I absolutely adored Always Only You. This book is fun, smart, and super sexy, bringing all the steam through slow burn buildup. And I love that Chloe weaves in characters living with disabilities including autism and chronic illness. Not only does this book provide disability and neurodiverse representation, it encourages able-bodied readers, like myself, to think critically about potential biases we may have or ableist structures we may be unconsciously upholding. ⁣⁣
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This can be read as a stand-alone but if you’re planning on picking up Always Only You, I’d highly recommend reading Only When It’s Us first for background and context on a number of characters and storylines that appear in AOY. ⁣⁣
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Thank you @netgalley and @chloeliese for the advance copy. ⁣⁣
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Frankie is the strong independent woman. Working her loved job as social media PR for the LA Kings hockey team, she loves what she does and she does it well. She also enjoys getting to spend time and stare at the beautiful Ren Bergman, although he is totally off limits. 

For Ren, it’s the same. The beautiful and quirky Frankie with him daily at work is amazing, but he can’t stop imaging having her daily at home too. She’s worth the wait, and although she is off limits now, she won’t always be.

Frankie is delightful. She’s a strong woman who doesn’t let her rheumatoid arthritis or autism define her. She works, socializes and lives a normal life. She’s a fantastic character. Ren is a god of a man. A beautiful gingery athlete with a heart of gold. They are lovely together.

I felt like I started this book somewhere in the middle. There was no lead up, no watching the two line for each other,  just immediate falling into place to outline their real relationship. Therefore, I found myself not as invested in their love, I didn’t get the long awaited, years of being in love with someone who is off limits. They were just two people in love now. 

Overall cute with good characters.

If you like romances, go buy this one!!!  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thank you to @netgalley for a copy to read and review!  I loved the hockey references in this book and it goes along well right now!  
Frankie and Ren work together, he’s a hockey star and she works in the offices (PR or something I forget 😬😬).  Ren has been in love with her for years.when she gets accepted to school to be a lawyer, will he tell her his feelings??? Ren was such an amazing character.  I dare say he was perfect!  I related to Frankie many times during the story, while I don’t share all her medical issues many times I have had similar feelings to her.  For example, I also tend to fixate on things and then talk about it incessantly!

“What most people alder is ...incomplete.” Always Only You by Chloe Liese

4 stars! The second book of the Bergman siblings series is a slow burn book, that feels light  and yet isn’t quite. It tackles disability rather frankly (hehehe, like Frankie) and is honestly a great look into that kind of POV.

I love Frankie. I wish she was my friend. And I really do like her references to Harry Potter  (her cane is her elder wand!) and her enjoyment of books. Ren is sweet and a nerd who is a jock too. His family is really great.

I found myself wanting to ask the author what online shop Frankie was telling Ziggy about. I also kept wondering if this is how the people I know who have autism thinks and feels too. But autism is different for each person. I learned that early on.

I just love this book because it you don’t read a lot of stories with the hero/heroine having autism. Well, I don’t know of them. This is probably my 2nd or 3rd book with that kind of hero/heroine. If you guys know of any, do let me know.

Thank you so much NetGalley, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and Chloe Liese for letting me have an arc of this book. I do enjoyed it. This book will be our Aug 4, 2020.

I’m really looking forward to the next book!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this review copy. This was my first book by Chloe Liese but it won’t be my last. Having a female protagonist with a chronic illness is rare within the genre but having such a believable character raised this novel up far beyond many of the other generic type romance novels that I have read.

I thought this was a little long, but that wasnt even a fault. I love close proximity, forbidden romances. This was so wonderful. The diversity was so unique. I've never read anything quite like it. I didn't realize this was a series, so I look forward to going back and reading the first one!

"the guy’s a nonstop-scoring, smiling, six-foot-three hunk of happy, who makes my job much easier than it otherwise would be. But there’s only so much sunshine that a grump like me can take. And for three years, Ren has been pushing my limit."

From the moment Ren met Frankie he knew that behind all her grump and hilarious deadpan deliveries was a girl with a heart of gold that was just wait for the right guy to show her that her heart would be safe. However working together made Frankie 100% off limits, but a girl like Frankie was made for much greater things and Ren was willing to wait until they no longer worked together.

••

"All I see is Frankie, Frankie who’s staring back at me, and it’s like free-falling through time and space, lost in the vortex of her gaze."

