4.5 stars rounded up to 5🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

Madly, Deeply, Always completely pulled at my heartstrings🤍. This is a beautiful, healing story about rediscovering yourself, your passions and what you truly deserve. Lily-Anne, a musician silenced by grief and a toxic past relationship, takes a leap of faith and travels to England in hopes of finding her way back to music with the help of a friend of her late father's, Brandon. Brandon, a former music manager, is older than Lily, guarded and carrying scars of his own. Lily-Anne and Brandon's mentor/student, he-falls-first dynamic is a tender, slow-burn romance inspired by Sense & Sensibility. The dual POV allows both characters to heal gradually and the mutual pining makes for a great read.

The vivid English seaside settings, witty banter, tasteful spice and charming Harry Potter references (especially between Lily-Anne and her sister Ellanor) make this a cozy, emotionally rich romance that I really enjoyed. Now, I'm looking forward to reading Ellanor's story!🤍

Thank you Jules Starbrook, Roseden Press and NetGalley for a copy of *Madly, Deeply, Always* in exchange for my honest review.

Madly Deeply Always is the kind of romance that doesn’t shout for your attention — it quietly steals your heart. This story is soft in all the best ways: gentle pacing, emotional depth, and two characters who feel wonderfully real in their brokenness.

Lily-Anne is a beautifully drawn heroine. Her grief, burnout, and fear of returning to music are handled with such sensitivity that you can’t help rooting for her as she tries to find her way back to herself. Her retreat to the English seaside feels like a breath of fresh air, and the cottage becomes a perfect backdrop for her slow, careful healing.

And then there’s Brandon Ward — the brooding, quietly magnetic Englishman who says very little but feels so much. He’s the kind of character who lingers with you: patient, wounded, and deeply loyal. The chemistry between him and Lily isn’t loud or dramatic; it’s a slow, steady warmth that grows in the silences, in the shared cups of tea, in the unspoken understanding between two people who have been hurt before.

The supporting cast adds charm and levity — from Lily’s chaotic sister and her whimsical road‑trip plans to the neighbours who can’t resist meddling. Even the flirtatious café owner brings a spark of fun without overshadowing the central relationship.

What makes this novel shine is its emotional honesty. It’s a story about grief, identity, and the quiet courage it takes to start again. The Sense and Sensibility inspiration is woven in with a light, elegant touch, and fans of Colonel Brandon will absolutely feel the echo of that steadfast, aching devotion here.

A tender, atmospheric romance that wraps around you like a favourite song — soft, soulful, and unforgettable.

With thanks to Jules Starbrook, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC

What intrigued me about this book was the UK setting (always wanted to live there❤️)
and, as a musician myself, the topic was right down my alley.
I loved seeing the story through both main characters, Brandon and Lily-Anne, and their mental barriers in musicianship and romance, and how their past trauma affected them.
Undeniably cosy setting with an excruciatingly slow burn as they untangle everything, but it's well worth it in the end. There are a few hilarious side characters like Barbara and Rupert, but my favourite was Ellenor, who kinda reminded me of myself with her behaviour.
Easy and fun read to curl up with a nice cup of coffee.

Madly Deeply Always delivers exactly what I love in a romance: heart, healing, and characters who feel genuinely human. This is a slow burn in the best way: emotional and built on connection rather than instant attraction.

The only reason I’m giving 4 stars instead of 5 is that parts of the middle dragged slightly for me, and I occasionally wanted a bit more momentum. But the payoff is worth it, and the emotional tone stayed strong all the way through.

I knew this story was inspired by Sense and Sensibility, a story i haven't read or know anything about so I went into this a little bit blind.

This is a second chance story for the main characters , both suffering with traumatic pasts.

This story is centered about music & grief and it was written perfectly

4.5*

Thank you to the publisher Roseden Press and Jules Starbrook for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I love Sense and Sensibility, particularly Alan Rickman as Colonel Brandon so when I saw this book was inspired by Sense and Sensibility I knew I had to read it. This book was a real slowburn, there a spark of attraction at the start that leads into embers of longing and pining from afar, before being engulfed by the flames of love at the end. When we first meet Lily she is haunted by the memory of her father’s death and has just ended a very toxic relationship, this has left her unable to play music. Enter Brandon a family friend who used to a music manager, Lily was hoping by staying with him that he’d be able to fix her but I think they slowly helped each other to heal. I really liked Lily as I felt she slowly healed over the course of the book and that she breathed life into Brandon. I loved that Lily was passionate about her music, but she was putting a lot of pressure on herself. Brandon was the perfect gentleman but he was haunted by his own ghosts, so initially tries to push Lily away. It was like a case of will they or won’t they watching these two skirt around their feelings and each other but I was very satisfied with the ending as I loved these two together. I’m looking forward to Ellenor and Sean’s book.

Madly Deeply Always is a beautifully written story about grief, healing, rediscovering yourself and moving forward.
I was so sucked in that I finished it in two days.
I loved the dual POV and seeing the story unfold through both character’s eyes.

I can’t wait to see what the author writes next!

*Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC

I’m giving this a 5 stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
​I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
​Jules Starbrook has written a "rainy-day comfort read" that is as immersive as it is gentle. The story follows Lily-Anne, a 21-year-old Australian musician who is fleeing a toxic, controlling relationship and the crushing grief of losing her father. When she takes refuge in an English seaside cottage owned by Brandon Ward—a brooding, reserved music manager—the silence between them begins to fill with something beautiful.
​The Good:
The emotional depth in this book is staggering. The way Starbrook handles Lily-Anne's "creative block" and her journey toward healing from gaslighting feels painfully real and authentic. Brandon is a top-tier book boyfriend; he is the ultimate "gentleman who loves without expectation," giving Lily the space she needs to find herself again without trying to "fix" her. I also absolutely loved the cozy, nerdy touches—the Harry Potter road-trip plans and the quirky neighborhood matchmaking added such a delightful layer of humor to a deep, introspective story.
​The Verdict:
This is a masterclass in slow-burn tension with a "spicy payoff" that feels earned and emotionally focused. If you love BBC period dramas, coastal settings, and heroes who love with unwavering loyalty, you need this on your shelf.

This is the kind of book that just stays with you for months after you finish it. I wasn’t prepared for how much it would impact me at all. It was so much more than an age-gap, forced proximity romance for me 😍

I loved how both of the MCs help each other heal from the loss of a loved one. Mostly because it was very subtle - it just sort of happened seamlessly which I really enjoyed.

I think the best was to describe this book is subtle - their brewing romance, the tension of will they won’t they. I really enjoyed this - made it fell more real then just another cliche romance 😅

Loved how there was no third act break up - but wow the tension at the end was still there!! Loved that this was achieved without a third act break up!

Overall, this was a great read! Highly recommend it if you’re looking for a unique romance book 😍

This splendidly tender, slow burn romance feels like a warm, comforting hug on a rainy day.

The characters were refreshingly relatable and I really appreciated the author’s attention to emotional detail while watching the main characters’ growth as they worked through grief and healing. The feistiness of the side characters and the sister with the Harry Potter obsession were delightful.

The gentle, quiet development of the slow burn romance was masterfully told through a dual POV as each main character separately and silently yearns for each other. The delicate balance of desire and resistance produced the perfect buildup of romantic tension.

If you like character driven, age gap romances with emotional intensity and a gentle atmosphere this is the perfect Valentine’s Day read!