I don't know how she did it, but Adriana knocked it out of the park with this one. Again.
Gabrielle is a single mom of two super cute boys that moves back to her hometown. Jay is the single hottie next door. After the best meet cute ever, some snarky banter, we have the most epic "eff it moment" I have read in a long time. It was *chef's kiss* and the spice had me fanning myself.
Jay and Gabrielle were so perfect for each other. Gabrielle's love for her boys was so beautiful and Jay's patience with Dylan and Carter made my heart melt.
The girl gang in this story was everything. Every girl needs girlfriends like these strong women, women that build you up always, and are always there for you.
Adriana really shows how messy life and love can be but delivers it in the best warm hug way. I absolutely loved this story!!

This book was amazing. Coming off a divorce and the death of her ex husband, Gabby relocates her and her two boys to her childhood hometown. She’s a good mama bear who also wants to start enjoying life again. Jay is the ultimate grump (with very good reason). It was so fun seeing Gabby and her boys, especially cute Carter, start melting his freeze.

The heartache these two have endured makes their story all the sweeter. It’s a story of healing and learning to take chances, and as you read it, it’ll absorb right in and touch your heart.

Blending humor, let’s start with the meet-cute, girl gang, and a really cute kid. Add in plenty of emotional baggage from both our main characters, creating a slow burn, and Ms. Locke has given us her latest book.

Gabrielle, a single mom relocating back to the town she grew up in, she has family close, and the slower pace of a small town has its appeal. Jay her new neighbor, the town grump, has his reasons for his nature, but the attraction is immediate. But Gabrielle’s youngest Carter, just cannot stay away from Jay.

I loved this easy to read, low angst read from beginning to end. While the writing of Gabrielle’s kids is spot on, Carter will steal your heart. Jay is a cinnamon roll, once his heart warms up, and their journey is an enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the advance copy; this is my voluntary review.


Review Posted to Barnes and Noble as JulieBooklover

I really enjoyed this one! Gabrielle is a fun, feisty FMC that had me laughing out loud from the start. I love her approach as a mom to her two boys. There was great character growth and depth which had me connected and invested from the start. Jay is a solid, grumpy yet sexy neighbor. The connection between him and Gabrielle was very apparent and it was impossible not to root for them. This was my first book by @authoradrianalocke and certainly won’t be my last! ♥︎

Gabby moves back to her hometown with her 2 sons, Carter and Dylan, to start over. On her first run-in with her neighbor, Jay, she falls off her porch in just a towel. Talk about first impressions. Jay helps her out and while he is interested in her, he knows not to get attached. While he continues to be distant, he still shows up to help Gabby out with some home repairs. They grow closer and he finally explains his hang-up with her and she completely understands. That is until he decides to to go against everything he's been saying and just go for it.
I really enjoyed this story! I loved seeing Jay's interactions with Carter. I also loved how he gave Dyaln his space and didn't force anything with him. I loved that the ladies in the neighborhood just welcomed Gabby in so easily and she fit so well with them.

- Single mother
- Grumpy neighbor
- Meet cute in a towel

Oh, my, do I love a grumpy hero. And being grumpy because of a backstory we find out about later? I gobbled that up!

Gabrielle is such a hot mess of a character. That made her so relatable and believable. But the towel incident? Girl, how did you think that was a good idea?

Jay doesn't want to be connected or have friends or really be happy, but there is something about Gabrielle that has him doing things he doesn't expect! I adored Jay. I was rooting for him and his story the entire book.

I cannot even describe how much this book made me feel. It is superb.

This book is one of those perfect reads for when you need a story that feels like the best, warmest, hope-giving hug. Adriana Locke created a masterpiece with this one.

Jay and Gabby are both carrying some deep wounds from their pasts when their paths cross. I loved seeing how Gabby and her sons unwittingly pull Jay into their orbit again and again. The inner struggles of both main characters are prevalent, but the pull towards each other is too strong for them to resist.

This is a book full of wonderful characters, relatable struggles, healing, sassy banter, crabby teenagers, and so many swoony feelings.

