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shannnne_reads_words's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Grief, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Classism, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Dementia, Addiction, Body shaming, Alcoholism, and Injury/Injury detail
theverycraftyvegan's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
While Aiden isn’t my favourite character in this series I was happy to listen to a story about a married couple finding themselves and finding their way back to each other.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Pregnancy and Vomit
xennial_reader's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Alcoholism and Panic attacks/disorders
kelly_e's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Title: Ever After Always
Author: Chloe Liese
Series: Bergman Brothers #3
Genre: Romance
Rating: 3.75
Pub Date: January 12, 2021
T H R E E • W O R D S
Refreshing • Inspired • Believable
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Freya Bergman has spent a dozen years loving Aiden and never thought they’d find their marriage on the rocks. He’s her partner and best friend, the person she knows she can count on most. Until one day Freya realizes the man she married is nowhere to be found. Now Aiden is quiet and withdrawn, and as the months wear on, the growing distance between them becomes too much to bear.
Aiden would spend a dozen lifetimes making his wife happy. But the one thing that will make her happiest is the one thing he’s not sure he can give her: a baby. With the pressure of providing and planning for a family, his anxiety is at an all-time high. They’re drifting apart and he doesn’t know how to change the tide.
As if weathering marriage counseling wasn’t enough, Freya and Aiden are thrown together for a Bergman family island getaway. Will this trip help them finally work through their trouble in paradise, or be the final wave that tows them under?
💭 T H O U G H T S
One of my reading intentions for 2024 is to make progress in some of the series I've already started, and the Bergman Brothers series is my priority. I really enjoyed books 1 and 2, and was looking forward to getting Feyra's story. Ever After Always was a delightful addition to this romance series.
This romance joins Feyra and Aidan 10 years into their relationship and now facing a marriage-in-crisis. It is messy. It is refreshing. And it is entirely believable. The pacing is on the slower side, yet it is what works for everything to get unpacked. We get to witness both MCs as they work through their issues alone and together.
The anxiety representation is incredibly well done. As someone with anxiety, I related to Aidan in a lot of ways. I appreciated how the author showcases the role of mental health in a partnership and it was inspiring to see Aidan work through stuff on the page. It's quite possible many people may not be aware of the impact mental health can have, not only on an individual but on their romantic relationships.
While the story focuses on Freya and Aidan, the rest of the Bergman family is along for the ride and it was great to be back with their family. I am here for all of their meddling and antics. The vacation portion was fun and entertaining, adding a little bit more to the story than just focusing on the relationship.
While I wasn't as invested in Ever After Always as I was in the first two books, it does show the work and communication needed to maintain a healthy relationship. Chloe Liese is an author I will continually recommend to anyone looking for diverse romance. Each of the books can be read as a standalone, however, for optimal enjoyment I would suggest starting at the beginning. I look forward to continuing the Bergman sibling series this year.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• marriage in crisis
• anxiety representation
• romance series
⚠️ CW: mental illness, panic attacks/disorders, anxiety, addiction, alcoholism, alcohol, grief, sexual content, abandonment, infertility, pregnancy, body shaming, injury/injury detail, cursing, vomit
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"I'm saying happily ever after doesn't exist. Not because life long love is impossible, but because, as we've learned, no couple can live happily, ever after. People whose love lasts, whose love grows and endures choose each other in the unhappily ever after, the dark moments, not just the dazzling ones."
Author: Chloe Liese
Series: Bergman Brothers #3
Genre: Romance
Rating: 3.75
Pub Date: January 12, 2021
T H R E E • W O R D S
Refreshing • Inspired • Believable
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Freya Bergman has spent a dozen years loving Aiden and never thought they’d find their marriage on the rocks. He’s her partner and best friend, the person she knows she can count on most. Until one day Freya realizes the man she married is nowhere to be found. Now Aiden is quiet and withdrawn, and as the months wear on, the growing distance between them becomes too much to bear.
Aiden would spend a dozen lifetimes making his wife happy. But the one thing that will make her happiest is the one thing he’s not sure he can give her: a baby. With the pressure of providing and planning for a family, his anxiety is at an all-time high. They’re drifting apart and he doesn’t know how to change the tide.
As if weathering marriage counseling wasn’t enough, Freya and Aiden are thrown together for a Bergman family island getaway. Will this trip help them finally work through their trouble in paradise, or be the final wave that tows them under?
💭 T H O U G H T S
One of my reading intentions for 2024 is to make progress in some of the series I've already started, and the Bergman Brothers series is my priority. I really enjoyed books 1 and 2, and was looking forward to getting Feyra's story. Ever After Always was a delightful addition to this romance series.
This romance joins Feyra and Aidan 10 years into their relationship and now facing a marriage-in-crisis. It is messy. It is refreshing. And it is entirely believable. The pacing is on the slower side, yet it is what works for everything to get unpacked. We get to witness both MCs as they work through their issues alone and together.
