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Finally and Forever (Katie Weldon #4)

4.41 of 5 stars 4.41 · rating details · 347 ratings · 51 reviews

What was she thinking? Katie Weldon wonders if she was crazy to spontaneously fly off to Africa on a mission trip. Suddenly she is dealing with a new culture, a world she's never experienced---and Eli, a friend who is quickly becoming much more. It's all overwhelming ... and exciting. As her life turns topsy-turvy, however, she begins to think this might be exactly what sh...more

Paperback, 256 pages

Published April 24th 2012 by Zondervan

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Jul 22, 2012 Brooke rated it 5 of 5 stars

Loved it!! It had a great ending but I think she needs to write another one!

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Jul 03, 2012 Bethany rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads, christian-fiction, robin-jones-gunn, young-adult

Somehow I totally missed the fact this book was released! To my great joy, I found it and devoured it in one sitting. I really enjoyed this ending to the Katie Weldon series and, at this point, the end of the Christy Miller friends, sort of. I found out there is a new Sierra Miller book and there is the one that has a glimpse into Todd's dad, but I read these books as a young teenager and grew up with them.

It's a little sad knowing everyone is split up, but everyone is where they are supposed t...more

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May 14, 2012 Danica Page (One Page at a Time) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian-fiction, romance, relationships, travel, asked-to-review, ntr-previous-book-in-series

This is a condensed version of my review. The extended version can be found here.

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Disclaimers: I received this book from the Zondervan publishing group in exchange for my honest opinion. Thanks for this wonderful opportunity.

My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: This was the first novel I read in this series and it was the last in the series, so I didn't know a lot of the back story. While I would have liked to have read the books in order, Robin did a great job at never...more

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Apr 28, 2012 Laura rated it 5 of 5 stars

Readers who have "known" Katie for years have come to expect the outrageous from our spunky friend, so Katie's spontaneous decision to go with Eli to Africa came at no surprise. What awaits her in Africa is a beautiful conclusion as one of my favorite characters finally stops chasing whims and finds what she's always wanted--a godly man and a place to belong.

Once Eli and Katie arrive in Africa, Katie is in for a culture shock that translates to some fun adventures: hugging giraffes, eating ostri...more Readers who have "known" Katie for years have come to expect the outrageous from our spunky friend, so Katie's spontaneous decision to go with Eli to Africa came at no surprise. What awaits her in Africa is a beautiful conclusion as one of my favorite characters finally stops chasing whims and finds what she's always wanted--a godly man and a place to belong.

Once Eli and Katie arrive in Africa, Katie is in for a culture shock that translates to some fun adventures: hugging giraffes, eating ostrich meatballs, and getting an African massage. Balancing the fun jokes Katie spouts as a defense mechanism is the great call Katie feels to help bring awareness to the needs in Africa. A call Eli doesn't share. Instead, he feels called to travel from village to village, accessing needs and setting up missionaries who come to help. Will the two be able to realize their dreams without losing each other?

I am just going to bullet point my thoughts:

1. I love Eli. I'm so glad RJD didn't have Katie settle for Rick. A fun, quirky character like Katie needed more adventure than Rick could give her.

2. I love Eli and Katie's relationship. RJG does a great job at balancing their passionate feelings with a determination and a choice to keep their relationship pure. Sometimes Christian fiction makes it look easy to be pure when in fact, it's not.

3. RJG is the master of sharing a Biblical truth without being preachy. She nailed it again in this book.

4. In this book, we as readers finally get to know more about Katie's relationship with her parents. I've read every book with Katie in it, and I always wondered why she felt the need to tell random jokes even at inappropriate times. I know now.

