—Gabe and Pearl Alexander—are swept up in a miraculous love. As the heartwarming, pulse-quickening story of their relationship develops through Gabe’s poems, the Alexanders reveal a new way to consider what it means to be truly devoted to each other. Could the secrets of their love affair, laid to rest twenty years ago, hold the key to one man’s future?

Once again I have had the privilege of reading a book not yet released. Forever Friday by Timothy Lewis was a treat to read. You can get your hands on it on September 17, 2013. 

Adam Colby, the main character, gets to do what all of us can only dream of! Adam Colby gets his hands on an album of old postcards written with words of love from a devoted husband to his wife. (I have personally always dreamed of finding old letters written back and forth between a couple who had a rich marriage.) Timothy Lewis does a masterful job switching between "present day" (for the novel) and the days of Gabe and Pearl Alexander. The reader is able to experience Adam Colby's journey through learning more about how the Alexander's marriage lasted and experience the great love story of Gabe and "Hutch," as Pearl is affably called.

As a single woman, who has thought about marriage a lot lately, this book definitely made me jealous of these fictional characters who have a honeymoon that spans some 60 years. Gabe and Hutch's relationship is not without struggles, but they always remembered that "they were two hearts commanding devotion."  

As you read this book you will be touched by Gabe's weekly postcards to Hutch. Each postcard illustrates his devotion and with each new postcard my heart sighed a little. Just to give you a glimpse.

"Beneath midnight stars

Caressed by spring's pure breeze

Two lovers strolled

Hand in hand

While waves lapped moonlit sand

Connecting souls."

Forever, Gabe

While this book is written by a Christian author I did not find the message of God's love or Christ very strong. The emphasis was placed more on angels. Gabe and Hutch are said to have faith in God, but they seem to cling to each other more than openly sharing their love of Christ to the reader. However, the story teaches the reader how to choose to love...how to have a forever love everyone dreams of, but do not quite understand how to capture. This message is certainly needed in a culture filled with quick marriages and even quicker divorces.

If you are looking for a good read this fall Forever Friday should definitely be on your list.

Thank you to Timothy Lewis for an inspiring novel and to the publisher for a free copy in exchange for a honest review.