Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

Ever After Always by Chloe Liese

28 reviews

danajoy's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.0

My least favourite of the series so far. It's a marriage in trouble.

Aiden and Freya have been married almost a decade but something has been off - so much so that she kicked him out and sent him to stay with her brother Ren to get some space. You know this at the end of the 2nd of the Bergman Brothers series.  

Aiden has GAD. His anxiety is a big part of the story
and the overall conflict


I saw the twist coming. I didn't really like it. The janitor being the deadbeat dad Aiden was anxious about being nothing like when they're planning for a baby didn't feel necessary for me. We're told Aiden goes to solo therapy but we never see it. He needed to sort through his hang ups anout becoming a dad - not really a confrontation. But that's my two cents


You get lots of the Bergman family in this one. It is sweet to get them all together. 

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annahamburger's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75


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maxinesf's review against another edition

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emotional funny sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


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middle_name_joy's review

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emotional lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0


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madsmcw_reads's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Guys, at this point Chloe Liese can literally do no wrong for me. I fell in love with Freya just as I have the other Bergmans. I loved that this book focused on keeping the romance after the happily ever after and putting in the work to keep your relationship strong. The anxiety representation was SO well done and I loved that it was the male main character that struggled with it because I feel like we don't see that enough in books. Gosh these books are just so good and I can't believe I waited so long to read them.

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amy_sutt's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I loved everything about this book. Great mental health rep, good married rep. It was excellent to see a married couple who loved each other deeply, trying and not knowing how to communicate, and then figuring it out. Loved the families getting involved. Just loved it.

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sarahmcg's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Another day, another Bergman Family book read 🤓 this time, it was Aiden and Freya’s story being told! This book was different bc they’re already an established (married!) couple going through a rough patch.

I love that Chloe Liese takes such care to include characters with anxiety, chronic illness, and diverse body sizes. She also uses beta readers to ensure that her portrayal of mental illness, neurodivergence, and disability are as close to a realistic experience for people in those populations, while noting that not everyone’s experience is the same. 

I’m not going to lie - a lot of this book was sad and heavy to me, in contrast to a more typical lighthearted romance. It brought a uniquely human element. The dual POV was essential to see what both Freya and Aiden were going through, what they were keeping from each other, and their journey back toward themselves as individuals and as a couple. I wanted to reach through the pages and shake them, like “Just talk to each other!!!” But I knew it wasn’t that simple and these things take time. 

The family meddling was hilarious as always, and I’m very entertained by Viggo and his romance novels! I appreciate that Freya is a PT (my career as well ⚕️), and the slow burn was worth it, imo! Could I have done without the 3rd act tragedy when I thought everything was settled and we were all gonna be okay? Yes bc it set my heart racing and my hands sweating, but I get it! 

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valeria_gzz's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I think I want to give this 5 stars because of the way anxiety was a huge subject (even though it just made mine a tiny bit worse) and because even though it was sad a LOT it was SOOO SO funny and lovely and 🔥🔥hehe. This made me giggle so much because it was funny AND because of Aiden and Freya. 

Also what a cool name “Freya” maybe it’s because I’m reading the Magnus chase books right now but I dig it.
 
Just the way Aiden talked and thought about Freya is the way people deserve to be thought and talked about!!! Even tiny seemingly insignificant things made me either aawww or go wide eyed because of how powerful they were. Their love for each other was just Ahsjdkskdhsjs so freaking adorable.
Also…HE READ A MASS MARKET PAPERBACK HISTORICAL ROMANCE!!! AND ON TOP OF THAT HE READ PERSUASION TO HER!!! I WISH someone would read me my favorite Jane Austen novel *cough* specifically Captain Wentworth’s proposal and Mr Knightley’s too if they have time *cough*


I did not take sides in the problem because I saw both sides and understood both which is honestly a little new to me because a lot of the times I am very clearly misogynistic in blaming the heroine and not the hero for the problems in a book (I also blame certain authors for writing the story that way though it’s not all me). Anyway that just means I love Freya and want to be her when I grow up. 

I didn’t love the
dad
storyline but also didn’t hate it I thought it was okay but liked Aiden’s reaction to it. 

Not like I didn’t say it a million times while reading this but holy crap I CANNOT wait for Viggo’s book, it will be the death of me I just know it. 

One last thing: I am LOVING the last chapters of these books because they are so much better than regular epilogues. AND OH MY GOSH HOW COULD I FORGET TO SAY THIS: THIS SERIES ACTUALLY SHOWS YOU HOW PREVIOUS CHARACTERS ARE DOING AND NOT JUST ONCE IN THE WHOLE BOOK BUT SPRINKLED THROUGHOUT!!! Okay im done

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nina_readsbooks's review

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emotional funny hopeful tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25


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audreyloopy's review

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emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5


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