5. I really like the ending!

6. I loved all the African culture in this book--from the people to the customs and places.

7. I hope RJG will write more about Katie's work in Africa. There is a lot of story left to be told.

8. You should definitely check this book out if you are a Christy Miller and Katie Weldon fan. I've been reading these books for over 15 years now, and I still love these two gals.(less)

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Apr 25, 2012 Melissa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Melissa by: Robin Jones Gunn

Shelves: pre-order, series-collection

I don't know what to think. I guess my expectations were high after how tightly woven the Christy & Todd books were. I had loved Katie as she interacted with her friends in books 1-3. Finally and Forever gave me a downer feeling. Maybe because of the name and how Robin had asked for help to complete the story and made it feel so interactive. I went through chapter 5 to the end in one day, starting with work breaks and continuing through the night. I just couldn't put it down. But the pace of...more

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May 30, 2013 Chloe rated it 3 of 5 stars

Having read the whole Katie series about 2 years ago, the late but final book to the Katie series answered the questions I had but yet made me wish the series was left alone. The reason why I did not like this book as much was because Gunn writes the book picking up immediately what just happened in the third book. This was fine with me until the use of technology. In 2009 cell phones, wifi and other modern-day technologies were not as advanced; you may be thinking "this is so not a big deal" bu...more

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Apr 29, 2013 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013

I love how the right books always seem to come into my life at the right time; there were some truths in this particular story that practically jumped off the page that I needed to be reminded of.

Robin Jones Gunn creates characters that are real. It is so easy, especially in Christian fiction, to sugarcoat, overspiritualize, "let go and let God" everything that at the end of the book, you actually feel more guilty and less faithful than when you started. Not here-- Katie is a beautiful mess, a p...more

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May 06, 2012 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian-books, favorites

Good book, despite an overall feeling of being rushed.
No matter how many times the slower pace of African life is referred to you can't deny that the pacing of this book was really fast.
I almost feel like everything about the book was rushed, from the writing, to the publishing.
The book doesn't suffer too much for it, though, and the story is good.

Really, telling about the ending wouldn't be much of a spoiler. It's obvious where it will wind up, especially if you've read the first three in th...more Good book, despite an overall feeling of being rushed.
No matter how many times the slower pace of African life is referred to you can't deny that the pacing of this book was really fast.
I almost feel like everything about the book was rushed, from the writing, to the publishing.
The book doesn't suffer too much for it, though, and the story is good.

Really, telling about the ending wouldn't be much of a spoiler. It's obvious where it will wind up, especially if you've read the first three in the series. Since that's the case, I won't even bother to explain how it ends. (Though it was a satisfying end, I must say)
I do want to bring up a certain instance in the story that is a spoiler, and quite a surprising one. So, if you don't want to know, don't read the next paragraph.
At one point, in Africa, right after Katie and Eli's first fight as a couple, a certain character from Katie's past shows up out of nowhere. Her old high school boyfriend happens to be in the same place at the same time and decides to kiss her with no warning. Despite the obvious problem that this presents it's taken care of so quickly that I wondered why the author even bothered to include the incident. Obviously, it was only for the drama. I didn't enjoy that.

SPOILER OVER.
Another problem I had with this book, and frankly, others by RJG, is that if you haven't read every, single, book with these characters before this one you will be required to read through scenes involving or referring to characters that are unfamiliar to you. As someone who has read most of her books I know who these people are talking about, but I'm still annoyed. It often feels like a ploy to get people to buy the rest of her unrelated books. Yes, Katie, as a character, has been around since the early Christy Miller books, but that doesn't mean she had any connection to the characters in "Canary Island Song" or that people who enjoy this book will enjoy that one. (I certainly didn't.)
At least in this particular book RJG managed to refer to the skin color of people who were black. She seems to be overly cautious about including characters of color in her books, or if she adds them, reluctant to make it clear what ethnicity they are. I get the reluctance to offend anyone, but it tends to make the cast of her stories to be overly "white."

