3.5 Stars

Keane Stone has been in therapy to rebuild his life and overcome his demons. If only it were as easy as saying it. 

Julianna has moved away from the corporate rush to become a yoga instructor. She thinks she finally found peace only for it to be disrupted by the news of her estranged sister’s death. Julianna is now the guardian of her sister’s six-year-old daughter Rayne. 

When Keane and Julianna’s paths intersect, neither of them is in a position to handle anything else. However, it seems like they met for a reason and can help each other find a way towards a better future. 

The story comes in Keane and Julianna’s first-person POVs. 

While I disliked The Fault in Forever, I knew I would read this one. That’s because my issue with the first book was Ophelia (I loved Haydn). Since this book is about Keane’s redemption, I was hopeful it would be better (and it was). 

The book primarily focuses on grief, mourning, and rebuilding life after a major trauma. The author writes these parts well, so the first half is quite intense but meaningful. 

While I did enjoy the slow burn and the bonding between the characters, I felt some of it had been brushed off easily.

I wanted to see the moment Rayne softened towards her aunt. I also wanted to see Julianna meet her father and rebuild their relationship. These happened off-page, reducing the impact. 

 

Instead, we get more monologues about the main characters’ feelings for each other. Also, knowing more about the sister would have helped. Maybe even an on-page scene between the FMC and her brother? These little things can make a nice book better and make it wholesome. 

 

One thing I’m relieved about is the lack of Ophelia in this one. NGL, I was worried that there would be some unwanted interaction for Keane to get proper closure but thankfully, she stays off with her guy. 

 

To summarize, The Sound of Forever is an intense book but also hopeful. Could it have been better? Absolutely! However, it is still a worthy book, especially if you read the first one (The Fault in Forever).