I love this book! It took me a little bit to get into it because the first chapter was a little slow, but it was totally worth reading all the way through! Ryder and Willa have a rocky frenemy relationship that gets worse before it gets better. They have a college course together where Ryder is the perfect student who takes all the notes and Willa is close to failing the course, but has to pass in order to play soccer. This is an amazingly-written story and 100% worth the read!

This book actually hit closer to home than I expected and I loved it. It brings you on a rollercoaster of emotions, is heart breaking, steamy and oh so sweet.

Ryder lost his hearing due to bacterial meningitis and has decided to stop talking completely. He pushes everyone away and isolates himself. He isn’t the typical leading man and I loved it.

Willa is working hard as a top tier student athlete as she deals with the fact that her mother is dying of cancer. She is quick to jump to conclusions with explosive anger.

While both are dealing with their own personal hardships they are brought together (purposefully) to complete an assignment given to them by their meddling professor. Hilarious pranks ensue, enemies become friends, friends become lovers.

Chloe Liese does wonderful job of providing her characters with emotional depth that you rarely see in romantic novels. They are well developed and you are immersed in their lives. I loved that her characters had true problems and struggles. This was my first book by Chloe and it definitely won’t be my last.

I want to thank NetGalley, the author and publisher for the e-ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are honest, my own and left voluntarily.

Usually, I don't read romance (only once in a while) but when I do I try to read something different and unique, and Only When It's Us was definitely a surprise! I didn't expect to enjoy it so much! From the synopsis you can see it's a frenemies-to-lovers kind of story BUT there is so much more: love, friendship, family, loss, grief and acceptance. I've also adored Willa and Ryder (my sweet giant! If I could, I'd have hugged him through the whole story) and their relationship full of banters, funny moments and sexual tension. The ending was perfect and my heart completely melted. So, yes! I totally recommend this book!

Holy Moly I did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did! It is like my favorite fudgy brownie and I cannot stop eating it. I must consume everything this woman has ever written!

The Spoiler free Summary:

Ryder and Willa hate each other. She's the division 1 athlete who keeps missing class and he is a very giant bearded recluse who keeps ignoring her. When she asks the professor for the class notes that she has missed he points her in the direction of Ryder. The problem is Ryder always ignores her when she talks to him! It's not a problem though because Willa is nothing if not determined!


What I loved:

1. This is the first time a book has a spotify playlist attached. I am REALLY feeling this. I love to relate music to books so the heavy lifting is done for me. Love love love
2. My sweet and sour dish-washing giant: This is the type of guy that while sweet I want to give him a great big hug! I LOVED Ry. Sure he was stubborn but who wouldn't be after what he went through!
3. Sassy Pants Heroine: I typically do not like heroines in novels, I usually can't relate to them because they can never just relax and act cool, but for some reason Willa is the type of girl I want to hang out with. Strong, independent, and can usually come around when she knows she's wrong, I love that! <spoiler> Plus she didn't act all weird or treat Ry any differently when she found out about his disability.</spoiler>
4. The witty banter: It is so hard to be amusing in a book. I see it tried to be done a lot and often it's not very successful but this book absolutely NAILS it!
5. The tension: one word, delicious.
6. Consent is a beautiful thing when done correctly. This book does.

This book has a lot, and I mean a lot of weird connections. Be prepared to be slightly overwhelmed. A lot happens but over all I could not put it down. I am excited to see what else she writes!


I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley but these opinions are all my own

I picked this one up since I was needing a lighter, fun read and this book was perfect. It was funny, sweet, steamy, and even a bit sad at times. I read the whole thing over the course of one day.

I read this book twice! Yes, I read it the first time and thought, "a book can't be that good," and then read it waiting with bated breath for the 'it's good...but,' and that didn't come to pass.
What happens when you've got two characters, Willa who's an athlete hoping to ace good grades, graduate and get recruited by one of top soccer teams for women giving her that shot into a league she's yearned for. Then there's Ryder, this lumberjack dude who ignores Willa when she asks for notes- as prompted by her Professor, and turns out he lost his hearing at the height of his soccer prominence...and he's just trying to curve out a new life for himself. The two clash and Willa's not one to back down without a fight. She's feisty, flighty, intelligent and a great soccer player. He's calm, centered and still healing from the turnaround in his dreams...and the two are dealing with life's struggles while trying to graduate.
It's a page turner with such an easy flow that you cannot help but ease into the next phase of the story. I can't wait to read the next story in the series because this was just an awesome introduction.
Thank you Netgalley for the eARC.