Not to say that I don't enjoy her books, especially this one. Katie has long been one of my favorite characters, and I love getting to see where this funny, energetic and loyal friend has wound up through the years. Eli is an interesting, spiritual, adorable character who matches well with this Peculiar Treasure. This book is definitely on my favorites shelf. (less)

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Oct 27, 2012 Venus rated it 4 of 5 stars

Growing up with the Christy Miller series, the references throughout this one really took me back. (Yea, Michael? holy cow!) I adore Katie, and though it's sad to part with such an awesome character, her story was amazingly satisfying. Eli is wonderful. (view spoiler)...more

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Oct 26, 2012 Betsy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

I have been a fan of this series and the Christy Miller (college years) series for years. I've always felt like Christy and I have the exact same personality, but Katie and I have the same life. I always seem to be going through the same things she is, so the spiritual lessons she has to learn are so relevant to my life. I didn't know this book was coming out, so I was thrilled when I found out about it and read the whole thing this afternoon/evening. Loved it. And I really, really need there to...more

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May 16, 2012 Jaime rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, great-series

First, I loved all the African culture that was laced throughout this book. From learning certain phrases such as Jambo! (equivalent to "Hello!") and Mpaji ni Mungu (equivalent to "God is the sustainer") to just experiencing the people and culture (like the peanut-like bugs or the crazy wildlife) I felt like I had been transported half-way across the world. It was spectacular and beautiful. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Then there's Katie, who comes up with the quirky lines and hilarious ideas....more

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May 29, 2012 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian-fiction

Some editing choices distracted me to no end. First, the cover is a whole new design for the fourth book in a series. Editor, I will not be buying the previous three editions again just so they much. Because that's crazy and I see through that play. Also, you photoshopped and airbrushed that cover into oblivion. It's hideous. Second, there's an editor's note left in the text. Someone added a note in the manuscript that a word was spelled wrong. The word is still spelled wrong and the note was no...more

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May 26, 2013 Anna rated it 5 of 5 stars

I LOVE THIS BOOK. Even though I've always preferred Christy Miller over Katie, she completely won me over in this book. I felt as if I were living through her struggles with her and simply reading in words what my own responses and mental processes would have been in reaction to situations she dealt with. While I'm certain I'll never fly off to Kenya without telling my parents, Katie's adventure was a fun one to follow and an experience I'd recommend to anyone (reading it, not living it. Tell yo...more

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Dec 01, 2012 Hannah Elise Stone rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-books-ever

SOOOOOOOOO WONDERFUL!!!!!!!

1 like · like · see review

May 22, 2013 Carissa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen-books-read-2013, teen-christian-fiction, teen-library-2013, library-challenge, what-countries-have-i-visited, a-z, series-read, 2013-reviews

All I can say right now is wow.

first reviewed here: http://belovedgraceful-carissasbooksh...

Title: Finally and Forever

Author: Robin Jones Gunn

Series: Katie Weldon

Chapters: 21

Pages: 259

Genre: Christian Teen Fiction

Rating: 5 Stars

Growing up I loved the Christy Miller series. However Christy wasn’t my character, her best friend Katie Weldon was my favorite. I felt like I related to Katie more than I did to Christy. Katie likes to do things without thinking things through.
In Finally and Forever...more

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May 16, 2012 Kristine rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian, novel, young-adult, own-it-and-have-read

It may be three years later for the readers who watched Katie suddenly decide to leave her worldly possessions behind and follow Eli to Kenya, but it's only the next morning for her. As she adjusts to life in the heart of Africa, Katie is her usual humorous self struggling to find what she should do with her future once and for all. The descriptions of Kenya -- the setting, the people, the food, the way of life -- are vivid, inviting the reader to adjust along with her. All the while, she's also...more It may be three years later for the readers who watched Katie suddenly decide to leave her worldly possessions behind and follow Eli to Kenya, but it's only the next morning for her. As she adjusts to life in the heart of Africa, Katie is her usual humorous self struggling to find what she should do with her future once and for all. The descriptions of Kenya -- the setting, the people, the food, the way of life -- are vivid, inviting the reader to adjust along with her. All the while, she's also trying to find her place beside Eli, wondering if he's "the one" or if their goals are just too mismatched.

