Review: Ever After Always by Chloe Liese
Book gifted by the author, all thoughts are my own.
SYNOPSIS:
Buckle up for an emotional journey of hijinks, heartache, and a hot slow-burn in this marriage-in-crisis romance about going the distance to make love last.
Aiden
I’ve spent twelve years loving Freya Bergman and twelve lifetimes won’t be enough to give her everything she deserves. She’s my passionate, tender-hearted wife, my best friend, and all I want is to make her happy. But the one thing that will make her happiest is the one thing I’m not sure I can give her: a baby.
With the pressure of providing and planning for a family, my anxiety’s at an all-time high, and I find myself pulling away, terrified to tell my wife how I’m struggling. But when Freya kicks me out, I realize that pulling back has turned into pushing too far. Now it’s the fight of a lifetime to save our marriage.
Freya
I love my cautious, hard-working husband. He’s my partner and best friend, the person I know I can count on most. Until one day I realize the man I married is nowhere to be found. Now Aiden is quiet and withdrawn, and as the months wear on, the pain of our growing distance becomes too much.
As if weathering marriage counseling wasn’t enough, we’re thrown together for an island getaway to celebrate my parents’ many years of perfect marriage while ours is on the brink of collapse. Despite my meddling siblings and a week in each other’s constant company, this trip somehow gets us working through the trouble in paradise. I just can’t help worrying, when we leave paradise and return to the real world, will trouble find us again?
Review
Cue the waterworks! This one had me a sobbing mess, in a good way.
You know how folks say reviewing the best books are often the hardest? Well, this is that book. Marriage in crisis. What a tough trope to get right. Chloe did an amazing job with Freya and Aiden, making this story feel so real and true. I had a lot of thought about communication in relationships while reading this. A lot of this story is based on withholding truths or not being true to oneself, and isn't that so dang realistic?? I felt very seen. Communication in romance novels can often feel so frustrating as a reader but when combined with empathy for the characters it can feel so true and real. How often do we struggle to communicate in real life? For me, often.
Ever After Always was emotionally gripping and led to some introspection that I was not expecting but was welcomed nonetheless. There is such complexity in human interaction and relationships, how small withdrawals and miscommunications can lead to big consequences. How it takes daily and consistent choice to make a relationship work, to prioritize it. Words are failing me to express how much I loved reading this. For those who want to read a beautifully written story of working through life's many struggles and finding love once again, this book is for you.
Rating: 5/5
Steamy factor: a few steamy scenes with major sexual tension building throughout the book
