Want to know what I did the SECOND I finished this book? Grabbed the first two books in the series, because this was OUTSTANDING. It’s a love letter to marriage, best understood by those who’ve been in one, but no less powerful if you haven’t. It’s difficult and heart-wrenching, raw and real, and the progress this couple makes is so powerful. The storyline probably won’t be for everyone, but the journey is absolutely worth it – especially because of how good you’ll feel by the end. This may have been my first time reading something by this author, but it was just the beginning of my love for her work.
The story follows Freya and Aiden, a married couple who have been together for over a decade. Their once-solid relationship seems to be crumbling, and things have gotten so bad that all communication has broken down. Aiden doesn’t realize that his marriage is even in jeopardy until his wife packs his bags. It’s a startling wakeup call that makes him a little desperate to put the pieces back together. But no matter how much love there is between them, there’s no fixing this marriage until all of their cards are on the table. When a family vacation forces Freya and Aiden to come together, they realize that they’ve got to put in a whole lot of work if there’s any hope of a future for them.
I loved how honest this is. It takes two people to make a marriage work, and love is not enough to keep things going. Freya and Aiden are both genuinely good people who love each other – and I’m talking about the kind of deep love that only comes from years spent getting to know someone. I felt for both of them, and I really appreciated that neither one was “at fault” for bringing them to this point. They’ve both got things they need to work on, and they’ve let those things spiral out of control, but there’s nothing that’s insurmountable. The build in intimacy is a thing of beauty, and the author does an excellent job showcasing that. There’s a subtlety that works, and I loved all of those quieter moments. It’s the kind of slow burn that’s necessary, building back up the emotional connection before things turn physical – though there are plenty of sexy moments on the way there. I was lucky enough to receive an early copy via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review of this marriage in trouble romance.
Blurb:
Buckle up for an emotional journey of hijinks, heartache, and a hot slow-burn in this marriage-in-crisis romance about going the distance to make love last.
Ever After Always is a marriage-in-crisis, opposites-attract romance about a sensitive, fierce-loving woman and her resilient husband who has anxiety disorder. Complete with island vacation antics, a sibling prank gone wrong, and a steamy slow burn, this standalone is the third in a series of novels about a Swedish-American family of five brothers, two sisters, and their wild adventures as they each find happily ever after.
Start the series today!
Though Ever After Always will absolutely read as a standalone, there are some great family moments that’ll have more impact if you’ve read the series. And this author’s work is EXCELLENT, so they’re well worth your time. Always Only You was one of my Top 20 of 2020 picks (and would’ve easily made a Top 5 list), and I highly, highly recommend it.
Only When It’s Us on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3nEmdmg
Always Only You on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3owDoXW
About the Author:
Chloe writes inclusive romance because she believes everyone deserves a love story. Portraying underrepresented experiences, her romances embrace humor, heart, and heat, with a dash of nerdiness for good measure. She’s an avid reader, lover of leggings, and can’t eat enough mint chocolate ice cream. In early 2019 Chloe received the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (formerly aligned with Asperger’s Syndrome). She is a vocal proponent and supporter of #OwnVoices writing to represent ASD and other marginalized voices.
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