The anxiety representation is incredibly well done. As someone with anxiety, I related to Aidan in a lot of ways. I appreciated how the author showcases the role of mental health in a partnership and it was inspiring to see Aidan work through stuff on the page. It's quite possible many people may not be aware of the impact mental health can have, not only on an individual but on their romantic relationships.
While the story focuses on Freya and Aidan, the rest of the Bergman family is along for the ride and it was great to be back with their family. I am here for all of their meddling and antics. The vacation portion was fun and entertaining, adding a little bit more to the story than just focusing on the relationship.
While I wasn't as invested in Ever After Always as I was in the first two books, it does show the work and communication needed to maintain a healthy relationship. Chloe Liese is an author I will continually recommend to anyone looking for diverse romance. Each of the books can be read as a standalone, however, for optimal enjoyment I would suggest starting at the beginning. I look forward to continuing the Bergman sibling series this year.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• marriage in crisis
• anxiety representation
• romance series
⚠️ CW: mental illness, panic attacks/disorders, anxiety, addiction, alcoholism, alcohol, grief, sexual content, abandonment, infertility, pregnancy, body shaming, injury/injury detail, cursing, vomit
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"I'm saying happily ever after doesn't exist. Not because life long love is impossible, but because, as we've learned, no couple can live happily, ever after. People whose love lasts, whose love grows and endures choose each other in the unhappily ever after, the dark moments, not just the dazzling ones."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Addiction, Grief, Sexual content, Alcohol, and Alcoholism
Minor: Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Body shaming, Cursing, Abandonment, and Infertility
turnthepages_nl's review against another edition
4.75
I liked it even better the second time around 😭❤️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol and Abandonment
Minor: Alcoholism, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Addiction, and Cursing
A side character anounces she is pregnant towards the end of the bookamris's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Mental illness
Moderate: Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, and Alcoholism
percervall's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Addiction
jillkaarlela's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
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
Taylor Swift songs: “this love (tv)”, “new year’s day”, “how you get the girl”
Bonus song: “Grow as we go” by Ben Platt!!!!
Age rating: 17+ (5 ish brief spicy scenes, 2/5🌶️)
This was such a difficult yet sweet and real marriage in trouble romance!! I loved how they all went on a family and all of the hijinks that occur when all of the Bergman family gets together!! Since it was marriage in trouble, I wasn’t sure if I was going to love it as much as the other books, but I was wrong!! This was so incredibly real and tender! The difficulties of mental health, specifically anxiety, and struggling to share the difficult truths with your spouse and how that can drive a wedge in a marriage. I love that even though they have difficult moments, they still constantly choose each other and want to put in the work to stay together. They go to marriage counseling as well!! I loved seeing them relearn what they loved about each other and truly “grow as we go” (song by Ben Platt that really applies here)! I also loved the real struggles of the side effects of anxiety meds (male ED) and how that can put a strain on intimacy! There were just so many realistic issues that appeared throughout the novel, and seeing them work through all of these issues TOGETHER, gave me so much joy and hope.
Also Freya is such a bad*ss curvy woman and I love her so much.
I also love how almost all of the men read romance novels, and discuss how they are literally the blueprint because yes exactly!! And we get to see so much of the previous couples throughout the series, but especially in this book, which I loved!!
Bonus song: “Grow as we go” by Ben Platt!!!!
Age rating: 17+ (5 ish brief spicy scenes, 2/5🌶️)
This was such a difficult yet sweet and real marriage in trouble romance!! I loved how they all went on a family and all of the hijinks that occur when all of the Bergman family gets together!! Since it was marriage in trouble, I wasn’t sure if I was going to love it as much as the other books, but I was wrong!! This was so incredibly real and tender! The difficulties of mental health, specifically anxiety, and struggling to share the difficult truths with your spouse and how that can drive a wedge in a marriage. I love that even though they have difficult moments, they still constantly choose each other and want to put in the work to stay together. They go to marriage counseling as well!! I loved seeing them relearn what they loved about each other and truly “grow as we go” (song by Ben Platt that really applies here)! I also loved the real struggles of the side effects of anxiety meds (male ED) and how that can put a strain on intimacy! There were just so many realistic issues that appeared throughout the novel, and seeing them work through all of these issues TOGETHER, gave me so much joy and hope.
Also Freya is such a bad*ss curvy woman and I love her so much.
I also love how almost all of the men read romance novels, and discuss how they are literally the blueprint because yes exactly!! And we get to see so much of the previous couples throughout the series, but especially in this book, which I loved!!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Abandonment
aqtbenz's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Sexual content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Abandonment
turnthepages_nl's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Stalking, and Vomit
Minor: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Addiction, Alcohol, and Abandonment