Gabrielle is a divorced single mom to her two sons, and she moves back to her small hometown, after her ex who was her best friend passes away, as her boys are struggling with their grief. Jay is Gabbi’s grumpy next door neighbor, who has been hurt in the past, and is not looking for any relationships, especially with kids involved. When Gabbi is distracted, she falls off her porch in a towel, and Jay comes to her rescue, and a friendship develops between them.
This is a well written slow burn, emotional roller coaster, with friendships, grumpy / sunshine, opposites attract, loss, grief, humor, witty banter, neighbors / lovers, challenges, healing, palpable chemistry, and love, which leads to an entertaining, spicy, and heartwarming addictive page turner.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.

Between Now and Forever is such a great read. Gabrielle is a widow who moves back to her home town with her two sons. Her neighbor is the grumpy carpenter Jay. Their first meeting is hilarious but Gabrielle cannot stop thinking about Jay. Can Jay overcome his past to let Gabrielle and her boys into his heart? Can Gabrielle start to live her life? Jay is such a good man in the way he handles Dylan’s anger, Gabrielle’s older son. I recommend this book to all.

Emotional and humorous
 
A single mom with two boys, a young teen and an adolescent, moves back to her hometown to regroup and move on in life after the death of her ex-husband. I understand how Gabby felt, trying to start over, learning how to live again, and being there for her boys. Then she gets a look at her neighbor Jay, and literally falls over… or off (the deck).  I loved the humor in their meet-cute and every time Gabby tried electrical DIY around the house. Gabby is funny, capable, and has the patience of a saint. She repeatedly shows patience with her older son, who is having trouble adjusting after the death of his father. As Jay gets caught up in their lives, whether he wants to or not, his heart opens up more to the possibility that his past experiences with women don’t have to rule his life.
 
I can always count on Adriana Locke for an emotional ride with plenty of humor and drama. I love the combination and can’t get enough of her stories and characters. The people seem real to me, and although, at times, I’d like to smack them upside their proverbial heads, I would still like to get to know them personally. I was captivated by them especially Carter, the younger son, who had the perfect outgoing personality and joy for life. This was a lovely story and I would love to see more of these characters especially the stories of Gabby’s neighbor friends Della and Scottie.

I enjoy Adriana Locke’s style of writing. Her characters are easy to relate to and I quickly found myself invested in neighbour’s Gabrielle Solomon and Jay Stetson’s story.

Their relationship was rocky and her teenage son Dylan certainly added the pressure as their relationship progressed Thankfully her younger son Carter added some comedic relief to the story.

I did struggle at times to connect with new to me narrators, Rachel Vivette and Oliver Clarke, not sure why but it wasn’t enough to detract me from the story that the author wove.

Their voices were pleasant and they brought passion, drama, romance and humour to their performances.

Jay has been badly hurt in the past and doesn’t give his trust easily and Gabby had a hard time breaking down his walls.

Will Jay be prepared to let Gabby and her boys in or will he close himself off from the love and happiness he could have?

I received a copy from the publisher through Netgalley.

When Gabrielle falls, she falls hard—literally! A tumble over a porch railing lands her in the arms of her sexy new neighbour, Jay. This hilarious mishap sparks a friendship that quickly heats up. Jay, with his hero vibes and irresistible charm, can't help but fall for the fierce single mom next door. Their chemistry is off the charts, and watching their relationship blossom is pure joy. Loved every minute of this fun, heartwarming romance! 💖🐍

Between Now and Forever is a special story, just the thing to lift your heart. In fact, it does lots of things to your heart: shake it up, make it beat wildly, and make you worry it’s going to break.

Gabrielle moved back to her hometown about a year after her ex-husband died. She felt like a failure with her boys Dylan and Carter, stuck in grief and loss and not moving along very well; at 7, Carter was a pretty happy little guy, but Dylan, 14, was surly, rude, moody and getting in more and more trouble at school. What should she be doing more of, better, differently? As for herself, she’d been stuck since the divorce three years ago. It was amicable, they were still close because of the boys, good friends, but Christopher’s announcement out of the blue that he wanted to end the marriage, they were great as friends and raising the boys but she ‘deserved” someone who would appreciate her, who would love her better completely shattered her world. Wow. While it was probably true they were better friends than lovers, the split happening like wiped out her self-confidence. She wasn’t looking for a relationship, was afraid to even consider it because that would just be someone else who might leave her, but she yearned to feel sexy, desirable, worth fighting for.

