An adorable, laugh out loud read with a fun quick paced story. Gabrielle is a single mother of two boys. She has moved back to her home town and she is ready for as fresh start. Jay is a single man, kinda grumpy very handy…extremely smitten with his new neighbor. This book was so darn funny. Gabrielle had it in her mind that she was a Professional DIY expert…in reality she was a hot mess express. Good thing her next door neighbor Jay was a carpenter. These two had fun banter and undeniable chemistry. It just took them awhile to get to their happily ever after…but it was defiantly worth the wait. I truly enjoyed this book and the journey it took me on. This author never disappoints and I'm already looking forward to seeing what is in store for us next.

3.75

Not sure if it was my mood or not, but this one didn't hit me like her other books. I didn't feel the emotions like I usually do.

Between Now and Forever hits the spot! The spot that craves enemies to lovers, grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity (I consider being neighbours as proximity enough), and rom-coms! Because Adriana Locke has that touch. She weaves her magic and makes you fall in love with grumpy Jay and single mom Gabrielle. You read, eagerly turning pages, as they meet, as they realise their feelings for eachother, as they face challenges, and well, if I say anything more, I will have to click the spoiler button.
Another 5 star novel by Adriana Locke!

I will always be a sucker for a single parent romance! This book really hit on some deep emotional moments surrounding being a single parent, losing a parent, someone willingness to get involved and attached. In any love story there’s that moment where you have to choose whether you’re going to take the leap or hold back but both options lead you to gain and lose very different things. In this book Jay has to decided what he’s willing to risk losing in order gain everything. Gabs is trying to navigate her feelings plus her two boys feelings when it comes to Jays involvement in their lives. While I don’t 100% agree with how she chooses to handle some hard feelings, I think at the end of the day she’s a mom doing what she feels is best. Having a man and him helping you find yourself again is so beautiful especially post children.

It’s a beautiful love story:)

I love me a small town romance and I've read previous Adriana Locke books and enjoyed them. This would be a win-win for me. However this story fell just a little bit short for me. The meet-cute between Gabrielle and Jay was good. It was amusing and really set the pace for these two as the tension was through the roof. I did like how they always seem to gravitate towards one another. Their interactions were fine and cute. I also liked how Jay was with Gabrielle's two sons even the teenager who was being very angsty. Now it wasn't all smooth sailing and there was some drama. But all in all, it ended well. While I did enjoy most of the book I wanted a little bit more, just more of all the relationships. It would have made the story completely full for me. Overall, this was still a nice read.

The emotions that hit while reading this book are as follows. 😓😂😃❤️💥😢😭 .
This is a book of starting over and finding out you are worthy of love again. Both Jay and Gabrielle have to overcome the past and move on. This book covers a lot including some issues with the kids.
I seriously found myself with the emotions all over the place with this book. I listen to the audio while reading,so that might be why it hit me harder. The narrators really bring the story to life and bring the emotions to the story.
I have to say that I love it when kids are involved in the story, and one just takes over. This is the case with this book. Carter, Gabrielle's youngest, had me cracking up in every scene he was in, especially during the "teaching Jay how to play baseball" scene. He is such a full of life kid who, despite not being the most talented, still tries and doesn't let anything stop him. Her oldest is your typical hurting and acting out teenager who misses her dad and doesn't need anyone,including Jay in his life. This obviously changes.
The characters are great and bring so much to life in this story!! I loved every minute of this book and audiobook!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I love the small town of Alden and all of its wonderful residents, especially Gabrielle and Jay. They both have been through tragedies in their lives and are hesitant about moving on. They meet when Gabrielle moves back to her hometown and Jay ends up being her neighbor. They get off to a rocky start as Jay tries to fight his attraction to her but the sparks fly and when they finally give in, wow! They have amazing chemistry and it’s easy to see that they complete each other! There are so many sweet, spicy, and hilarious moments throughout the story and I highly recommend!

The chemistry between the characters is undeniable, starting with a hilarious opening scene I loved. The spice was perfect—balanced and not overdone. Their heartbreaking stories were made even more impactful by the narrator, but it’s the moments of hope—friendship, laughter, and joy—that truly shined.

4.5⭐, 2.5🌶️

Ahhh, a good and cute single mom romance! I was giving this author another chance because I didnt really connect with another book she wrote, and I'm glad I did because I enjoyed this book!

