Initial thought: I like the setting. Honestly, from the beginning this is set up in an interesting way--returning to the report they now co-own and have big memories of as children. The flashbacks are interesting but also make the pace of the book feel kind of odd to me.

There is a nice network of family and friends surrounding our main romance....but that leads to SO much going on (side characters etc...) Honestly, I struggle to keep it all straight. Also, there is lots of talks about feelings and working out emotions. It's simultaneously strong character development and a little too much feelings talk for me. I'm still not sure of he is a redeemed a**hole or not, but he has some redeeming qualities.

I LOVED reading about demi and plus size characters. It was really fun and well done to read about some underrepresented groups done so well! I also enjoy childhood friends - enemies - lovers as a rule, and this was no exception!

Overall, I like this book but pacing and amount of information kind of threw me off.

3.5 ⭐️

I have some mixed feelings about this romance. I didn’t like that the couple could not communicate well but I think their situation forced them to do it which took some of the annoyance away. I liked how Levi was determined to remind her how good they were together. The “dates” and bet they made I thought was cute. There was a lot of different representation, and I loved that aspect. The supporting characters, their friendships, and the change in the business I enjoyed more than the romance itself. There was good character development and healing, especially in Levi’s POV. Overall I did enjoy it and was left with heartwarming feel but the romance itself fell a little flat.

Thank you Forever and Netgalley for the gifted copy

Thank you, Netgalley, the author, and Forever Books for the gifted e-book! ❤️ #gifted. My review is comprised of my honest thoughts.

This was not it for me. I could not get invested in the couple enough. I found the premise to be pretty unbelievable. You may love it.

"Forever & Always" by Helena Greer is a captivating and emotionally resonant romance novel that explores the enduring power of love and the complexities of relationships. Greer's prose is both lyrical and heartfelt, drawing readers into the lives of her characters and immersing them in their struggles and triumphs. The story follows two individuals on a journey of self-discovery and second chances, as they navigate the challenges of past wounds and present desires. Greer skillfully weaves together themes of forgiveness, redemption, and the importance of communication, creating a compelling narrative that tugs at the heartstrings. With its poignant storyline and well-developed characters, "Forever & Always" is a must-read for fans of contemporary romance looking for a deeply satisfying and emotionally fulfilling read.

I really wanted to like this book and have heard good things about the author, but I just could not get into it. Sadly, this book was not for me.

I liked this one more than the first one! I love the premise of friends running a Christmas tree farm. I love that the MCs are Jewish. I love the gay rep. There's just so much to love in this book. I can't wait for the next one!

There was a lot of anger throughout the book, but I think that's to be expected when someone leaves for an extended period. I understand why Hannah was a bit cautious around him at first.

I thought this would be a fluffy romance but it wasn’t that. It’s more friends to enemies to lovers than friends to lovers. It also includes a lot of past trauma. Lots of representation for the LGBTQIA+ community as well as for the Jewish community.

I really liked this book, it’s a fun second chance romance between bitter exes who find themselves as partners in a family inn/restaurant. They seem fated to be together, but she’s wary. He asks for 5 dates to win her back. It’s a fun, sweet read, 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Dear Team Forever,

I can't believe that I never gave formal feedback on For Never and Always. Especially since I enjoyed it so much. The way that it picks up right where Season of Love ends.

The second chance. The angst. The surprise about Hannah and Leo's past. The Rapunzel-ness of it all - how the former owner was sort of like the sorceress. How Hannah saw her great aunt as someone who saved her, and gave her a steady home life, and other things she craved. While to Leo, she was, not necessarily evil, but did not make his life, or those of this parents easy.

Plus I ended up eating many an everything bagel with cream cheese, and salmon. Red onions, tomatoes, and capers were added when I remembered them.

Looking forward to the next book in the series.

The Easter egg book club pick in this book alone makes it a five star read for me. It's a great story about both familial and romatic relationships, growing up, and friendships that withstand time, distance, and other obstacles.

I am here for the representation in this book! Great character development and concept. There was a lot going on so I was confused sometimes but I loved their growth.

The diverse representation is very much appreciated. I'm not usually into second chance romance stories, but this was worth stepping out of my comfort zone.

Thank you @readforeverpub & @netgalley for the eARC of For Never & Always which is out now!

As made rather clear from my star rating, I did not enjoy this book. I would’ve DNFd if I didn’t feel obligated to finish it.