I am extremely picky when it comes to new adult - sometimes the characters are just to young and too immature. This book, however, gets it just right. Both Willa and Ryder are dealing with things no one their age should have to deal with - on top of going to school and, for Willa, being a top tier Division 1 student athlete.

Ryder lost his hearing due to a bout with bacterial meningitis just as he was supposed to start his own student athlete journey. He has been struggling since then to deal with the changes in his world and life. He has pushed everyone, including his very close-knit family away. From his first encounter with Willa you can see that they will be so good for each other.

Willa is working hard to achieve her dreams, at the same time her mother is dying of cancer. Willa and her mom are closer than close. They have been each other's only for a long long time. Neither is ready to let the other go - but cancer is spiteful and isn't leaving them much more time together.

This book is just awesome. It is highly emotional and really gets to the heart of what it means to experience something new and scary. Not just starting a new school or job - but really facing a change in your life that is outside of your control. It is also about embracing life after the change and finding your way forward.

This was my first book by Chloe Liese, but it won't be my last. I had a serious crush on Ryder, a feminist who takes consent seriously and shows what it means to be someone's partner in a real way. The scene where he brings Willa whiskey and peanut butter cups is swoonworthy at its best.

I can't wait for more of this series and to learn more about the Bergman family. Adored it.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley but these opinions are all my own.

Thank you to Net Galley and Chloe Liese for the ARC of Only When It's Us! I thought this book would be a cute enemies to lovers story, but this was so much more! This was a beautifully written book! This was not only a great love story, but a beautiful, heart-wrenching story of grief and the trials of life. Ryder and Willa navigate their way through devastating situations that tear at your heart. I cannot say enough good things about this book! This will for sure be a popular book on KU! I will just be over here impatiently waiting for the next book in the series!

I absolutely adored this perfectly paced romantic drama. The characters are unusual, she's a football star, he's a quiet introvert with secrets of his own but man when they finally open up their eyes to each other, the chemistry is something else. I loved the family dynamics, the slow burn and growth of the relationship, I loved that they felt relatable as college students while not being immature and shaped by their life experiences. I enjoyed every scene and can't wait to read more about the Bergman brothers. So glad I found a new fav author through netgalley - thank you to the publisher, all opinions my own.

A New adult frenemies to lovers sports romance, where the girl is the college sports star! A story of love, friendship, family, heartbreak and grief.

Willa, a fiery, hot tempered up and coming soccer (football) star, and Ryder Bergman, a quiet and blunt guy are thrown together to do a project in their business mathematics class. Cue assumptions, wrong first impressions, misunderstandings and a whole lot of chaos and sexual tension, before they finally get to know each other.

Guys I randomly downloaded this from NG, and it was the best decision! I was at home, sick and feeling sorry for myself, and read this under my duvet in two sittings...I mean it has,
⚽️ Frenemies to lovers,
⚽️ Characters who are forced to work closely together,
⚽️ Funny childish pranks
⚽️ Sloooow burn,
⚽️ Hot sexual tension,
⚽️ Steeeeeam! My goodness I had to fan myself!

BUT ..also so much more than the synopsis suggested! It went so much deeper. I cant say much about it because I don't want to spoil anyone, but not everything is as it seems, and neither character is as they first appeared to be. The story followed these characters, Willa who is angry, wild and doesn't handle her emotions well, and Ryder AKA the 'asshole lumberjack,' as they get to know each other.

Only When It's Us was a sweet, funny, heart breaking and soooo steamy, and I adored it! It reminded me a bit of The Deal but the sports star was a frizzy haired woman! I loved that it showed how wrong first impressions can be! I also liked the way that the woman was not only the college sports star, but she was also the emotionally damaged one, who struggled to let people in, and show her vulnerability. In contrast, Bergman was an honest, stubborn bearded, green eyed hottie! Aw I just loved them both so much!