This is about a small town, grumpy man who now lives next to a single mom and her two sons and while he's begrudging about really any social contact, he finds himself seeking out Gabby and helping her boys every day. I ate up grumpy Jay turning soft throughout the book - and his backstory?! Heartbreaking. Both characters are experiencing grief and have different ways to cope, but the love story was adorable (and the spice was awesome). I got more emotional over the third act break up than I expected - I think it was one of the best break ups and very fitting, even if it was a bit of trauma/ miscommunication. I could very well see both sides and was just GIDDY knowing the reunion would be perfect (it was)

🧡Single Mom Romance
💛Grumpy x Sunshine
🧡Small Town
💛Forced Proximity: Neighbors

**As of this review, this book is available on Kindle Unlimited with the Audible audiobook included for free (I listened to the audiobook and REALLY enjoyed Rachel Vivette and Oliver Clarke's narrations)

Thank you NetGalley and Montlake for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Gabrielle moves back to her hometown from Boston with her two boys for a fresh start after grieving for her ex-husband. Jay is still healing after his ex left with their daughter. He doesn't want to care, but he can't stop himself from helping the single mom next door with her DIY projects next door.
I'm so in love with this! Carter is adorable! The parallels between Dylan and Jay is insane. I love the journey they all take to heal from their grief - it's inspiring!
Main points:
❤️ Neighbors to lovers
🛠️ Single Mom of Boys
❤️ Grumpy X Sassy
🛠️ Blue Collar MMC
❤️ Found family
🛠️ Slow burn
❤️ Grief healing
🛠️ Emotional journey

4.5⭐️
This book made me feel all the feels of my very first Adriana Locke book 💕

Gabrielle: Single mom to Dylan and Conner. Recently moved back to her small town. Wants to feel like she’s worthy of fighting for.

Jay: Carpenter. Originally from Indiana. Single, and has no plans to change that, especially for a single mom.

Will Jay be able to stay away from Gabrielle and her boys? Even though he can’t keep his mind off her, he’s unwilling to make the same mistake twice…

An emotional journey about a love that grew despite all the doubts and insecurities that got in the way.

With that hilarious opening scene, we were introduced to Gabby and Jay and learned quite a bit about their living situations. But Jay was markedly closed-off, grumpy, and really not ready for Gabby. I have to admit, I was not that enamored of him at the start. His hot-and-cold attitude towards Gabby and her boys just became increasingly frustrating.

I really felt for Gabby. She was slowly getting ready to move on, but her two boys and her concerns for their wellbeing made that more complicated. There was an immediate and undeniable attraction between her and Jay, but their personal baggage was like an obstacle course that looked to be an insurmountable challenge.

It was painful to experience all these roller coaster feelings with Gabby and Jay, and more notably from Dylan. Jay had the most trouble overcoming his hangups, but his capitulation was sweet indeed. Gabby's sister and friends added some much-needed levity and I enjoyed their shenanigans.

I can recommend this if you like a romance that is hard won, with flawed characters and plenty of introspection.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.5 Stars
Between Now and Forever is a sweet neighbors-to-lovers romance between a single mom and her grumpy neighbor.

Gabrielle moves back to her hometown with her two sons, Carter and Dylan, after her ex-husbands death. Jay is a carpenter who is content being single. He's been burned in the past so the last thing he wants is to get involved with single mother who has just moved in next door. Unfortunately for him, Gabby’s youngest son keeps wandering into his yard and he finds it difficult denying the kid. Not to mention, Gabby keeps attempting to “fix” things in her house and well, that’s just an accident waiting to happen. He has no choice but to offer his help.

Gabby and Jay were so good together and their first meeting was HILARIOUS. There's an instant attraction between them but Jay is reluctant to get too close. It was a bit annoying how frequently he pushed her away but once we learn about his past it's understandable.

My heart broke for Carter and Dylan. Especially Dylan. Between the loss of his father and the move, he’s having a hard time adjusting.
I liked how grief and the idea of moving on was portrayed here. Gabby wants the best for her boys but at the same time, she’s ready to move on. She can’t deny her attraction to Jay but is hesitant to act on it not only because of his hot and cold behavior but because of how her sons may react.

I was happy with the way things worked out but wish it had been a bit longer because the ending felt a little rushed.

Overall, this was a cute romance and I'll definitely be checking out more from Adriana Locke.

