Gabrielle is a divorced mother of two boys - she had a very amicable split with her ex before he died. She's moved back to her hometown to give herself and Dylan and Carter a fresh start.

She first sees her neighbor - Jay - when she falls off her back porch (while wearing nothing but a towel). He's uber grumpy, and makes no secret of the fact that he wants nothing to do with her or her boys... or does he?

Jay has some pretty deep baggage from the most important relationship he'd ever been in. After that didn't work out, the last thing he wants is to get involved again, with anyone. Even if she has a sparkle to her that he's finding hard to resist. But her youngest, Carter, is an amazing character in the book - I loved the way he called Jay out (in a kind way) on his loneliness and unhappiness.

So - they give in to their attraction, and now the only thing standing in their way is a belligerent 14 year old who doesn't quite know how to deal with everything he's feeling.

They all have to find a way to balance life and love and all the good and sometimes bad that comes with it.

Thank you to the author and to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

This book is exactly why I love Adriana Locke. It’s small town romance with big feelings. Loved reading about Gabby and Jay as they change from friends to lovers. They have the right chemistry from the beginning. Gabby’s boys are grieving the loss of thier father and are navigating having a new man in their mom’s life. It’s heartwarming to see how they slowly develop a bond with Jay.
This book is perfect for a romance reader.

SO good!! Single mom with 2 boys and a grumpy neighbor who is trying to stay away!. I loved the banter and the heartfelt moments. Gabby is dealing with a teenager who is having a hard time adjusting not only to living in a new place but not having his dad and his mom moving on. The sweet moments with the younger boy and the Jay the grumpy neighbor will melt your heart. Jay and Gabby are swoon-worthy! Adriana created a cast of characters that you will fall in love with.

Gabrielle and Jay

A cute, adorable, sweet next door neighbor, single mom romance. Loved their story. Gaby moves back to her small town with her two boys on the same block as her cousin. Jay is the next door neighbor who us known as the grumpy nomad. An accident in which Jay helps Gaby who fell into bushes in nothing but a towel. There is a instant chemistry but Jay has a past that has him trying to stay away but her trying to do DIY projects around her house has him constantly helping her. Throw in an angry teenager and a little boy who is so adorable makes the story a bit emotional and funny. Love the side characters and hope to get more from these characters.

I received a copy from Net Galley and read through Kindle Documents.

Between Now and Forever is a romance story between neighbors with an insta love/lust vibe. Gabrielle is a single mother of two who moves back to her hometown after suffering a loss. Jay is her hot, single grumpy neighbor, who sees her fall off her porch and decides he needs to help her. They both have a lot they need to work on from their past, but they try to forge a friends with benefits type relationship, but it is not without its struggles. One of Gabrielle's children loves Jay from the start and the other despises him more than anything.

There were parts of the story I really liked, namely Carter and most of the interactions between Jay and Gabrielle. I also really liked Gabrielle as a mother. She loved her kids fiercely and was trying to do the best by them given her situation.

I did struggle with all the characters and sub plots as I did not really feel like they contributed to the story as a whole. I also thought there was a a good amount of relationship building and story happening in the beginning, but then when it got going, I feel like the relationship between the two main characters kind of stalled. I would have liked to see more of their relationship and connection and I definitely would have liked to see more growth with Jay and Dylan's relationship. The ending seemed rushed, somewhat unrealistic and fast, and I felt like something was missing. There was a lot of promise to this story in the beginning but then it fell kind of flat.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

4.5 stars

This book was real. It made me laugh and cry. Jay and Gabrielle are great characters. They both have past hurts that make them wary. I loved all the characters. Carter was hilarious. I loved the way Gabrielle put her kids first. It made her relationship with Jay more real. Overall this was a really good story.

Thank you NetGalley, Montlake and Adriana Locke for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Gabrielle and Jay are neighbors who meet in the most unexpected way. There is an immediate connection but both have a lot of previous trauma that causes hesitation and miscommunication.

Overall I enjoyed the book. I liked the main characters but think there could have been a little bit more development in parts of the book.

