“Everlasting Moments” by Dorothy Elizabeth Love

Everlasting Moments

Dorothy Elizabeth Love        
LED Literature and Publication (2026)
ISBN: 978-1965437148
Reviewed by Ada Jenkins for Reader Views (09/2026)

As a fan of contemporary African American romance, I was really pleased to have the chance to read Everlasting Moments! This is the third installment in Dorothy Elizabeth Love’s TLC Travel and Love Collection, each novel set in an exotic location, which piqued my interest as I’m drawn to immersive settings.

I have to say, this story captured my attention from the moment Rhea locked eyes with the handsome stranger, Gustavo, at the airport. The author’s descriptions really drew me in, conveying the raw energy of mutual attraction. There’s a silent, unspoken sexual chemistry and magnetic pull between these two, which builds anticipation. For example, I liked this description when they were sitting next to each other on the plane to Rio de Janeiro: “It was just the two of them, suspended between curiosity and attraction, caught in a silence so intimate it felt like foreplay.”

I think what makes this story stand out is the fact that both characters are no-nonsense and direct. As such, they challenge one another, which can, at times, lead to tension, jealousy, and misunderstandings. I got the impression that each never quite knew where they stood with the other. This kept them both guessing, and me, too, as it turns out! This leads to charged sensual moments that make the narrative simmer (yes, simmer) with sexual energy! For instance, in chapter seven, when Gustavo is helping Rhea figure out how to use the shower: “Her chest began to heave; the movement against his chest felt like small caresses, turning her nipples rock hard.”

I loved the exotic Brazilian setting; it gave the story a holiday-romance vibe. This is a black romance, with Gustavo being mixed-race (he’s half Brazilian/half African American). I liked the way the author wove in elements of Gustavo’s ethnic heritage into the text; for example, in chapter six, both of Gustavo’s heritages are subtly reflected in the décor of his home, as he has “plants and tall statues of Brazilian and African origin.”

The plot moves along swiftly, using a shifting, third-person point of view. This gave me key insights into Rhea and Gustavo’s thoughts; as such, I found it easy to relate to Rhea’s complicated emotions surrounding her relationship with him. On one hand, she’s magnetically drawn to this man, but, on the other, she finds Gustavo overwhelming and too demanding in his advances. This leads to a brain/body struggle that eventually leads her to establish boundaries with him that helps them both grow, allowing their relationship to flourish: “Her brain had been screaming to slow down and proceed with caution while her body raced down the sensuously irresistible path Gustavo had so quickly, so completely, mapped out.”

To me, the slow-burn sexual chemistry and exploration of Rhea and Gustavo’s backstories make Dorothy Elizabeth Love’s Everlasting Moments an emotionally satisfying and sensuously heated read. I can see fans of contemporary romance and possibly even travel fiction really enjoying this book.