Forever Free (Forever, #4) by Hope Toler Dougherty: Author Chat & Recipe!

Forever Free releases Tuesday, January 23, 2024

AMAZON

I'm thrilled that Hope Toler Dougherty is visiting "Older & Smarter?" today! The fourth book in her Forever series releases in a few days and readers will finally get to know the real Heath Daniels. The other books have featured three siblings in the Daniels clan and now, it's Heath's turn! 

Welcome, Hope, thanks for chatting with us today!  I love the title and the cover of Forever Free! Will you share some behind-the-scenes info with us? 

Certainly! Heath Daniels is the last sibling in the Daniels clan to get his own story in the Forever Series. For several years, he’s watched Josie, Ben, and Sam couple up while he’s remained single on the sidelines. I was hesitant to begin telling his story because he hadn’t given me much to work with. He interacted with his family sparingly and seemed a bit set apart from them. He was also very closed mouth about his occupation, tastes, pastimes…everything. 

Grudgingly, he released those missing pieces bit by tiny bit. 

At the beginning of Forever Free, Heath feels like the black sheep in the family. In the high-achieving Daniels clan, he’s the one who dropped out of college, the one who struggled with substance abuse, the one who feels less than. 

Guilt from an early tragedy along with bad choices play important parts in Heath’s personality. Phoebe Sinclair has her hands full nurturing her cut flower farm, plus she also has to deal with a cute, but distant employee, the mysterious Heath. 

I enjoyed getting to know Heath and watching his growth from the sullen, misunderstood character to the confident businessperson who wants Phoebe to achieve her dream. I hope you’ll enjoy his story, too.

I'm reading Heath's story now and truly enjoying it. I'll be leaving my thoughts about it in a review post next week, and this weekend I plan to try the special recipe that you're sharing here today.  Swedish Nut Cake sounds delicious and I can't wait to try it with a hot cup of coffee. It sounds like a perfect treat to enjoy while reading Forever Free!

Yes, here’s a recipe Phoebe bakes for her grandfather in Forever Free. I’m not sure why it’s called Swedish Nut Cake, but I’m sure it’s delicious.

Swedish Nut Cake

Ingredients for cake:

2 C flour

1 ¾ C sugar

2 eggs

2 t baking soda

1 t vanilla

½ chopped nuts

1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple with juice

Ingredients for icing:

1 8 oz pkg creamed cheese

1/2 stick butter

1 t vanilla 

1 ½ C powdered sugar, sifted

Directions:

Mix all ingredients for cake and bake in a greased 9x13 pan at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. For icing, mix all ingredients and frost the cooled cake. Store in the refrigerator.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hope Toler Dougherty holds a Master’s degree in English and taught at East Carolina University and York Technical College. Her early novels are Irish Encounter, Mars…With Venus Rising, and Rescued Hearts. Her Forever series includes Forever Music, Forever Home, “A Hatteras Surprise," featured in Candy Cane Wishes and Saltwater Dreams, and Forever Free.

She and her husband Kevin delight in visits with their two daughters and twin sons. 

Want to learn more? Visit her Website or connect with her social media accounts. 

Facebook      Instagram       Pinterest     Bookbub    Goodreads      Amazon