Things I liked:
I felt the pull between them and loved the build there.
A wonderful single mom and two realistic kids
Entertaining side characters
Open, vulnerable communication (once they got past the miscommunication)

Things that were a miss:
7yr old without any issues after losing his dad
Side character storylines that felt unnecessary or underdeveloped
No talk of therapy or professional help (especially for kids)
Relationships shown in extremes and insanely fast paced - either completely miserable or amazing within a day. Most live in the middle so showing some of that would have been nice

Tropes:
Grumpy/sunshine
Neighbors to lovers
Small town romance
Single mom

I enjoyed Between Now and Forever. It was a lighthearted, cute, sweet and fun small town romance. I adored the main characters, Gabrielle and Jay even though their first meeting left me with a serious case of second hand embarrassment. I loved how their relationship developed. There was lots of crackling tension and chemistry between them as well as a lot of push and pull too with a sprinkling of angst thrown in. I loved watching them navigate their hang ups and the external things that came against their relationship. This was an awesome, easy read that I just flew through. If you're looking for something lighthearted I definitely recommend this.

Oh wow…I’m not often someone who cries while reading a book but gosh…Jay and Dylan got me good at the end there! Cue the water works! Gabby and Jay were wonderful! I loved this one! The side characters of Della, Cricket, and especially Carter! Great read if you like a heavier themed book and the single mom trope!

There are many layers to this story which I enjoyed, especially the way Gabrielle and Jay initially meet. Humor and intense emotion blended into a well-balanced plot with great characters. Although, the miscommunication between them was a bit much, to the point of wanting to knock some sense into these two. I absolutely loved the kids, each having their own unique personality that added intriguing as well as difficult moments needing to be addressed. Overall, the vibe of this book and the chemistry that could not be resisted drove the story forward which had a satisfying conclusion for this couple.

When I'm looking for a book filled with heart and sappy love moments, I turn to an Adriana Locke book every time. Every. Time. Why? Because she delivers like no other! Between Now and Forever is no exception. I was hooked from the second Gabrielle's towel fell off when she was (not so) subtly checking out Jay from across their yards! I love the grumpy/sunshine vibes, I loved what a sap Jay was for Gabby and I loved the girl squad- girl squads are my favorite!!

I also really appreciated how Locke didn't carry too much out throughout the book. The intrigue moments were definitely there and kept readers on the line, but they resolved pretty quickly so I didn't feel annoyed or disconnected to the story. The plot lines were easy to follow and made the book as a whole fun and easy to read. The characters were great and easy to connect with. I liked how Gabby was navigating life without her kids' father but wasn't a widow. I thought the way that dynamic was written was fresh and intriguing and was a favorite aspect of the book.

Overall, Locke's books are easy go-to's for me. I like that they aren't overly long or drawn out, and even if the tropes aren't your favorite there is something in the book that is easy to love and connect with. I enjoyed Jay's backstory and how it played out for him in his relationships with Gabby and her sons. And I really want to be invited into that girl group. What a freaking squad!

The small town Queen does it again!

No one writes small town romance better than Adriana, every story she writes has her special sort of magic that takes us on a journey that only she can.

Gabby moves back to the small town she grew up in with her two boys and a hope for a fresh start. What she wasn’t expecting was a neighbor that makes her heart beat again.

This story has all we could ask for plus a little bit more. It’s simply Adriana at her best. I am a fan and will always read her stories, and you should too!

I always love Adriana’s books. She’s the queen of small town family romance. Gabrielle is a widow who just moved back to a small town and is starting over with her boys. Her boys are her world. One is just living and loving life, and just straight adorable. But her eldest, that’s a different story. As much as he loves his mom, he still misses his dad. Jay, the hunky neighbor tries to stay away, not wanting to get hurt again. But he just can’t stay away. Jay’s heart is under the spell of Gabrielle and her boys. It is a sweet and wholesome book with a dash of spice.

OMG…grab the tissues for this all of the feels romance between Jay and Gabrielle. With trust issues leading the way, Gabrielle feels alive when she’s around Jay but Jay leads with fear of having his heart broke with her kids being involved. When things blow up as they most often do can Jay and Gabrielle get their heads out of said fears to find the love they both want? Don’t miss this heartbreaking and heartwarming emotional journey! Loved it!!!

Locke always gives us a sweet read. Between Now and Forever is a grumpy/sunshine-ish romance between two people that are starting to make decisions for themselves and not others. Single mom neighbor to a grumpy carpenter that keeps to himself. He tries hard to ignore them but they don’t make it easy. So many laugh out loud moments…Carter is hilarious! I enjoyed this whole story.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book.

