TEEN BOOK REVIEW: Proof of Forever by Lexa Hillyer

Good Reads Summary

Then: That is, until the fateful flash of a photo booth camera transports the four of them back in time, to the summer they were fifteen—the summer everything changed.

Now: The girls must recreate the past in order to return to the present. As they live through their second-chance summer, the mystery behind their lost friendship unravels, and a dark secret threatens to tear the girls apart all over again.

Always: Summers end. But this one will change them forever.

Before: It was the perfect summer of first kisses, skinny-dipping, and bonfires by the lake. Joy, Tali, Luce, and Zoe knew their final summer at Camp Okahatchee would come to an end, but they swore they’d stay friends.

After: Now, two years later, their bond has faded along with those memories.

Teen Review

Proof of Forever is a heartwarming story that reveals what true friendship is, and that having it can affect you as a person. Four girls named Zoe, Tali, Joy and Luce, are all bound to Camp Okahatchee. Every summer they attend, as it is significant to their friendship. When their last summer at camp rolls around, they promise each other to be friends forever. Then, Joy leaves, and their friendship falls apart. Two years later, Camp Okahatchee has a reunion night, which they all attend. The four girls are transported back to that last summer at camp. This crazy, unexpected experience reveals secrets, gives the girls a second chance, and leaves them all asking one important question.

Are they stuck in the past?

In this beautiful, touching, and inspirational tale, Lexa Hillyer shows her readers the truths of friendship, and that when you receive a second chance, take it, as you may be surprised by what it leads to.

Overall, Proof of Forever was the most developed and complex book I've read this summer, even though it was Hillyer's first novel. I strongly recommend this novel to those looking for a soulful read, or those who like books that are thought-provoking. Hillyer's story will not disappoint, and will leave you breathless at the end. I guarantee you will not only enjoy, but learn something important from this book.

"What would you give for a second chance?"

Enjoy,

Tamara (Teen Book Reviewer)