Want to know what I did the SECOND I finished this book? Grabbed the first two books in the series, because this was OUTSTANDING. It’s a love letter to marriage, best understood by those who’ve been in one, but no less powerful if you haven’t. It’s difficult and heart-wrenching, raw and real, and the progress this couple makes is so powerful. The storyline probably won’t be for everyone, but the journey is absolutely worth it - especially because of how good you'll feel by the end. This is my first time reading something by this author, and you can guarantee it won’t be the last.

The story follows Freya and Aiden, a married couple who have been together for over a decade. Their once-solid relationship seems to be crumbling, and things have gotten so bad that all communication has broken down. Aiden doesn't realize that his marriage is even in jeopardy until his wife packs his bags. It's a startling wakeup call that makes him a little desperate to put the pieces back together. But no matter how much love there is between them, there's no fixing this marriage until all of their cards are on the table. When a family vacation forces Freya and Aiden to come together, they realize that they've got to put in a whole lot of work if there's any hope of a future for them.

I loved how honest this is. It takes two people to make a marriage work, and love is not enough to keep things going. Freya and Aiden are both genuinely good people who love each other - and I'm talking about the kind of deep love that only comes from years spent getting to know someone. I felt for both of them, and I really appreciated that neither one was "at fault" for bringing them to this point. They've both got things they need to work on, and they've let those things spiral out of control, but there's nothing that's insurmountable. The build in intimacy is a thing of beauty, and the author does an excellent job showcasing that. There's a subtlety that works, and I loved all of those quieter moments. It's the kind of slow burn that's necessary, building back up the emotional connection before things turn physical - though there are plenty of sexy moments on the way there.

I'm definitely going to read the first two books in the series now. It's not necessary to read the series in order, but there are some great family scenes that would make more of an impact with a better understanding of each character's personality. I was lucky enough to receive an early copy via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review of this marriage in trouble romance.

This book is one of my top favorites this year and one of my favorite romances ever. It was so good. Yes, it did continously break my heart and put it back together, but I loved it. It made me so emotional in the best way. I'll try to talk a little about each of my favorite parts.

1- The absolutely lovable characters

I just love love love them all. Both main and side characters. Chloe makes you slowly fall in love with them and their beautiful bonds. They're complex and layered and wonderful, and while I was able to relate to other characters in the past two books when it came to a few things, Freya is the one most like me, and it made this book even more delightful.

She is a free spirit, a loving fiercely protective momma bear to her loved ones, and I absolutely adored her. And I love how she talks about and deals with her emotions because I can relate so much to everything she says, being the type of person whom the world constantly tells their feelings are too much.

It just felt so so good reading about this badass wonderful character that I can see parts of myself in❤️❤️❤️
Then there's Aiden who you also can't help but love him, for the wonderful resilient man he is, and for how much he loves Frey and his mother. He's been though so much, and it's very hard on him to talk about his anxiety and how it affects him and his past, but he continously tries to be a better man, a better husband. And even when things got too hard for him and he made choices that badly affected his marriage, he tried his best. He admitted his mistakes and got down to working on it. You can see him struggling but still trying. Groveling and doing whatever it takes to fix what happened between him and Freya.

I was always rooting for him, for both of them, which brings me to my next favorite thing.

2-Chloe's approach to the marriage-in-crisis

From the very beginning it was two people who loved each other but ended up hurting each other while trying to protect the other from life and what it throws at you. Aiden pulling back started it but as they worked things out Freya also admitted there were things she could've done differently. They both struggled and wanted to work this out in a healthy way . To do better, now that after a decade of marriage, they found themselves becoming estranged. Together but not. And they committed themselves to that, to each other and their marriage. There was no pride getting in the way, no toxic masculinity or trying to prove a point , they both talked about how they felt, both admitted their mistakes and what they've been doing wrong in the relationship, and constantly chose each other and vowed to do better. To be dedicated and put in the work. It wasn't easy, it was full of tears and hurt and anger and messy contradicting emotions and fear of what comes next, but it was also very heartwarming, seeing them come together again.