As much as everyone thinks she is all grumps Frankie really isn't all that grumpy, she has kind of just gone with it. But one thing is for sure no one should be as chipper as Ren! And to make things more annoying the constant ray of sunshine is actually a really nice guy. But have lived for so long with her condition Frankie has learned it's just safer not to let people in, but will Ren be able to knock down her walls?

••

"And while most of us like to comfort ourselves with the delusion that love is bliss, it’s not called falling in love for nothing . We love, entranced by the breathtaking view, and we fall, not knowing where we’ll land."

This book was everything! I so need my own Ren! This guy is the perfect hero ever, and his love for Shakespeare only makes him cuter. But really I loved Frankie, I love a good grump and to have it as the female lead, bonus points! But really the thing I liked the most about Frankie was how real she was and that she faced real problems that are not often shown in novels. On that note I have to give Liese huge props for bring autism to the forefront and that she didn't sugarcoat the challenges faced while living with autism.

••

“‘ Love’s not Time’s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks Within his bending sickle’s compass come; Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, But bears it out even to the edge of doom.’”

I have to say my favorite part of the book was when Frankie and Ren played house and they played with her pup on the beach. Oh and their hilarious quest to find nicknames for each other, this had me laughing out loud. I absolutely loved this slow burn, opposites attract, hockey romance I promise you will fall instantly in love with both Ren and Frankie and their beautiful journey to finding each other all while laughing out loud constantly

I adored this book! The Bergman Brothers series is one of my favorites of 2020. Ren and Frankie's story was a great one. I loved both characters so much. What made this book even more special is that it is an OwnVoices novel. Chloe Liese is one of my new favorite authors. I cannot recommend this book enough.

Always Only You by Chloe Liese is the 2nd book in the Bergman Brothers romance series, and another fun addition.  This book was easy to read and perfect for an escape from hot weather or the pandemic.  I will be reading more books by this author, I highly recommend this book if you enjoy romances. 
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Always Only You, follows Frankie Zeferino, social media extraordinaire for the Los Angeles Kings. Frankie has her routine and masks she wears, but finds that mask slipping around the team superstar, Ren Bergman. This story is an opposites attract, forbidden-love between a late blooming hockey superstar and the tough cookie who keeps her soft side and autism diagnosis to herself. This is an #OwnVoices story, for its portrayal of autism by an autistic author. 

I am a sucker for books that show both point-of-views for those involved. I love knowing what’s going through everyone’s mind! I picked up this book because I am a lover of sports and even though I’m a SJ Sharks fan, I absolutely loved the sports dynamic this story told. Søren (his name alone is swoon-worthy!) is such a sweet and sensitive soul and I love his love for Frankie. He respects her independence and need to not be a hinderance, but his torture of wanting to just sweep her off her feet is adorable. Frankie is a wonderful character, it was captivating to read through the eyes of someone with autism. To see the everyday obstacles she faces to find comfort in her routine and interactions was eye-opening. The entire dynamic between Frankie and Søren was a twist on a love story I didn’t know I needed. As soon as I finished this story, I immediately downloaded book one in the series, Only When It’s Us. I can’t wait for Chloe Liese’s future stories on the whole Bergman brood!

This review will appear at All About Romance closer to the release date.

Always Only You (Bergman Brothers #2)
Chloe Liese
August 4, 2020,  CR/#ownvoices
Self-pubbed, 480 pages, Amazon ASIN B08BZNQN7X
Sensuality:  Warm
Grade:  B

I gave Always Only You a B at All About Romance .

I’ll be honest, I knew very little about this book when I requested it. I saw the lovely cartoon cover featuring a hockey player (I like them, btw), read the blurb, crossed my fingers and hoped for the best. Friends, the risk paid off. I mostly enjoyed Always Only You, the second novel in the Bergman Brothers series, and I have every intention of backtracking and reading the first book in the series, too. The author, recently diagnosed on the autism spectrum, has crafted an #ownvoices story that’s romantic, inspirational and educational. The novel features an autistic heroine trying – and mostly succeeding – at the game of life, and a virgin cinnamon roll hero who hopes to one day earn her love. Always Only You is a funny, sexy, low-angst romance focused almost entirely on the relationship between its two principal characters, and I liked it very much.