So image her inner surprise when she meets her handsome next-door neighbor Jay. Gabrielle falling off her porch wearing only a towel is hilarious; the instant connection she feels beyond the physical is not so funny. It’s terrifying. And troubling, because Jay clearly does not want a relationship, doesn’t even really want a friendship, even though all the signs of attraction are there. He moved to town four years ago, has more acquaintances than friends, is helpful and superficially friendly, but he’s built high walls to keep others out.

Jay is as terrified as Gabby about losing someone again. His story is unfair, infuriating, and so, so sad. And it’s left him all bottled up: if you don’t open the door and let someone in you won’t have to worry about them opening that door and walking out.

Except life isn’t that simple, especially not in an Adriana Locke novel. She takes ordinary people, puts them in extraordinary circumstances, and makes us realize those people weren’t so ordinary after all. Jay and Gabby grow close but he’s still afraid to commit, and Gabrielle’s son Dylan is hostile, angry, doesn’t want a replacement dad, doesn’t want to care again and lose another dad. He’s just a boy, but he’s trying to be the man of the family, to protect his mother and brother. No, he shouldn’t act out like he does, but he lost a lot and her sons must come first.

So how is this going to work out? In fits and starts, two steps forward and then a step back, laugh out loud funny times, tender moments, conflict, crisis, heat and desire, fear, hope, heartbreaking box-of-tissues moments and enough love to go around many times over. Author Locke does her usual remarkable job of creating characters with depth and emotion, small town life at its best and worst, supportive friends and family, serious life choices to be made, all wrapped up in a plot that moves smoothly along to the 100% satisfying conclusion. And your heart? It will feel full and warm and bursting with joy by the end of this book. I received an advance copy of Between Now and Forever from Valentine PR as part of Adriana Locke’s advance reader team. I love everything she writes and this book is a wonderful addition to my collection. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.

A poignant story about two people trying to move on after tragic events in their lives have them starting over. Jay and Gabrielle are on a collision course with each other, but whether they can find a way through the muck remains to be seen. With one precocious child and a surly teenager, as well as friends who meddle, they have a lot of help (and some resistance) to find their happiness.

Jay hasn’t opened his heart since his last relationship. He doesn’t want to go through the pain again, but he can’t seem to stay away from Gabrielle. Even though he tries time and again to push her away. Gabrielle is moving on after her ex, and her son’s father, passed away unexpectedly. She is drawn to Jay but won’t be walked all over either.

Just when things start getting good between them, something happens (I kind of see why he did what he did) that just might end them before they truly began. I also think she should have apologized a little more than what she did, but I digress. This book had me laughing one minute and crying the next. A must read. You will not be disappointed.

I received an ARC and this is my honest, voluntary review..

Ms Locke is known for her series about families, and while Between Now and Forever is a stand-alone read, that family theme is front and center.

Gabby and her boys moved back to her hometown a year or so after a traumatic loss. Her cousin lives down the street, and they have built-in friends and a social circle to help them adapt. An unexpected development lives next door in the form of a reticent neighbor, Jay.

I enjoyed how Ms Locke had things unfold between Gabby and Jay. She gave us a front-row seat to both of them fighting their demons to try and be friends and more. Initially, Gabby seems to be further down the road regarding emotional growth, but Jay's struggles make more sense once he opens up. One of the things I most respected about this story was the weight Ms Locke gave to the feelings of Gabby's kids.

I know this is a stand-alone read, but the secondary cast of Bittersweet Circle has me curious about what might be going on in other houses!

Oh my goodness! I devoured this book! Adriana Locke truly never misses. I have not read a book by her that I didn't get completely lost in. Between Now and Forever was no different. This book follows Jay and Gabrielle, who find love amidst personal loss and past heartbreaks. After her ex-husband passes away, Gabrielle returns to her hometown and becomes neighbors with Jay. Their funny meet-cute (she literally falls into his life) sparks a slow-burning romance. Initially, Jay is super grumpy and tries to stay away from Gabrielle. Gradually, he warms up to her and her sons, especially as he bonds with Carter, the youngest of the two.