"I love someone who’s shown me that love doesn’t give second chances because we’ve earned them. Love gives second chances because it believes the best in who we are."

Chloe really gets into it and doesn't shy away from how hard it could get . She also constantly corrects the unrealistic expectations and thoughts culture and society engrave in us, and truly shows what relationships require. The relationship /marriage advice and the topics they get into are truly something . They make this book unique and unforgettable, and one I'll always recommend. It'd also be amazing to read with a partner!!

I also loved that even when they're fighting , when it got to the point where they want to run sometimes, you still see them being understanding of what the other went/goes through, empathetic , and you see the little signs of their love like making sure the other person is up for eating something or doing something to ease their anxiety, or realizing they're no longer doing something that brings them joy like singing and humming and trying to bring them back. I just loved it all, it was the perfect story for these two and my favorite marriage in crisis story ❤️❤️❤️❤️

3- It was still very fun and swoony.

And I'm not just talking about the last parts of the book after they've worked on things . Throughout the whole book Chloe finds a balance between the angst and emotional moments and the fun moments with the Bergman shenanigans. And it was still full of swoons. Aiden and Frey had me burying my face in my pillow several times because my heart couldn't take all the angst, but also because of the wholesome adorable moments between them, whether in flashbacks to some moments in their ten years they've been together, or the sweet soft moments we get as they talk more and more and work on their marriage and things start to get better and their comfort and intimacy return.

4- The Family/Brothers bonds

The family bonds in this series make me so happy and enjoy the books so much(along with the adorable romances of course) , and as with the first two books you have all the Bergmans with their love and mischief, but there's an added bonus of seeing how the brothers dealt with Freya and Aiden's marriage crisis. There was meddling, of course , as they were trying to figure out how to help in their own way, and it lead to some hilarious moments, but there's also the sweet emotional moments where they remind Aiden that they're there for him too, that they love him and he's theirs as well as Freya’s, and some of them had me clutching my heart in tears. It was so beautiful, especially with how much it means to Aiden.

5-The Representation
If you've read any of Chloe's Bergman books then this probably isn't a surprise for you. She's keen on giving us many reps with neurodiverse characters, disability rep, etc. And I absolutely love that.

In this book we have Aiden who has anxiety and with the way Chloe portrayed it I could recognize some of the things I've seen a loved one with anxiety struggle with in him and I hope that others with anxiety could see themselves well represented in this book.

Another thing I personally truly appreciated was having an amazing curvy heroine.

I love that lately I've been seeing more diversity in this beloved genre, how inclusive it's becoming, and I hope this only grows. Because love is for all, and everyone deserves to be seen and heard and see characters like them as heroes of their own story, finding their own happy ending.

And so for someone who's been plus size almost her entire life, and midsized at her lowest, I'll always love and appreciate having characters like Freya. I can't tell you how many times I started at that cover 😍

This book was an absolute delight❤️

4.5 stars rounded up to 5🌟❤️

This book brought me out of my comfort zone- I don’t often read books with tough topics like marriage troubles but only Chloe Liese could still convince me fo pick up a book about it! I fell in love with Aiden and Freya and was rooting for them the entire book. Their journey to surviving their rocky marriage was tough to read and I’m glad that Chloe portrayed counseling and anxiety in such and honest and truthful way.