While this is probably my least favorite of the series, it was still like catching up with an old friend. Katie's highs and lows are so believable, that even when I couldn't relate to her, I could still understand her feelings. There were parts of it that felt rushed and choppy, uncharacteristic of a RJG novel. But watching Katie and Eli work through their relationship made up for everything because, quite simply, I love them together. He is the calm needed in Katie's spastic life, grounding her on Earth and spiritually. Yes, I was crying by the end :)

As with the rest of the series, there are no aspects for readers to worry about. The book is overtly Christian, which may bother some, but Robin once again perfectly blends religion into the story without making it preachy. There is no cussing, violence, or alcohol. The only hint of sexuality comes from Katie and Eli's struggle with keeping their desires to be more physical in check, but nothing goes beyond kissing.

On a mostly unrelated note, I hate the cover and spine changes! First, I'm obsessive compulsive when it comes to my books matching, so the fact that the spine suddenly changes on this book (which appears to be the last) will drive me crazy. Second, and more important, the old Katie was so much better. I'm sure there was a reason behind the change, but the severe airbrushing was distracting every time I picked up the book. Then, within the book, there is a specific passage that discusses the children pointing and trying to count Katie's uncountable freckles. Does this look like that girl? No. I'm not a fan of using real people on book covers anyway, but this one was particularly distracting.(less)

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Mar 26, 2013 Leigh Kramer rated it 2 of 5 stars

So disappointed by the final Katie Weldon book! I've been reading Robin Jones Gunn since the beginning and was so happy when she decided to give Christy Miller's friend Katie her own series. Unfortunately, I can't get on board with RJG's approach to Dating for 20-somethings. Completely unrealistic and promotes unhealthy ideas about chastity and marriage. It also demeaned Katie as the strong, adventurous characters she normally is.

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Jun 29, 2012 Megan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fall-into-reading-2012, 100-books-in-2012, 2012-rrrc-s-books-i-read-for-a-chal, christian-fiction, climb-that-mountain-high, read-fall-2012, read-in-2012, the-challenge-factory-s-120-books-i, tlc-2012-series-r-us-challenge, favorite-series, november-2012

Finally & Forever is the fourth and final book in the Katie Weldon series and is a great conclusion to it. I have read and enjoyed the Christy Miller series, the Sierra Jensen series, and Christy and Todd: the College Years; and while I have always liked Katie she was never a favorite of mine. I now have a whole new perspective on Katie and I loved learning why she behaves the way she does. She is now quite possibly my favorite character from these series.

The ending was so sweet and perfect!...more

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Aug 20, 2012 Barbara Hartzler rated it 5 of 5 stars

I've loved this series from the start, though this book is better than the last two. (Probably b/c I wasn't a fan of Rick and am partial to Katie's current BF, Eli.)

Robin does a great job with setting and characterization, but where the Katie Weldon books really shine is their deep spirtuality. I just love the way Robin portrays what God is doing in Katie's life. It's so refreshing. Like talking to my bestie about how God is growing and shaping our lives. I just love the honesty and to see God's...more

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Dec 13, 2012 Claire rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: to-buy, read-in-2012, christian

Ah Katie. You're adorable.

Katie's story picked up where it left off - with her heading to Africa with Eli to work. Eli and Katie are sort of dating... but the American version of dating and the African version of dating are two very different things. Katie struggles with fitting into the African way of life, figuring out what kind of work she wants to be doing, and figuring out her relationship with Eli (not to mention his parents!).

This is so heartwarming - I read the first 3 books when I was...more

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Jun 13, 2012 Michelle Ule rated it 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed finishing the story of Katie Weldon's adulthood. As always in a Robin Gunn novel, there's at least one splendid nugget of biblical truth that stayed with me long after I finished the book. This will make more sense if you've read the other Katie Weldon books, though it could stand alone. Katie in Africa, in love with a great guy. Fun.

