Always Been You Book Review: A Poignant Exploration of Lola and Dante's Forbidden Love

"Always Been You" by Favor V April is a Billionare romance novel that centers around Lola and Dante, childhood best friends whose promise takes a wild turn as they get older. Even though they date other people, they keep a super close friendship without overstepping those boundaries. But everything changes when Dante's fiancée, Candice, ghosts their wedding. In a total save-the-day moment, Lola steps in as the bride, and things get steamy with Dante. However, instant regret kicks in because Dante's supposed to be with Candice, who's also Lola's friend. Lola is devastated that her best friend took her innocence and dismissed their encounter as a mistake. Now, she's tangled up in secrets and mixed-up emotions, wondering if she should spill the beans about being pregnant to Dante, knowing it could jeopardize their relationship and his happiness with Candice.

This novel is a completed story of romance with 91 chapters, 13.1K views, and a perfect 10-star rating on the GoodNovel platform.

Explore the consequences of forbidden love and the sacrifices one must make to protect the ones one cares about in "Always Been You."

Author Introduction

Favor V April is an erotica romance author hailing from South Africa. She has gained recognition for her captivating and sensual novels, with notable works such as the "One Night Stand Series," "The Billionaire Alpha and His Mysterious Mate," and "The Best Friend Series."

"Always Been You" is the first book in the latter series, showcasing her ability to craft compelling stories that delve into the intricacies of human relationships, love, and desire.

Theme

The theme of the novel revolves around the complexities of relationships, highlighting the consequences of crossing boundaries, especially when deep emotions are involved. Love, betrayal, and the sacrifices people make for the ones they care about are at the core of the narrative. The novel beautifully explores the delicate balance between friendship and romantic feelings and the emotional turmoil that can ensue when these boundaries are crossed.

Characters

Lola

Lola is the novel's female protagonist, and she's super tight with Dante and Candice. She's always the one swooping in to save the day, and deep down, she's had a crush on Dante since they were practically kids. But here's the twist: She also sees Dante as her best friend. Can you believe it? Even with all these feelings, she's on board with helping Dante tie the knot with Candice, even though she's got more than a few doubts about the whole deal. Lola's connection with Dante is more of a head-scratcher than a head-turner.

Dante

Dante has been Lola's best friend since childhood. He is a wealthy and somewhat enigmatic character who has a close relationship with both Lola and Candice. He's known Lola since she was a child and considers her a close friend, almost like a younger sister, even though there's something more brewing under the surface. You won't hear it from Dante, but he's got some seriously complicated feelings for Lola. And here's the kicker: he's romantically involved with Candice, and that's where things get seriously tangled.

Candice

Candice, just like Dante, is Lola's friend and is in a relationship with Dante. However, she's not all that excited about their upcoming wedding. She looks up to Lola for being so selfless, and as far as we can tell, she hasn't really been in a romantic relationship before. It seems like she's kind of clingy when it comes to Dante and isn't too thrilled about how close he and Lola are.

Plot

Lola and Dante became close friends when Lola moved to New York at a young age. Despite their strong friendship, Lola starts to develop romantic feelings for Dante, but their connection stays purely platonic. Dante's there to back Lola in her studies and acts like a kind of guardian figure in her life. They even share a bed from time to time, but they keep it strictly non-romantic.

Now, let's shift the spotlight to Lola's other friend, Candice, who's already got Dante for herself but can't help but have eyes for an Asian boyfriend. When it's time for their big wedding, Candice is a no-show, and Lola ends up stepping in, unintentionally getting hitched to Dante. During the ceremony, Dante plants a kiss on Lola, and it leaves her all mixed up about her feelings for him.

After the wedding ceremony, Dante starts mulling over his deep connection with Lola and those times when he's felt more than just friendship. But he's pretty wary about risking their relationship, even though the attraction is undeniable. Eventually, things heated up between them, and they ended up having sex. Lola, though, feels like Dante betrays her when he brushes it off as a mistake, and her pain gets worse when she finds out she's pregnant with his child. Now, she's got a tough decision to make about whether she should spill the beans to Dante, even though it might wreck their relationship and his happiness with Candice.

POV & Writing Style

The novel's writing style is a mix of first-person narration and a confessional vibe, and it really delves deep into the emotional journey of the main characters. We get to hear things from Lola, Dante, and Candice's points of view, and it makes you feel like you're right there with them, like they're pouring their hearts out to you.

The confessional tone brings a sense of trust and secrecy into the mix. Lola's telling her life story like she's sharing secrets with readers, like with a close friend, and Dante's letting you in on those hidden feelings he's had for Lola since way back. And when the characters talk, it's all super casual, just like you're listening to friends shooting the breeze, tossing around everyday words and phrases. There are even these little interjections and exclamations now and then that give the whole thing a sense of being in the moment and totally real. All in all, the writing style sucks you right into this intimate and relatable world, where you're right there in the middle of Lola, Dante, and Candice's tangled-up relationships.

Hot Chapters

Chapter 4

Lola finds herself reflecting on the uncertain future and the daunting challenges that lie ahead. She's weighed down by a heavy sense of remorse and regret for having sex with Dante. Her distress is only intensified by the overwhelming sense of isolation she experiences as she deals with her situation entirely on her own. She is unable to confide in anyone about her struggles, especially now that she is pregnant, a closely guarded secret she has not shared, not even with Dante.

Chapter 89

Lola slowly undresses, presenting herself to Dante, who is so eager to please her. In this intimate moment, they cast aside any concerns or doubts that may have lingered between them. Their bodies press together, skin against skin, as they embrace passionately. Dante's lips find their way to Lola's neck, where he gently bites, causing her to let out a soft whimper. In that brief, intense connection, he manages to temporarily escape from his troubling thoughts.

Yet, even amid their physical intimacy, Dante cannot ignore the painful reality that Lola no longer remembers who he is. As they cling to one another, he pours out his yearning for her to recall their past promises and the deep love they once shared.

Final Thoughts

"Always Been You" is a real emotional rollercoaster that dives deep into the messy world of human relationships and the consequences of crossing boundaries. It's the kind of story that'll hit home for a lot of people. Love, betrayal, and all the complex connections between the characters-it's got it all, making it a must-read for anyone who's into angsty romance.

This book takes you on a wild journey, and you won't want to miss the twists and turns that'll keep you on the edge of your seat, especially when the best friend's fiancée goes MIA at their wedding, leading to a life-altering decision that unleashes a storm of emotions. And let's not forget about Lola and Dante's sizzling moment that you'll want to experience for yourself as you dive into the rest of this captivating tale. So, don't miss out and read Favor V April's "Always Been You" on the GoodNovel app and website.

FAQs

Q: What is the novel Always Been You all about?

A: "Always Been You" is a young adult romance story about three friends, Lola, Dante, and Candice, who are entangled in their messy love relationships.

Q: Who are the target audience of the novel Always Been You?

A: "Always Been You" is recommended for young adults ages 16 and above who are after a passionate and steamy love story.

Q: Is there a sequel to the novel Always Been You?

A: It is stated by the author that the novel "Always Been You" is Book 1 of "The Best Friend Series", However, there are no sightings yet of the supposed Book 2.