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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
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 Now Aiden is quiet and withdrawn, and as the months wear on, the growing distance between them becomes too much to bear.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
mylynn's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
5.0
thanks to Berkley Romance for this ARC!
(review CW: infertility)
Let me just start by saying this is my favorite Chloe Liese book so far! Granted, I've only read 3 but this one was just so good. I wasn't sure about it because I've never read a "marriage in crisis" book and also because how can a book about an already married couple have tension/banter BUT it delivers SO MUCH TENSION. This book had me on the verge of tears for the majority of the book (in a good way) and I really enjoyed reading it.
Another reason why I enjoyed it so much was how relatable it was to me. As someone with an anxiety disorder and who also dealt with watching everyone around you get pregnant while it's not happening for you this book hit very close to home, and I really felt for Freya and Aiden and all the things they were going through. Their growth throughout this book was so refreshing to read, and I loved their relationship.
ALSO, this book was just re-published by Berkley with a bonus chapter so even if you've read this book you might want to look again 👀!
(review CW: infertility)
Let me just start by saying this is my favorite Chloe Liese book so far! Granted, I've only read 3 but this one was just so good. I wasn't sure about it because I've never read a "marriage in crisis" book and also because how can a book about an already married couple have tension/banter BUT it delivers SO MUCH TENSION. This book had me on the verge of tears for the majority of the book (in a good way) and I really enjoyed reading it.
Another reason why I enjoyed it so much was how relatable it was to me. As someone with an anxiety disorder and who also dealt with watching everyone around you get pregnant while it's not happening for you this book hit very close to home, and I really felt for Freya and Aiden and all the things they were going through. Their growth throughout this book was so refreshing to read, and I loved their relationship.
ALSO, this book was just re-published by Berkley with a bonus chapter so even if you've read this book you might want to look again 👀!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Body shaming, Abandonment, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Pregnancy
dianaschmidty's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
fast-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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Abandonment, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Fatphobia, Body shaming, and Vomit
Minor: Infertility
apolen's review against another edition
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Mental illness
Moderate: Abandonment, Pregnancy, and Infertility
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Body shaming
eschmidt365's review against another edition
hopeful
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, and Body shaming
annahamburger's review against another edition
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Abandonment, Grief, Pregnancy, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, and Medical content
Minor: Body shaming, Alcoholism, and Addiction
fatkidatheartreads's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
On anxiety: "... anxiety is like whack-a-mole. Unpredictable, always waiting beneath the surface. Sometimes it’s a trigger that you can pinpoint and deal with, but even then, unexpectedly anxiety rears its head and you’re spinning, wishing you could locate that thing, for there to be one thing, that makes you this way so you can isolate it and smack the shit out of it, or…more accurately, fix it. Somehow."
And
On a marriage on the rocks : We can’t possibly hope to always live ‘happily.’ But ‘ever after’? That we can hope for and choose. Because ‘ever after’ isn’t an idea. It’s a person—an imperfect person who’s perfect for you.” Her eyes search mine as she gives me one soft, tender kiss. “You’re that person, for me. You’re my ever after.
Chloe Liese keeps blowing my mind!
And
On a marriage on the rocks : We can’t possibly hope to always live ‘happily.’ But ‘ever after’? That we can hope for and choose. Because ‘ever after’ isn’t an idea. It’s a person—an imperfect person who’s perfect for you.” Her eyes search mine as she gives me one soft, tender kiss. “You’re that person, for me. You’re my ever after.
Chloe Liese keeps blowing my mind!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Body shaming
buttermellow's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment and Mental illness
Moderate: Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Alcoholism
rakizaka's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-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
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Mental illness and Abandonment
Minor: Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Body shaming, and Vomit