Another binge worthy book by Adriana. She has yet to let me down.

I was giggling from the very start of this book. Seriously at 5% I snorted. I had a smile on my face the majority of this book. But I also had tears in my eyes at one point. This one gave me all the feels and I loved every second of it.

But let’s get to the best part… Jay. Jay is everything. A top book boyfriend. Hot. Swoony. He did it for me on every level. What I found sexy was how he interacted with Gabrielle’s kids. His relationship with Carter was adorable and his patience with Dylan was admirable. I loved how those relationships developed.

Just an all around fantastic read for me. 10/10.

*Review will be shared to Instagram and Amazon on release day

Ummmm yes pleassseeee?? Just finished this and it left me with such joy in my heart. Jay is just a great guy. Gabrielle is a woman who knows her worth and Carter is solid gold entertainment. I laughed so hard and swooned even harder. It’s really a beautiful story. Also I love that the third act breakup wasn’t just a silly miscommunication; these characters had real life issues that were refreshing to see addressed in such a healthy way.

<b>My heart wasn't ready for the swoon and heartache overload in Between Now and Forever by Adriana Locke. Gabrielle and Jay will steal your heart. For now and forever! The chemistry is sizzling hot but their circumstances and their emotional baggage made it a slow burn..and I am here for it because when the spice hits, it's heaven! Gabrielle amazed me with her sweetness, sass and courage. And we all love a book boyfriend who is alpha but comes with a side of vulnerability. If you are looking for one book to read before the year ends, choose Between Now and Forever by Adriana Locke.</b>

✔️ small town romance
✔️ neighbors to lovers
✔️ grumpy sunshine
✔️ single mother ( divorced and then her husband died)
✔️ Great secondary characters
✔️ blue collar worker hero
✔️ she names babies for a job!
✔️ contemporary romance

<b>Adriana Locke gave us a great mix of all kinds of feels. Gabrielle moved back to her home town with her boys( Dylan and Carter) for a fresh start after her ex passed away. They were still best friends. She has been grieving and the boys are having a hard time with adjusting with their new reality. She is the best mother. She did everything She could to make it easy for the boys but she is still a mess. I love how big her heart is. She is witty and funny and charming and adorable but when she moved next door to Jay, she didnt have all the light in her soul.

Jay had a life altering experience with his previous serious relationship who was a single mother with a cute girl and who devastated him by cutting him off after their break up. He stays inside his own cage. Working, having occasional meeting with his friend, meaningless hook up..that's it. He definitely had no business feeling this urge to help the single mother next door. But their attraction was irresistible.

Gabrielle wants the love and adoration because she has been missing it so long. She just wanted someone to share her life with. Jay with his protectiveness and bossy attitude and surprising charm made her feel like she is living her life again. But Jay's demons were not so easy to beat. Her boys are the most important factor here and Jay ran when things became hard..but realised his mistake real soon. Their banter and sassy conversations were everything. Before they gave in to their passion, they became unlikely friends first. Gabrielle healed Jay and broke down her walls. And she found the man she deserved.</b>

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily

Between Now and Forever by Adriana Locke is a great read. It kept me hooked. Gabrielle has 2 boys and they just moved back to where she was from after the boys dad died and she needed a fresh start for her and them. Jay is not into dating anyone after having his heart ripped out. Well in comes Gabrielle and her 2 boys. Will they be able to bring Jay back to living? Go one click because you will definitely want to read this book.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for this arc.

Gabrielle’s ex husband has recently passed away and she decide to move her kids to a small town. She meets her grumpy neighbor, Jay, and he isn’t very kind. Jay has been burned before by another single mom and he can’t stop comparing Gabrielle to Melody.

However, when faced with the chance that Gabrielle would be with anyone else, Jay faces his fears. Gabrielle’s two sons are grieving their father. Her oldest has been the biggest challenge. He doesn’t want any of them to move on.

Once Jay and Gabrielle overcome the obstacles, they’re able to have their HEA. I really enjoyed Jay’s character and felt so bad about him losing little Izzy. The romance was a slow burn. Single parent romances aren’t my favorite, but it was a pretty good read!