Francesca – Frankie – Zeferino is the In-Game Social Media Coordinator for the Los Angeles Kings hockey franchise. She’s great at her job, and despite her clubhouse nickname “Frank the Crank,” she’s a softie who cares about the team, its players, and their reputations. Being tough is part of her job, and it’s easier for her if the players assume she’s a hard ass all the time. She dresses the part, too – unrelenting black and white clothing, black sneakers, and a silver walking cane she refers to as the Elder Wand (she needs it because her rheumatoid arthritis sometimes makes it difficult for her to get around).

The whole look is very Wednesday Adams, with a similar and intended repelling effect. People leave me alone. Which is how I like it.

But Frankie has a big secret. She’s autistic and her clothing and attitude are part of the armor that helps her get through days that are physically and mentally challenging and exhausting. Fortunately, one player makes her job easier, Søren – Ren – Bergman, the sunshine to her rain cloud.

Handsome, fit, kind, generous and good, Ren is a ginger haired dreamboat. He prefers book club meetings to parties – as evidenced by his membership in an ultra-secret Shakespeare book club – he’s always willing to lend his time and smile to a good cause, and he never seems to have a bad day. He’s also a terrific hockey player and his teammates love him. Frankie knows he’s off limits, but can’t seem to stop noticing him whenever he’s around. And he’s around a lot. Unbeknownst to Frankie, Ren purposefully seeks her out so he can spend time with her. Ren sees the softer, sweeter side that Frankie thinks she keeps hidden, and since the moment he met her three years earlier, he’s wanted her. But therein lies the rub. Because they work together, Frankie is forbidden. For three years, Ren has waited, wanting Frankie and hoping for his chance – and when Always Only You gets underway, he finally gets it. After someone breaks into her house, Frankie has to temporarily move out. Ren offers her a place to stay, and then discovers Frankie is making plans to leave the team. An ‘accidental’ kiss convinces him it’s time to make his move, and he gets to work winning Frankie over. Forced proximity, as everyone in Romancelandia already knows, wreaks havoc on ‘platonic’ friendships between people secretly in lust with each other.

Spoiler alert: Close proximity - LIVING TOGETHER! - changes everything.

Always Only You is a lovely ode to the opposites attract trope, and Ren and Frankie fall fast and hard for each other. Frankie grew up feeling like a burden or a problem for her family to deal with, and she moved across the country to break free of their smothering love. Fiercely independent, strong, and tough, Frankie doesn’t need or want someone to fight her battles for her, or to treat her with kid gloves. She’s also avoided romantic entanglements after watching past boyfriends flee the moment she revealed any sort of weakness, and she doesn’t want Ren to break her heart, too. She falls for him, but tries to keep him at a distance. Ren wants to protect and support Frankie, and struggles to prove to her that she isn’t a burden or problem he’s trying to solve. Raised in a big family and exposed to lots of different personalities and temperaments, very little throws Ren off his game – on the ice or off it. When Frankie confesses she’s autistic, Ren is surprised – but not for the reason Frankie imagines – he just can’t believe he didn’t guess it on his own. His response:

“my little sister is on the spectrum. So, while everyone’s unique, and I’m no expert, I love someone who’s autistic. And I hope you know I’m a safe place for you to be you,”

is yet another reason why Ren is nearly irresistible.

Always Only You doesn’t feature a secondary plot (although the author introduces a villainous character at the start and then largely forgets about him); the evolving romance between Ren and Frankie IS the story. Mostly this works – when these two are figuring out how to love each other, the story shines. The characterization of both principal characters is excellent, although frankly Ms. Liese, Ren is too good to be true. Discovering that super hot and sexy Ren was an adorkable nerd in high school, is still a virgin, swears like a Shakespearean sailor, and perfectly intuits how to give a woman an orgasm despite a seeming lack of experience all feels a bit like gilding the lily. Leading men can have flaws and still be great partners! Frankie is similarly well-realized, and Ms. Liese does a terrific job showing readers the effects of RA and autism on Frankie’s everyday life, although she occasionally grows pedantic. It sometimes feels like the story is less about Frankie specifically, and more like a TED talk about autism. Regardless, Frankie – despite the challenges she faces – is formidable and extremely likeable. It’s easy to see why Ren falls for her.