I loved Jay and Gabrielle together. Their journey was complicated and had ups and downs; however, they were undeniably attracted to each other. Jay showed Gabrielle that although she could do things on her own, it was ok to lean on him for help. I was invested in the development of Jay's relationship with Gabrielle's sons. Carter was innocent and sweet and added a bit of humor to the story, while Dylan, the teenager, struggled to work out his feelings after losing their dad. Between Now and Forever explores parenting challenges, healing from past wounds, and embracing second chances. This well-written story is beautiful, emotional, and heartwarming.

I loved this beautiful, emotional love story! Gabrielle and Jay have both gone through so much and watching them open up to one another was everything!

Gabrielle is such a phenomenal mother to her two sons. She's selfless and sweet and strong. Jay has my whole heart! He's has this big, beautiful heart that he hides behind a gruff exterior. These two have an instant connection but Jay tries to keep his distance. I love when Gabrielle finally gets him to break. The moment is spicy goodness!

All the characters in this book are navigating loss in their own way. Gabrielle and her sons are dealing with the loss of her ex husband. Jay is dealing with the loss of his daughter. Watching them heal and help one another heal was seriously the best part of this book. I loved every interaction because they were so real. Bravo Adriana!

ARC review.

I do enjoy Locke’s writing, but have found her traditionally published standalone books aren’t quite the same as her indie series. I love the Landry and Carmichael (etc.) series so, so much, and really get invested in the huge families and crossover characters. These standalone ones don’t have the same feeling, heart, or draw. I don’t feel the same pull or investment in the characters or storylines.

I did enjoy this one far more than the last, though (Nothing But It All - I didn’t care for that one, though it could’ve been the marriage in crisis trope, which I can’t stand!). This one is the single mom, neighbors, pretty quick to become interested in each other, plus grumpy sunshine. I couldn’t tell initially if these books were connected or same small town, but they didn’t seem to be. It also started with a fantastic meet-cute in the garden!

I did enjoy Gabrielle and Jay’s story well enough, but it didn’t get to the 5-star rating level of her other books - the chemistry and characters is fine, but I didn’t feel like it was her normal stellar writing. She did get me a bit emotional, when Jay was giving Gabby his backstory, and when she had to deal with teen boy drama, and it is a good read overall (I do recommend it!), just not up to my usual Locke expectations…

Thanks to NetGalley and Montlake for an early copy - this is my honest opinion.

I was provided both an ARC via the author and Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This is a complete standalone and doesn't connect with any of Adriana's prior series. If you are a fan of hers you know she is well known for her interconnected family series. She also has some excellent standalones, and this one is amazing! I wouldn't be surprised if we get spinoffs from this one for the friends in the future.

This follows single mom Gabrielle, who has just moved back to her hometown from Boston. Her new neighbor is a grumpy carpenter, but he is nice to look at. They have an interesting first meeting, and he does not want to get involved. Since Gabrielle likes to do DIY projects and her house needs some TLC, and Jay just happens to fix houses for a living, he finds himself offering to help her out more often than he probably should. They quickly develop and attraction to one another, and he quickly becomes invested in the lives of her two boys.

Both Jay and Gabrielle have some hang ups when it comes to relationships, and neither one of them want to hurt the two boys who are still grieving the loss of their dad and trying to settle in their new town. Jay and Gabrielle fall for each other fairly quickly, but we get alot of sweet moments between the two of them and alot of good conversations about hard topics like relationships, family, grief, and more in the short time they get to know each other. Gabrielle also has some great friends in her corner who are hilarious and she is a wonderful mom who like all moms is asking if she is doing the right thing or did she just screw up royally. I really enjoyed Jay's interactions with Dylan and Carter, the sons, they were genuine and realistic. This is on the shorter side, so if you are looking for a grumpy sunshine romcom that you can get through pretty quickly this is a great one to pick up.

So sweet. I loved Jay & Gabrielle. The chemistry, the family drama (I mean teenagers, right?), the healing. It was a wonderful story and it only made me cry a little bit. Made me feel warm & cozy, like snuggling with someone you love.