A wonderful story of love and second chances. Gabrielle is a single mom doing her best to take care of her boys and Jay, their next door neighbor with baggage that makes him avoid most relationships and interactions. Despite trying to stay apart they are drawn to each other and eventually give in to the chemistry between them. They both have to fight for their relationship and also themselves as they overcome obstacles in order to be together. Adriana is incredible at writing stories that make the reader go through all the emotions and this book is no exception!

I truly liked this one, and you could see the chemistry between these two right away! A truly emotional read with just the right amount of spice,

I’m in love with the love story of Gabrielle & Jay! Between Now and Forever is a funny & swoony neighbors to lovers romcom. Gabrielle is a sweet single mother with emotional baggage & Jay is her grumpy next door neighbor, with his own troubles.
This is the first book I’ve read by the incredible USA Today bestselling author, Adriana Locke & I’m hooked! I’m adding all her books to my TBR pile!

this was such a cute single mom romance. You could feel the chemistry between these two from the start and i really enjoyed this one! Quick and easy read with the sweetest characters and the best HEA❤️ perfect amount of spice while also being a really emotional read, recommend adding this one to your tbr if you love single mom, small town romance and grumpy sunshine!

This book was well-written but fell short with its characters and story development. At its heart, it’s about Gabbie and Jay, both in their late 30s to early 40s, struggling with communication and personal baggage. For their age, you’d expect more emotional maturity, but instead, there’s a frustrating push-and-pull dynamic filled with assumptions and missteps. While they eventually communicate well, it takes far too long to get there. Honestly, Jay and Gabbie could have benefitted from some serious therapy sessions before diving into a relationship—something that, unfortunately, no one seemed to prioritize.

Gabbie
At 38, Gabbie is a fantastic mom. Her calm, supportive nature and ability to bounce back from hardship were inspiring. Watching her reclaim her life and step out of survival mode was one of the book’s highlights. I truly admired her for that.

Jay
Jay, 40, talks to himself just the right amount and is wonderful with kids. His interactions with Gabbie’s boys were sweet, even if they lacked depth on the page. His backstory, particularly the betrayal by his ex, added an emotional layer to his character, but he still felt underdeveloped in some areas.

Spoiler Warning – My Issues:
The seven-year-old lost his father just a year ago but suddenly starts calling Jay "practically my dad" after a few meetings. Meanwhile, the 14-year-old goes from outright hostility to begging Jay to marry his mom in the span of two months. There’s no real on-page relationship development between Jay and the kids, which made these transitions feel inauthentic and rushed.
- **Too many side plots:** For a 200-page book, there’s a lot going on—too much, in fact. The side plots felt half-cooked, and the resolutions were unsatisfying, leaving the story feeling cluttered.
- **Outdated gender dynamics:** The repeated mention of the boys "needing a good man in their lives" felt antiquated. Treating a 14-year-old as if he needed a "man’s guidance" and pushing adult responsibilities onto him didn’t sit right with me.

---

Overall, it’s a sweet read, especially if you enjoy the single-mom trope. While I appreciated the effort to give the characters meaningful arcs, the rushed pacing and lack of relationship development made it hard to fully connect with the story. That said, I enjoyed Gabbie’s resilience and Jay’s sweetness, and I absolutely loved Carter, one of the standout characters. If you’re a fan of light romance with emotional undertones, this might be worth a read—but go in with tempered expectations.

This is a delightful read for fans of light-hearted, feel-good romance, particularly those who enjoy grumpy-sunshine tropes, stories about strong single mothers, and small-town charm, making it a perfect fit for readers seeking a humorous and heartwarming love story.

Here’s a stand-alone small town romance between Gabrielle and Jay.
Gabrielle moved away from home, lived her life and had two sons with her late ex-husband. She uprooted her family to move closer to home to have a better life.
While remodeling her home, it seems like nothing can so right and the very grumpy neighbor, Jay, gets involved and helps… even though he keeps telling himself to leave things be.

Jay is a major grump, and does show his sensitive side and past, but he’s definitely the most surely grump I’ve read from Adriana. Most of her characters have strong walls, but these were extra sturdy. I was honestly surprised at how slow it took for Jay to come around to Gabrielle and her sons while also learning his background.
All of Adriana’s books are good, but this one just didn’t quite hit the mark for me oddly. I know others really enjoyed this, so it could have just not hit my “mood reading” mindset at the time.