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Sep 22, 2012 Savannah rated it 5 of 5 stars

I LOVED this book. I was so excited when I heard Robin was finally going to tell us more about what happened after the last Katie book. I was so pleased with this story & how Robin fit all the pieces of the puzzle of this character's life together. :]

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Nov 14, 2012 Christina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I LOVE THIS BOOK AND IT WAS THE ABSOLUTE BEST ENDING TO THE STORY OF ONE OF MY FAVORITE FICTIONAL CHARACTER OF ALL TIME
AND I REALLY LIKE ELI OKAY
AND HIS PARENTS
AND MY CAPS LOCK BROKE
AND I LOVE ROBIN
YOU ROCK
GOD BLESS
:)

1 like · like · see review

May 16, 2012 Kyleigh rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: inspirational-fiction, ya, favorites

Sooooo good! What a great wrap up to Katie's story. It was very interesting to read more about her backstory and to understand her inner thoughts. She is a very different character than Christy Miller, but the Katie series was just as good.

I was happy, as another reviewer mentioned, that she didn't end up with Rick. He didn't fit her personality. Even though he had changed since his high school days, it still felt like he and Katie had too much bad history. He was able to start fresh with his r...more

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Jul 20, 2012 Jenn rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book. I really related to Katie's struggles over her relationship and God's plan for her. I hope this isn't the last book about Katie or Christy.

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Jul 04, 2012 Fala19 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian-fiction, contemporary, young-adult

Finally and Forever was a fun adventure of a book! It was a lot different from the other books in the series, but it was really good and interesting. It was nice to learn even more about Eli, his family and where/how he grew up. This was a great series and I highly recommend it!

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Jul 17, 2012 Emily rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 21, 2012 Tanya rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

I love Katie. I'm really glad Robin Jones Gunn was able to continue her story. It makes me happy when the authors tie their characters together.

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Jun 18, 2012 Pamela Hubbard rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-fiction, adventure, character-doorway, christian-fiction, relationships, setting-doorway, young-adult, reality-fiction, travel-fiction

I have been following the Katie Weldon story since the Christy Miller books! I am a huge fan of Gunn's writing and the way her stories come alive and the characters seem like your best friend. While there were elements of sappy Christian fiction (sometimes that's just expected), I feel that the situations and emotions Katie dealt with are extremely applicable to the average person's life. I loved that the book was set in Kenya, and I love that Katie's character was consistent with how she was in...more

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Sep 16, 2012 Ashley - Book Labyrinth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: new-adult, my-books

Not perfect, because to me it did feel really rushed and, at times, random. It was still a nice ending to Katie's story, and an especially sweet ending to Katie/Eli, even though it was obvious where it would end up. I'm glad that we get to see Katie happy and content with her life, but still on her toes with all the new experiences she has in Africa. I'm also really glad to read about a relationship where both parties love equally and end up compromising, yet standing strong with what they want...more

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About Robin Jones Gunn

Robin’s first grade teacher wrote on her report card, “Robin keeps the entire class entertained at rug time with her stories.”

Even with such an early affirmation, Robin didn’t think much about becoming a writer during high school or college. She was more intrigued by the idea of traveling to foreign lands and telling people about God’s love.

But Robin’s husband also noticed her gift for storytellin...more

More about Robin Jones Gunn...

Books by Robin Jones Gunn

Christy Miller Collection, Vol. 1 (Christy Miller, #1-3)

Christy Miller Collection, Vol. 2 (Christy Miller, #4-6)

Christy Miller Collection, Vol. 3 (Christy Miller, #7-9)

Christy Miller Collection, Vol. 4 (Christy Miller, #10-12)

Sisterchicks on the Loose (Sisterchicks, #1)

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Quotes from Finally and Forever

“The key is for you to discover what you love to do, what you were created to do, and then do it for the people around you with love. That is the abundant life, dear girl, no matter where in the world you live.” — 14 people liked it

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” — 12 people liked it

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Finally and Forever (Katie Weldon #4)

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