I'm not kidding when I say I've waited a year for Levi and Hannah's story. I was already hooked from the little bits I learned about their story while reading Season of Love. The story has Hannah and Levi going from (kind of) enemies to lovers but of course before they were on the outs they were once friends and then lovers in their younger years. Levi's side of the story was so sad yet sweet to read, he's always wanted nothing more than to prove he belongs and is worthy of the family and friends he has. I loved seeing Levi try to win Hannah back and have Hannah slowly open up throughout the story. And their heart to heart talks just kept getting better, especially when Levi opened up about his sexuality. I loved how the book ended and thought it worked well for what the characters wanted.
Thank you to Netgalley and Forever for the ARC

I was drawn to this book because of the cover. I had heard of the author before but hadn't read their other work and didn't realize this is the second book in a series. I didn't feel like I needed to read that first, although there are a handful of characters from the first book and it may have helped in knowing their relationships to the MCs slightly better.

It's a second chance romance. Hannah and Levi (Blue - because they thought he was named after jeans) have known each other since they were kids. The chapters jump back and forth between the past and present day, starting with Hannah at 7 years old. We see how they became friends and how they're relationship grew and fell apart.

Hannah owns a family Christmas tree farm, even though the family is Jewish. Blue has been away for 4 years to make something of himself. He's a famous chef and he wants to prove to Hannah they're still good together and gets her to agree to 5 dates. The problem is, she doesn't want to leave and he doesn't want to stay.

I enjoyed this one, for the most part. I wish I had read the first book just to have more of a background. I also felt parts of it dragged a little, but was still a good book. It has great representation. Jewish rep, Queer rep (the MMC is demisexual and side characters from the first book are also LGBTQ). There's also mental health rep, which I love seeing. I will read from the author again.

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley. I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

I did not finish this one, it was not for me, I couldn't relate to the characters, and just did not care for the story.

I didn’t realize this was a sequel- just a disclaimer! I absolutely loved the representation in this book! And reinterpretations are hit or miss but this was incredible

Absolutely one of my favorite romcom reads, a rare demisexual representation and beautifully written in so many ways as well. Believable and loveable characters who learn how to put the work in to make things work.

I personally did not like this book. I read 67% (up to chapter 16) before I realized this book was not enjoyable for me.

I found the writing style to be incredibly confusing. The use of third person didn’t always flow, so it made the plethora of characters run together. This also didn’t feel like it could be read as a stand-alone in the series. There is little explanation of the happenings of book one, which every second book in a series needs some of.

I also found the back and forth between Levi and Hannah to be ridiculous and often redundant. Hannah wants to hate Levi so much, but she was also in the wrong for a lot of things.

I also find it so rude that everyone is ALWAYS talking poorly about Levi. His struggles and pain were invalidated throughout the whole book, and I found that to be disappointing. Loved the demisexual representation but did not enjoy the invalidating of Levi’s strife.

I didn’t realize that this was a sequel so perhaps having not read the first is part of why I sadly did not enjoy this one. The flashbacks did not work for me and I really did not see the connection between main characters at all. However, I loved the representation found in this book and know that it will be loved by many other readers.

4.5 stars rounded up. I so enjoyed For Never & Always, and there were several moments where I screamed and/or had to immediately text a friend to tell them something that happened in the book.

For Never & Always takes place after the events of Season of Love -- Miriam is happily back at Carrigan's and in love with Noelle, and after Levi Blue has returned to Carrigan's, at Hannah's request and also to her dismay. But the story is also told in a series of flashbacks from Hannah and Levi's perspectives, from when they were 5 to when they were 31 and had their catastrophic breakup. I generally do like flashbacks, and I thought the flashbacks here were really well done -- they were perfectly placed to explain something happening in the present, and it was sweet to watch Hannah and Levi fall in love.

There is a lot of angst in this book. Levi basically is the walking talking embodiment of an angsty broody teenager (even when he's 36). And Levi and Hannah have a lot of baggage and a lot of history and a lot of triggered fight and/or flight responses that they have to work through. But it felt so rewarding to watch them work through it (and fail at it, and try again, and fail again, and keep trying), and I couldn't help but root for them. I don't think the word bashert was used to describe them (shockingly), but that's how their relationship came across.