While I mostly liked the book, the author has some peculiar idiosyncrasies. Whenever Frankie is surprised by something Ren-related, her expressions are completely bizarre: Mary Mother of Jesus Riding on a Donkey (after spotting Ren’s hair in the moonlight); Preschool Jesus with a Carpentry Awl (after Ren licks ketchup off his thumb); Jesus Tossing Tables in the Temple (when Ren appears wearing fitted joggers); or Jesus Skipping through the Resurrection Garden (when Ren scowls at a bad driver) - and that's not even all of them! I don’t know if the author does this in real life or… honestly, I simply don’t know. It’s just weird. And while Ms. Liese is a self-described Harry Potter fan and makes Frankie one, too, the explicit references to Frankie’s wet or soaked Harry Potter themed panties are just plain yuck. Why Ms. Liese? Why?!

Finally, one last quibble. If you aren't a hocky fan IRL, you probably won't notice these issues: Ren is a hockey player, but there isn’t a ton of hockey in this story, and a few of the game references (made the lamp glow red instead of ‘lit the lamp,’ and a chest pump in lieu of a group hug after a score) are just plain wrong. These errors...

Read the rest of this review at: All About Romance.

Chloe Liese does it again! I first fell in love with the Bergman family in "Only When It's Us" about college classmates Willa and Ryder.  Now it's brother Ren's turn to have a chance at love.  Always Only You has many layers, just like the main characters. This is an "own voices" novel with the author taking readers along as a woman with autism and chronic pain navigates her life, and how a Shakespeare loving professional hockey player might just fit into it. 

Always Only You felt fresh, current, and reads like a movie. Chloe includes a song at the beginning of each chapter resulting in an EPIC playlist. I had the best intentions to listen to each song before diving into the chapter, but I couldn't put the book down long enough to fire up Spotify! 

10/10 would recommend! Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of this book provided in exchange of my honest opinion.

Just finished this book wanting a Ren Bergman for me!

Anyways, I loved everything, from beginning to end! Loved Frankie's sense of humor (that sometimes remids me since I'm a bit grumpy too). Loved that she's a real independent woman and shows to everyone who tries to diminish her. Loved that she fell all the way with Ren, even though she was scared to envolve.

And what about Ren? My sweet cinnamon roll... Caring, a bit dorky and nerdy, lovely, sexy, charming... The full package! I loved his patience on waiting for Frankie because he KNEW she'd be worth it!!! Just a real unicorn!

Thanks so much Netgalley and Chloe for the opportunity to read this LOVELY story! And can't wait to see more stories about those Bergman.

This book was the best book I have read in a long time. It has charm, it had wit, it had slow burn, it had a sensitive man who loved and quoted Shakespeare, a neurodiverse lead female who was vastly independent and well written. This book was basically perfection! I just can’t say enough about it. Frankie and Ren are two of my most favorite characters and I already miss them. Chloe Liese is an incredible story teller and writes the most beautiful stories. Do yourself a favor and go buy this book now!

I have a new addiction , this was sooo. Good. Soo addicting soo nicely written 
I want a Bergman men in my life 
I accept  the daddy 
I loved this story Soren is my new fist rated book boyfriend 
And  Frankie what a wonderful different not Usual wonderful heroine 
Beautiful story outstandingly written 
5 well deserved stars

Gosh, I loved this book!⁣⁣⠀
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When I found out that 𝘼𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙊𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙔𝙤𝙪 is an #ownvoices sports romcom with a strong female lead and lovable, dorky (and sexy!) hockey player, I knew I needed to get my hands on it. And it did not disappoint! 🖤🏒⁣⁣⠀
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Synopsis ⁣⁣⠀
Frankie is the social media manager for the LA Knights. She also battles chronic pain and autism. Known as Frank the Crank, she’s a grumpy badass. Soren Bergman is a star on the hockey team with a gentle soul and a love for Shakespeare. The two must come to terms with their feelings for each other while keeping their relationship a secret from the team. ⁣⁣⠀
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I loved how Frankie and Soren’s relationship developed. Their bickering is endearing. Their fierce love is beautiful. And their attraction to each other is so so steamy. Full of Harry Potter and Shakespeare references, behind-the-scenes hockey life, and acknowledgment of disabilities, Chloe writes a powerful book that everyone should read. Thank you for your bravery, Chloe!⁣⁣⠀
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I also loved how every chapter comes with a recommended song that sets the tone for the chapter. What a cool idea! I would love to see more books adopt this idea. ⁣⁣⠀
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This book will be one of my favorites of 2020, and Chloe as one of my new favorite authors!⁣⁣⠀
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𝘼𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙊𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙔𝙤𝙪 is the second book in the Bergman Brothers series. They can be read as standalone books, but now I need to read the others because I love them so much! ⁣⁣⠀
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Thank you @netgalley for my partner copy. This book came out August 3, so grab it now!⁣⁣⠀