I'm going to start this off by immediately saying this is Chloe Liese's BEST BOOK YET. Ever After Always is a book that anyone in a long term relationship can relate to (if anyone says they can't they're lying to you). This isn't a book where you'll be picking sides. You will feel Freya's pain. You will feel Aiden's Pain. Period. Aiden's anxiety is something I felt DEEPLY in my soul as I read this. Chloe portrayed the power and manipulation anxiety can have over someone's life perfectly. Freya feels invisible and unloved by her partner which is just so...REAL. It happens. Relationships are raw, rocky, and sometimes painful. This book is about powering through those moments and coming out on the other end stronger because of them. Romance authors tend to steer clear of writing about these rough moments in a relationship but I love that Chloe tackled them head on and nailed it. There is so much power in love and Ever After Always will prove that to you. Also...THE. STEAM. WAS. PERFECTION. I know you all are wondering about that. My opinion, Chloe Liese writes her absolute best sex scenes yet in this one. She turned up the heat and I'm so here for it.

I can't wait for the next book, Chloe!!! BRAVO!!!!

I absolutely adored this book. After reading Frankie and Ren's book, I am not surprised in the slightest. Liese knows exactly what she is doing. This was the most realistic second chance/salvage marriage book that I have read. The issues they discussed were the true issues that a marriage faces, especially a marriage where both people desperately love each other but have grown apart. The development and progression of Aiden and Freya's relationship and their ups and downs were extremely realistic. The issues the book discussed were very real and very touching. I also really appreciate Liese tackling issues such as poverty, anxiety, abandonment, etc. Leave it to Liese to give us a romance that deals with the real issues of the world. I adored their therapist, she was a realistic depiction of what a marriage counselor actually should be like.

As expected, the Bergman family was adorable. Seeing Aiden finding a true family in the crazy yet welcoming Bergmans made me tear up, especially that scene at the end. And the brothers' meddling and antics to get Freya and Aiden closer made me laugh.

This book was described as The Bromance Book Club meets All Your Perfects, and this was all that and more! (It even has an adorable romance reader who pushes his brothers to read romance too and the mention of book boners)

I loved this book and recommend it to anyone looking for a realistic and heartwarming romance with scenes that will make you tear up only to make you laugh 2 minutes later.

- 5 stars -

Thank you to NetGalley, Chole Liese, and the publisher for a copy of the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book broke me. Wow!!

If you're looking for a happy go lucky rom com. This book is not for you. This book is raw, beauty and courageous. This books explores marriage and shows the difficulties some marriages face! This shows us the good, the bad and the ugly!

The Bergman brothers are back, bringing their funny pranks with them.

I loved the vulnerability of these characters. Like the rest of Chloe Liese books, she shows us the power in vulnerability. Freya is such an amazing powerful character however she is completely "normal". She has her self esteem issues.
Aiden has a lot his own issues. Chloe has an amazing writing ability that allows us to feel their sadness and empathise with the characters.

Thank you to the author for providing me with this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

So this is the third book in the Bergman Brother's series and we are actually following the oldest Freya (one of the sister's) and her husband Aiden as they are coming up on their 10th wedding anniversary. I love romance stories that are about an established couple dealing with normal issues and trying to resolve them, as someone who has been with her husband for 21 years, I love stories I can relate to in this way. I also loved that one of the main characters had anxiety and was dealing with that on top of everything else. I related to this so much and saw myself in this character! This series is great and I think everyone should add her to their auto buy list! I just want to say that I had a family emergency happen while reading this one and I think that impacted my reading experience with the last 25% of this book. I was not in the best head space to be reading but really needed to be doing something with my time. But I still highly recommend this book to everyone!!

In the third book of the Bergman Brothers series, Chloe Liese portrays Freya and Aiden as a married couple who are willing to fight to stay together. She has written a poignant and heartfelt narrative that addresses anxiety disorder and marital disconnect honestly and sensitively. I connected with this book on so many levels, and while the subject matter was emotionally hard to read at times, I had the utmost faith that the author would take us on a worthwhile journey. What I appreciated most about this book is that marriage is portrayed as messy; it's not the happily ever after, but the "ever after always" that matters, and isn't that the truth.

4.5 stars rounded up. / Rated: R
ARC provided courtesy of NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Content warning: anxiety disorder, marital troubles

Chloe Liese's newest book has once again floored me. I cannot get enough of her witty banter, realistic storylines, and characters that truly come to life.