Speaking of bashert, this book is so amazingly Jewish. Levi cooks Jewish food, explicitly, even as he goes on to be a big fancy chef. The book opens at Passover, and the descriptions of the food and hosting a seder and feeling miserable at the lack of bread and the Four Questions are so important to the book and so Jewish and also just feel so normal. There are a nonzero number of times that Levi wears a kippah. Levi says that he keeps kosher-style, so no pork and shellfish. It's just spectacular Jewish representation. (And as a little bit of an aside, the way that Helena Greer writes like I do, with G-d and Kel Malei Rachamim, is a whole nother kind of representation that I never expected but am thrilled to see.)

And speaking of representation, there is all kinds of queer representation in For Never & Always. Levi coming out to Hannah as demi and pan is sweet and tender, and Levi coming out to Noelle was also sweet and hilarious at the same time. Cole returns and has an announcement, too! (It seems like Tara's story is next, but I want Cole and Sawyer!!)

One last thing -- this book somehow managed to be steamy and fade-to-black at the same time, which is impressive, even if I still would rather read an open door book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for providing me with an eARC of For Never & Always in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

As I said before, if there is a plus size woman on the cover...I'M GONNA NEED TO REQUEST IT! This cover is beautiful and so was the story. I have read many second chance romance but this was so cute. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

When I read Season of Love I was obsessed with Hannah and Levi and he wasn’t even on page, so I was dying for their book. I knew it was gonna be good and it has been!

This angst level was high. VERY high. I will no go into detail because I think it’s better to go in blind, but my jaw dropped a few times. Their love was so so intense. Levi was set on reminding Hannah that he loved her, though Hannah didn’t need reminders because she hadn’t forgotten him either. Since the beginning, their love wasn’t a problem in the relationship.

I admit that the more I knew about their relationship and their past… the more I thought that love wasn’t enough to save it in this case. I don’t know how I feel about how everything progressed. I really like them, but I think I liked them more as friends. Knowing the problems that caused their breakup made me a bit cold towards the present and their second chance.

Aside from this, I can’t deny that I loved this book and it was a big serve. The writing was amazing, the flashbacks were perfect to understand Hannah and Levi and the side characters helped a lot (especially Cole I love Cole so much).

TW: Emotional abuse, homophobia, panic attacks/agoraphobia

Rating: 4/5
Steam level: Fade to black

ARC provided by Forever and NetGalley. Opinions are my own!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishers for this Advanced Readers Copy of For Never & Always by Helena Greer!

I have been anxiously waiting for Levi and Hannah’s book since the end of [book:Season of Love|60383010] and this did not disappoint. I adore everything about Carrigan’s Christmasland and this cast of characters and I loved that this book was about growing up and coming home. I related to Levi so much in both timelines (I love the demisexual representation so much!), and I loved watching the personal growth of both him and Hannah through this story.

While this book isn’t being marketed as part of a series, I think reading Season of Love before this will enhance your enjoyment of this book. Greer does add in mentions and details of side characters throughout the story but I could see it being overwhelming and potentially impacting opinions about pacing without having read the previous book.

The end of the ARC also mentions Tara’s book is next, which is very exciting, but I admit I am most looking forward to a potential Cole book.

I really wanted to like this book, but it just didn't work for me. I found it very hard to get through. I didn't really like any of the characters and felt no connection to any of them. I did like the representation in the book, especially the demisexual representation, which I hope becomes more seen in books in the future.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

📚 A R C R E V I E W 📚

⭐️⭐️⭐️ .5

♥️ second chance romance
♥️childhood friends to lovers
♥️LGBT+ rep
♥️therapy and mental health rep
♥️small town romance
♥️dual timeline
♥️sequel

This book centres around an inn that started off as a Christmas-themed hotel and tree farm, but was turned into a year-round destination. Such a fun concept!

Hannah and Levi have been best friends their whole lives and fell in love. She wanted to stay and run the business. He wanted to go out and pursue other endeavours and they broke up. Now, he’s back to win her over.

Their relationship ended because they ultimately wanted different things, but the passion and love between these two is entirely transparent. Levi has some of the swooniest declarations I’ve ever read 😍. He is so mesmerized by Hannah and so deeply in love with her that he will go to any lengths necessary to win her back.

This book includes a cast of quirky and loveable characters. It definitely has a small town feel!

It also includes many details about Jewish religious celebrations and holidays. I’ve never read about Judaism in fiction before and it was to see new representation.

This is sequel, but can be read as a stand alone.

Thank you to @netgalley for an ARC of this book!

QOTD: What was the best ARC you’ve read recently?

