Gracie Reynolds and I have been best friends since we were kids. She’s smart, kind, funny, beautiful—and one of the best parts of my life. When Gracie walks into a room, people notice. I always notice.
But when she moved across the world with a guy I despised, it felt like I’d lost a piece of myself. I missed her in ways I still can’t explain.
Now she’s back— and she’s crashing at my place for a couple of months while she figures things out. She’s single and ready for a fresh start. I’ve always had her back, and that hasn’t changed.
What has changed?
The way that she looks at me.
The way I can’t stop looking at her.
So, when Gracie makes me a once in a lifetime proposition–obviously, I’m all in. But this isn’t your average gray area–it’s a full-on, sweat-inducing, five chili pepper detour we never meant to take.
Gracie has big dreams though, and I’d never be the guy to hold her back. Even if all I want…is to be the reason that she stays.
(ARC Read)
From the very first page, My Forever Girl felt like coming home. Gracie and Cutler’s journey from lifelong best friends to soulmates was beautifully written and impossible not to become emotionally invested in. There was something so achingly beautiful about watching them realize that the person they had always needed had been standing beside them all along.
My Forever Girl was packed with the kind of emotional intimacy that makes friends-to-lovers hit so much harder than any other trope. The pining? EXQUISITE. Every glance, every lingering touch, every moment of them dancing around what had always been there built this tension that absolutely consumed me.
If I had to wait a lifetime, she’d be worth the wait.
Cutler Heart… whew. Laura Pavlov truly gave us the ultimate green-flag book boyfriend. Watching little “Beefcake” grow into this loyal, hardworking, filthy-mouthed man who would do absolutely anything for his girl had me melting nonstop. What made him so special wasn’t just the chemistry or the steam (although TRUST ME, those spicy lessons were SPICY), it was the way he loved Gracie so selflessly. Even while completely in love with her, he still put her dreams first. He wanted her to fly, even knowing it might break his own heart in the process, and honestly? That emotional maturity had me crying.
“You’ve always seen me, haven’t you?”
“Always. Even when you couldn’t.”
Gracie’s journey was just as beautiful. After losing herself in a relationship that never truly saw her, coming back home to Blue Sky Bay gave her the space to rediscover who she was, what she wanted, and how deserving she was of being loved fully. I loved watching her grow into her confidence while Cutler stood beside her every step of the way, supporting her without hesitation.
And their friendship? That’s what made this story unforgettable. Their relationship felt effortless because it was built on years of trust, loyalty, comfort, and unconditional love. They were each other’s safe place long before romance ever entered the picture, and Laura Pavlov captured that transition so naturally. There wasn’t unnecessary drama or chaos, just two people realizing the person they’d been searching for had been beside them all along.
“I wasn’t supposed to fall in love with you.”
Once the lines between friendship and something more started to blur, the chemistry between Gracie and Cutler absolutely exploded. What began as “lessons” quickly turned into teasing, tension-filled moments and some seriously scorching chemistry that neither of them could ignore. But what made those scenes work so well wasn’t just the heat, it was the years of trust, devotion, and emotional connection underneath it all.
“You’re so fucking beautiful, Jeege. you really do take my breath away, at least when you stand still long enough for me to look at you.”
I also loved how naturally their relationship evolved. There wasn’t unnecessary drama or chaos for the sake of conflict. Their connection felt effortless because it was built on years of knowing each other inside and out. They were each other’s comfort, safe place, and home long before romance ever entered the picture, and Laura Pavlov captured that transition beautifully.
Gracie Reynolds really was my forever girl.
For longtime Laura Pavlov readers, this story carries an even deeper emotional weight because Gracie and Cutler are characters we’ve watched grow up throughout Magnolia Falls and Cottonwood Cove. Seeing familiar faces again felt like one giant family reunion, adding so much nostalgia and warmth to an already emotional story.
My Forever Girl is everything I love about small-town romance: heart, heat, humor, found family, emotional depth, and a hero who will absolutely ruin all other men for you. Cutler and Gracie’s story was soft, sexy, comforting, emotional, and completely unforgettable.
Honestly? Laura Pavlov may have just written one of her best books yet.
Release Date: June 2nd, 2026
Thank you to Laura Pavlov and Valentine PR & Literary Management for the ARC read!