The newest installment of the Bergman Brothers sucked me in deep. I read the whole book in one night! Aiden and Freya's marriage is on the rocks, and neither knows what to do. Keeping one secret from each other after another, heavy workloads, and the possible stress of starting a family is just too much. Will the original Bergman marriage survive? Or will it end in disaster?

Family dynamics and real-life scenarios make this one her strongest book yet. I cannot wait for the next book in this amazing collection!

My favorite thing about Chloe Liese and her books is that she is so unafraid to tackle hard or complicated issues. She is so good at it and handles them with such thoughtfulness and care. Every book of hers that I read, I come away with a new perspective, a little more knowledge, and a warm heart. Ever After Always is a story of a marriage in crisis. I was so nervous to read it as a wife of 18+ years. It just felt so personal and relatable and I was a little bit afraid of the rawness and honesty that I knew Chloe would put in the book.

What I found was exactly what I expected. But it was written with fun Bergman family dynamics. It was loaded with personal growth (my FAVE!). It was filled with steam and connection and tension and communication that is hard to find in a good rom com. Ever After Always is beautifully written and so well done. It is the perfect next step in this family series. I love the way that we get small bites of future stories so that we are always left satisfied with the story we got, but ready for more of the next.

Thank you, Chloe, for letting me read and review.

Chloe Liese does a fantastic job with the 3rd book in the Bergman Brothers (Sister) series. This book focuses on Freya, the oldest Bergman and her husband Aiden.

I loved this book. It's honest and such a beautiful love story of two people trying to live all the craziness that is life. This is heartbreaking and human as Freya and Aiden hit some difficult times after 10 years of marriage. Liese brilliantly captures the struggle with anxiety and how it impacts your life and your relationships.

I love this family and their playful banter, their boisterous gatherings and so much love!!

Can't wait to get Viggo's story 💗

I simply don’t have enough words for all the feelings this book made me feel! Without a doubt one of my top 5 reads of 2020. Not only did this book touch on a relationship in crisis but it also very accurately portrayed what it’s like to live with anxiety. I cannot wait for the next book in this series.

Ever After Always is the third book in the Bergman Brothers standalone series and it tells Freya and Aiden's story. Freya is the oldest Bergman sibling and her marriage to Aiden is falling apart. She has always felt that they were that couple that still had that spark years into their marriage, but their marriage has slowly been unraveling for the past six months. Their marriage is in crisis and Aiden and Freya will have to find their way back to one another before it's too late.

I am quickly becoming a big Chloe Liese fan. I really like that she writes romance books with underrepresented experiences. Aiden is a man who struggles with debilitating anxiety and grew up in poverty. Freya has her own demons and although she does her best to support Aiden, maybe it's not always enough. That's a tough pill to swallow and it certainly may seem like it isn't a sexy backdrop for a romance book. I really like that Liese's stories are real, honest, and raw. They show the not-so-pretty side of these underrepresented experiences but with a glimmer of hope and in a positive light. She balances heavy topics with some fun Bergman family times and of course some really steamy scenes.

Aiden and Freya's story is intense from the beginning. The book starts right after Freya has kicked Aiden out and my stomach was in knots hoping that they get back together. I loved seeing glimpses of the early stages of their relationship, especially how they met. The lessons of love and relationships in this book are insightful and inspiring.

I can't wait to read about Axel and Rooney's story in the next book! That has been brewing since before Book 2!

When I saw that the next book in this series was going to be about Aiden and Freya, I was a little apprehensive. Although I’ve found I appreciate stories about couples who are already committed, it feels like we know them as family from the first two books in the series and don’t want to see them struggling. But it was really beautiful, and really important, to see that relationships aren’t easy, that hurting the people we love and being hurt in return will happen, but that just makes it even more special when we fight to repair and make them stronger.