I loved the part where Willa's mum was reading Pride and Prejudice, and Willa started to see the similarities between her and Bergman, with Lizzie and Mr Darcy! It was cute, and who doesn't love a bit of Pride and Prejudice?!

I liked Willa and her 'mama's' relationship, it was them against the world. But I really loved the Swedish American Bergman family, and kinda want to live with them! I cant wait to read more of these books, about Ryder's brothers, the next one being about Ren.

I definitely recommend this, download it now on NG whilst you still can! While you are dong that, Chloe Liese has made a Spotify playlist to go with the book, which is amazing!
#OnlyWhenIt'sUs

*skips off to read my favourite parts again*

Many thanks to Netgalley Connect for making this available for download!

Loved this book, the story of Willa and Ryder. They both have their own issues and you learn these through the chapters from each of their points of view.

Looking forward to the rest of the series.

Five Stars for “Only When It’s Us” (Bergman Brothers #1) by Chloe Liese

Many thanks to NetGalley, NetGalley Connect and Chloe Liese for an ARC in exchange for an honest book review of “Only When It’s Us” (Bergman Brothers #1). My thoughts and opinions are 100% my own and independent of receiving an advance copy.

WRITING STYLE: 5/5
PLOT: 5/5
WORLD-BUILDING: 5/5
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: 5/5
ROMANCE: 5/5 (slowburn and then fire!)
HEAT: 5/5 (see above)

“Only When It’s Us” is filled with more depth and poignancy than the description lets on. The blurb does provide the bare bones of the story but the heart of this story is much more powerful. Willa and Ryder are both in university and attending Business Mathematics, they get thrown together to do an assignment thanks to their interfering professor and a “frenemyship” develops. When they first meet they both make assumptions about the other and slowly they learn they were both completely wrong. The journey of Willa and Ryder’s first meeting to the last scene is beautiful, funny, sexy, challenging, fraught with heartbreak and loss and completely worth experiencing.

Willa and Ryder share a strong attraction that they fight from day one for their own different reasons. Through painful occurrences in their lives their “frenemyship” becomes much more. In a review for “Their Strictly Friends”, by Nathalie-the-Biblioholic (Goodreads) she writes, “Liese has really cornered the market on depicting people who face some of life’s hardest challenges and how they maneuver their way through these obstacles with courage, anger, bitterness, practicality and hope.” She does it again here.

Ryder and Willa each face life altering challenges and Liese doesn’t sugarcoat their reactions to them. Willa is angry. She has a temper. She can’t express herself. Ryder is blunt and stubborn to a fault. They have very real issues. What is truly great about “Only When It’s Us” is Willa and Ryder’s relationship: they accept each other, no matter their damage, from the beginning. As they learn more and more about each other it doesn’t change their feelings for one another, it only deepens them.

There is a great scene that involves a reading of Pride and Prejudice in which Willa realizes the parallels between Elizabeth and Darcy and her relationship with Ryder. The prejudice that stood in their way as each both deny their feelings - it’s poignant and a little funny too.

Willa and Ryder each battle their own personal hardships to get to a place where they can be together. “Only When It’s Us” is a slow burn but when it ignites, it is hotter than a Carolina pepper. When they finally become vulnerable to each other that leads to their true happiness.

Chloe Liese gives us an honest and beautiful depiction of love, loss, grief in all its forms, the journey back, family, friendship, and the very Swedish, lagom. I highly recommend this book.

We are also introduced to Ryder’s big Swedish-American family the Bergmans, the brothers will have a series of which this is the first book. I’m really looking forward to this series.

Chloe Liese provides a playlist on Spotify to get you through each chapter of Willa and Ryder’s journey. It was quite a wonderful experience to listen to those songs as I was reading.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1XA7KOUcjgBL0ilEDw8Lep?si=lahm4NewSOiCJ8zZKWr0NQ

#OnlyWhenItsUs #NetGalley