Some things that didn’t work for me:
💜 A lot of the conflict between the main characters relates to miscommunication and seemed like the characters were making a HUGE deal out of relatively small issues. For people who have been friends for years and talked a idk everything, they’re awful at actually communicating.
💜 The FMC was insufferable.
💜 The repetitive writing - this book could have been significantly shorter due to repetitiveness and how many times does the MMC have to be described as a cactus or feral cat?

Overall, this book may be for someone, but it was not for me.

For me this one was just okay. I really loved the first book in this series and this didn’t quite match up to my expectations. I loved the queer (especially demisexual) and Jewish representation in the novel though!

While Hannah and Blue (Levi) are childhood best friends to lovers to strangers and then it’s revealed almost immediately that surprise they’ve been married for years but the entirety of that time Blue has been in Australia and the two haven’t had any contact. The coming back together so suddenly even with their issues just didn’t feel realistic. I did enjoy the layers of complexity with familial and non familial relationships and grief represented but I almost wish the author had shown Hannah and Blue inside the therapy office together on-page breaking down these dynamics (though I understand why they didn’t). Ultimately I had mixed feelings on rooting for the couple and that definitely affected my enjoyment.


3 stars

⭐️ ⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It took a little time for me to get through this one because of traveling for work and other distractions, but the long journey was more than worth it — and, dare I say, made reading this second-chance romance even better. There's something about this particular trope that I really enjoy because, in many cases, it feels like the author starting at the dark moment, which means that there's nowhere to go for the characters but up. Hannah and Blue definitely have some obstacles to get through before they can be happy together, but what I appreciated most about this romance was that it was never a question of if they could reconcile, but when they could. That assurance made this book an absolute joy to read even through the angst and emotional beats, and ultimately made their HEA a giddy reading experience. (Plus: the secret marriage reveal! I GASPED.)

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this edition from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

First Thought: This wasn’t my favorite, I had a hard time connecting to the characters. Childhood love that breaks due to different paths in life but realizing they are better together than apart.

Levi left four years ago to pursue his career as a chef he couldn’t be tied down to the place he grew up. He always dreamed of escaping as a child and the bad memories.

Hannah spent her childhood traveling the world, she dreamed of staying in one place and never leaving. So when Levi decided he didn’t want to stay it broke her heart but she knew he had to go.

This is a second chance romance of childhood besties that are actually secretly married but have different priorities. They need to figure it out, is love stronger than their dreams.

Oh. What angst! Absolutely sensational! I absolutely loved the relationship between the leads. They just loved each other so much and their chemistry was honestly brilliant.

General trigger warnings for homophobia.

I'm so sorry but this book is a slog and not worth going through it. The characterizations are annoying at best. The plot is mediocre at best.

Rep: jewish, queer

This.book.is.amazing! the mental health and plus size representation is spot on and so needed now days. I loved this book from beginning to end and simply couldn't put it down!

To start with, I absolutely picked this book solely for the cover. The colors are vibrant and beautiful, the characters look savvy and well dressed, and the blurb has lyrics from a Taylor Swift song.

SOLD.

As for the story itself, For Never & Always alternates perspectives between Hannah, a highly organized, ambitious woman who comes to be the co-owner of a destination inn... and Blue, her first love, the man who unequivocally destroyed her heart, and the (unfortunate) co-owner of the same inn.

While Hannah, anxious and determined, has no plans to leave her town or her Inn, Blue wants only to escape - to travel and to explore himself, his sexuality, and his newfound gig as a quirky, famous chef on the move.

The future seems impossible, the past seems insurmountable, but the inn draws them together... or apart...

I give the author props for all of the diversity she fits into this novel. Apparently, Greer's niche is taking popular storyline tropes and giving them a "queer" slant. Beyond the LGBTQ+ representation, For Never & Always also features Jewish characters and dives into issues around mental health that really added depth to the story.

This novel must be a companion book - and I did feel like I was missing some backstory for the first few chapters - but it didn't deter me from finishing the book.

I did have a bit of trouble with feeling like the story was drawn out a bit too much with melodrama and brooding in parts, though. It definitely felt longer than necessary, and it's relatively a fairly short book.

If you like a quirky romance with a diverse cast and perspectives alternating between characters and timeframes, I think For Never & Always might be one you'd enjoy. It just may take a little patience, as the characters can get a little insufferable at times.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.