In Romancelandia, being able to see them weather this storm while knowing they would get their happier-for-now in the end was powerful too. That safety net isn’t there in real life, but seeing these two navigate life’s challenges, hurting each other unintentionally (and seeing both sides), and learning that a relationship isn’t a static ‘happily ever after’ made it feel hopeful but real.

Five stars! I loved this book! Ever After Always follows the oldest Bergman sibling Freya and her husband Aiden. Unlike the other two books, I enjoyed that this one started in the middle of a relationship. There were still flashbacks to the beginning of the relationship but I enjoyed the realness of the work it takes to keep an established couple together and flourishing. As always, I can’t wait for the next Bergman book!

“Ever After Always” was an emotional ride to say the least. I smiled, blushed, laughed, and cried. Aiden and Freya’s story crushed me and then somehow put me back together. Chloe Liese’s latest book is about a couple who, despite their love for one another, have lost their way to each other. Will the help of an eccentric therapist, a week away in paradise and the meddling of the other Bergman siblings be enough for Freya and Aiden to stay together?

Some of the things I loved in the previous books are still very much present in this third installation: Representation of mental health/disabilities, laugh out loud moments, clear-cut consent, steamy scenes and two imperfect people who are perfect for each other.

Do you ever read a book and think about how you would liked to be adopted by a family? Because that is exactly how I feel when I read the books in the Bergman brothers series. I absolutely loved Willa and Ryder's story, and Frankie and Ren's story, so I was thrilled when Freya got her own story. In Ever After Always, Aiden and Freya's twelve year marriage is on the brink of divorce. Aiden was a pretty important character in Willa and Ryder's story, as the professor of the class where the two met who was responsible for their matchmaking. One trope that I absolutely love is the fighting to make the marriage work one. I have been married for almost six years, so I related to Freya as a wife. I loved the fact that the two of them had to fight for their marriage. I think that people are too quick to divorce in today's day and age, and it seems like its getting more and more rare to meet a couple that can say that have been together for 20 or more years. Although Freya and Aiden's marriage takes center stage in this novel, the real star of this book is the way that Liese deals with Aiden's anxiety and traumatic past. One of the things that I love about Chloe Liese's writing is the way that she deals with mental health, chronic illness, physical disability, and other topics. She does it in a way that is sensitive and really humanizes them in a way that helps to educate and advocate. I also really appreciated that it was Aiden, not Freya, that suffered from anxiety. I think we definitely live in a culture that tells men they have to be emotionally strong and cannot cry or express their insecurities. This leads to a culture of toxic masculinity, and I love that she made Aiden so vulnerable in this way. I absolutely loved the first two books in this series, so of course, I was so excited to read this book, and it did not disappoint. Like I mentioned at the beginning of this review, I would love to be adopted by this family, but since that can't happen, I'll settle for reading about all of their shenanigans. I also loved that we got to catch up with Ren and Frankie and Willa and Ryder; these are characters that I am completely emotionally invested in, and will never turn down the chance to find out what they are up to. Of course, we also get to see the rest of the Bergman family, including Ziggy, and I am looking forward to Axel and Rooney's story. Ever After Always is one of those stories that will tug on your heartstrings. I also really loved Chloe's note at the end of the book. Marriage isn't always easy and it's not always a fairy tale. Even though the happily ever after is often the only thing we get to see, it is important to remember that it takes a lot to get there and it doesn't always happen. Chloe Liese is one of the many new authors I discovered this year, and I absolutely cannot wait to keep reading more of her stories. Thank you to the publisher and author for giving me the chance to read this book. I will be posting my review and feature on my IG page @readingmama_reviews a little closer to pub date!