#arcreview #netgalley #lgbtromance #bibliophile #prettybooks #bookstagram #bookblog #romancereads #books #bookworm #bookaddict #romcombooks #explore #explorepage #bookish #bookishlife #bookrecs #bookrecommendations #romancebooks #bookreviews #bookshelves #bookaesthetic #booktok #romancebooksofig #bookphotography #bookphotos #contemporaryromance #bookart #booksandcoffee

For Never and Always vibes:

-hate that I still love you
-childhood friends to lovers
-Logan and Veronica vibes
-INTENSITY
-Jewish rep
-Demisexual rep
-COMMUNICATION (eventually)
-SO. MUCH. TENSION.
-GUYLINER

Levi’s been a part of Carrigan’s his whole life, and never wanted to stay. Hannah traveled too much in her younger days and never wants to leave. So what happens when these two extremely passionate, stubborn people fall in love?

Lots of heartbreak.

Levi is a famous chef, fresh off a cooking competition when he’s called to return home to his lost love who told him never to come back. Hannah has locked herself in the metaphorical tower of Carrigan’s, running the place with precision. But when Levi returns, her castle crumbles when she discovered that her beloved Cass might not have been who she thought she was. Both Hannah and Levi have to come to terms with this news and the impact it has in their relationship. Levi wants to stay together, but Hannah doesn’t think they should, so they go on a series of dates to prove whether they should stay together or end things.

As with Season of Love, there are LOTS of feelings. Loooots of feelings, but it’s not angst in an emo way, though Levi does rock the hell out of the guyliner. What we get from our couple is a seemingly impossible choice, if they’re to stay together, only one of them gets to have the life they want.

I enjoyed the resolution of this so much, I appreciate that the solution wasn’t a shitty compromise, and not some contrived, duct-taped plan. (Not to disparage duct-tape, but in this instance something a little more serious was needed.) I enjoyed the whole cast, being back at Carrigan’s, and Levi and Hannah’s whole dynamic.

Helena Greer does this thing where she wraps up large, difficult feelings in flannel, or in the case of the second book—an oversized scarf. Carrigan’s is one of my favorite places on earth and I’ve never been there, but Greer has created this cozy space that comes alive.

This is 4.5 stars rounded up for me. A huge thank you to netgalley, Helena Greer, and Grand Central Publishing for this ARC. This is my honest review.

Ii appreciate that this book features both Jewish and queer characters, which is hard combination to find. That said, the story itself is a little dull and there really isn't much dramatic tension. I love a second chance romance, but this just was way too inevitable and their angst was not very angsty.

This was a cute little romance story! It was definitely a good palette cleanser after reading so many thrillers. So cute!

A book with great Jewish rep is always a plus for me, and I loved how inclusive the characters were across the board. That being said, I was hoping for more from this second chance romance. This is a sequel to her first book Season of Love, and I felt a little lost without having read it based on the sheer number of characters and backstory shoved into the first 50 pages. Not quite for me but I am sure this will appeal to other readers.

Layered, interesting, complicated, and diverse characters! I'm usually not one for second-chance-romance, but this one had so man layers. I love that it's a holiday book focusing on Jewishness. The queer representation is also aces! The main characters have so much to work through, but needed to do that the be together! Their love was so deep and fierce and it was amazing to watch them grow and fight for it without giving up on their dreams.

Season of Love was one of my favourite books of 2022, so I was excited to read For Never & Always and had high hopes. While I mostly enjoyed this book, I struggled to read it (it took me almost the entire month of August to get through it because I kept setting it aside).

I’ll start with what I liked:
-Being back at Carrigan’s and seeing all the characters I grew to love in Season of Love.
-Both Levi and Hannah’s passion for and dedication to their jobs. As a foodie, I particularly enjoyed all the talk of food and Levi’s love of cooking and eating.
-All the rep: demisexuality, queerness, anxiety, Jewish rep, Hannah being fat.
-I appreciated that, as with Miriam and Noelle in Season of Love, Hannah and Levi were deeply flawed, realistic characters, and for the most part, I appreciated their growth.

Now, what didn’t work for me. This story was so repetitive and drawn out. It could have been about half the length if we weren’t told over and over and OVER about how awful Cass was, how much Hannah hated to travel, how Levi was a screw-up, how much Noelle hated Levi, etc. Hannah and Levi go around in circles endlessly and have the same conversation ad nauseam. It was exhausting, and it affected my overall enjoyment of the book. Will I recommend it to other readers? Yes, I think so. Will I read the next book in the series? Absolutely, without question.