This lovely, romantic, funny, sweet book hooked me in RIGHT away and was absolutely adorable. I'd forgotten how much I like sports romances when they are done well. It was also impossible not to root for Frankie, who was so determined and independent. It is always beyond refreshing to read about a mature and gentlemanly male lead in a romance novel, especially one who is single but drives a Honda Odyssey in order to be able to drive other people around when need be ;)

This book was an #ownvoices read as the author is on the autism spectrum just like Frankie and the acknowledgements section was fascinating and heartfelt to read. Frankie also has rheumatoid arthritis and the approach taken to that aspect of her character felt very real and well done, in my opinion.

I can't wait to go back and read the first book in this series (they stand alone no problem but the first couple seems LOVELY too) and the next one next year!!! It's always a joy to find a new series like this to love.

How many books have you read the include an autistic character? Now how many of those were a romance/romcom? Let me answer that, not very many, if any!! From the first page I fell in love with both Frankie and Ren! They are just so dang relatable!! Yes this is a romcom but it is full of so many more IMPORTANT topics which are way to often left out of books! This book is full of love, heart, differences, and a whole lot of laughter! The story of how opposites attract and forbidden love.

Have you ever read a book that made you smile from start to finish? A story with characters that just made your heart feel...lighter?

If not, you should definitely read Always Only You by Chloe Liese.

The second book in the Bergman Brothers series, Always Only You follows Ren Bergman, a professional hockey player, and Frankie Zeferino, the team's social media coordinator. Ren has always had a crush on Frankie but he's shy and she's off-limits because they work together. Frankie, meanwhile, has sworn off love because she doesn't want to be disappointed when the other person eventually treats her as a burden.

This opposites attract, grumpy/sunshine sports romance with tons of heat and heart gave me what I didn't know I needed in a romance. Ren is the sweetest, bestest man and I love him so much. He's so devoted to Frankie but he's also super shy and nerdy and just...such a good guy which endeared him more to me.

From one grump to another, Frankie's cynicism is so relatable. But she actually has a reason for it because of how other people who loved her treated her in the past. Frankie is autistic and has arthritis, but she also doesn't want someone to hover over and smother her (which is so reasonable because, hello? She's gotten where she is on her own).

What I love most about this story, though, is how Frankie's arthritis and autism are central to the story and her characterization, but they weren't used as a plot device. These conditions influence a lot of her views, especially about love and committment, but they also don't define her. I also love how that's exactly how Ren treats her—he just loves her for her and he doesn't hesitate to show it. I love it when a man worships the ground his woman walks on.

Overall, Always Only You is funny and sexy and sweet and uplifting #OwnVoices read. An easy 5-star. I cannot wait to read about Aiden and Freya in the next book!

***ARC Provided by the Publisher***

2.5 Stars

I adored Frankie, I struggled with Ren.  I loved how real Frankie felt, and I thought it was refreshing to have a heroine in a romance not the perfect size with the perfect career and hair that looks like she lives in a shampoo commercial.  Frankie was real and she felt like a friend.

I think the issue that I had was while I thought Frankie was wonderful I never totally believed that Ren did, which matters in a romance.  I want to feel the attraction and the connection between the characters and I want to believe that they feel it.  I definitely believed that they were friends, and that Frankie was attracted to Ren, but I struggled to find Ren's connection to her.  It was there in parts, and there were places where I found myself thinking "ah ha, here we go" but it fizzled out and it never really got me to the place where I really believed in them as a couple.

This was my first title by this author and I will definitely give her another chance, as I am hearing positive buzz about her writing and not all books work for every reviewer.

Overall, I didn't really enjoy this title and I am not able to recommend it.