Some things I didn’t know I needed until I read this book:
• A playlist – Chloe has curated a playlist to go with this book and it added a level of emotional engagement to a story that I’ve never experienced before. Every romance book should have one if they are going to be as thoughtful and well done as this one.
• “Fuckety shit-tits” – My new favorite swear.
• The brothers Bergman quoting Lisa Kleypas – This is just as amazing as it sounds.
• A parrot with an r-rated vocabulary – And not just that, but one that has been trained to target a specific person and otherwise says charming things like “hiya toots”.
In all seriousness, Chloe Liese has done it again. Her words are a gift and I treasure them all. I loved the first two books in the Bergman Brothers series. Only When It’s Us is my top favorite contemporary romance of all time ever. After finding out that book three would focus on Aiden and Freya’s struggling marriage, feature a curvy heroine, and a hero with anxiety disorder, I knew it would hit a bit differently than the others. Reading this book was a deeply personal experience and so this review will be uniquely personal as well.
I grew up with an emotionally abusive mother who based much of my worth on my outward appearance. It took more than a decade’s worth of years living away from her and a wife who never stops making me feel beautiful and who is a stalwart protector against anything that might, to feel good in my skin skin. To stop hating myself when I looked in the mirror, to stop missing out on activities because I agonized over how others would see me, to learn to be proud of this strong body that has done so much for me. I wasn’t sure how much of the story would focus on Freya’s relationship with her body and I was so pleasantly surprised. I talk a lot about how I love books that feature casual queerness and that’s what this one did for body positivity. It was casual, it was there without being the whole point, and it was wonderful.
For most of my life I’ve battled with anxiety that was greatly exacerbated during pregnancy and postpartum. Anxiety that has taken a toll on my marriage, my job, and created countless lost opportunities. Aiden’s anxiety disorder is portrayed with such care and highlights the personal work required to manage it. Chloe also focuses on Freya’s role as a support person, and in the collaborative effort they must make together to communicate effectively without holding back.
My wife and I have been together for seventeen years. We met technically as adults in college, but were still very much kids. We’ve been through many highs and quite a few lows. We’ve had times where we came to a crossroads where it likely would have been easier to take different paths, but we chose instead the work it would take to try to stay on the same one. So far have been fortunate enough to continue traveling side by side. Sharing a life with someone, even when that person is your best friend in the world, is not always happy. It’s not always easy and fun. It can be sad and lonely and frustrating and feel hopeless too.
In Ever After Always, Chloe gets all of this so right. The range of emotions that Freya and Aiden feel, the worries that they harbor, the thoughts that they kept hidden from each other, it all resonated so deeply with me. There is a scene near the beginning where Freya walks in on Aiden having an emotional moment in the shower that is so visceral I will never forget it. Freya’s realization that she has lost herself over the years, has let go of the things that bring her joy and make her her, hit so very close to home. It’s something I’ve since rectified and I felt it in my soul when Freya sings karaoke again for the first time in so long.
There is a lot of heavy in this book, but it’s not a heavy book. The dual perspective ensures that while they are struggling and unhappy, both characters love each other so deeply and want to work things out. I’ve highlighted some of my favorite funny moments already, but this is a Bergman brothers book, and like the others, it is full of hilarity and family hijinks. It made me smile more than it made my heart ache. It’s romantic and tender and incredibly steamy. I feel like I could go on forever about it and if you’ve made it this far, I appreciate you. Chloe made my entire year by adding me to the arc team for this, and I am forever grateful. Ever After Always comes out in a little over a month and I recommend it with all of my heart.

I have loved this precious books in the series and this was just as good. It was beautifully written and I loved the story. Thank you to netgalley for the arc.

+This is an opposites attract, marriage in crisis book. When I first read The Bromance Book Club, I think most of my obsession was that it was a marriage in crisis. I can affirm you aren’t together for 13 years, without some bumps in the road. It felt so relatable and that’s absolutely how Ever After Always made me feel.
+I have never related so much to both characters in a book. Aiden’s anxiety, Freya’s constant need to please, hello it’s me 🙋🏻‍♀️
+Being back together with the Bergman brood was not disappointing and Esmeralda the parrot literally had me crying laughing!