Wow did I love this book! Chloe Liese writes the most perfect, swoon worthy, supportive, feminist, large sized book boyfriends. I would like a hug from every one of them. And in this case, she wrote a swoon worthy book girlfriend too!

I adored Frankie, aka grumpapotamus. She was so strong, so independent, yet still full of love considering what a shit sandwich she’d been dealt in life. Rheumatoid arthritis combined with autism is not an easy pill to swallow but she handles it with such grace and strength.

It truly speaks to the importance of #OwnVoices. The author channeled her own experiences to make Frankie such a deeply layered, complex character. I can only imagine how powerful it would be for someone with autism to read this book and see themselves reflected in its pages. It’s so important to show that people with autism, or any other “difference,” deserve and are worthy of romantic love.

I don’t want to breeze over the perfection that is Ren. Everything I mentioned before is so true, but also he’s a Shakespeare loving, non-violent hockey player (I assume his avoidance of violence means he still has all his own teeth?) who just wants to love and be loved in return. And he’s ginger!

The slow burn, forbidden love between them is both beautiful and hot. I love that Frankie is the grump in this one, and Ren is sunshiney. This book left me with such a warm, gooey feeling inside … much like a cinnamon roll.

The second book in this series.

Ren and Frankie have worked together for years. He has never let on how he feels, but he has his chance now they are getting closer and she is leaving her job. Will she let him in to her life?

Deals with some serious issues, but is a great read. Looking forward to the next book in this series.

Always Only You is an OwnVoices novel about a grumptastic and brilliant autistic woman who keeps her diagnosis to herself, and the sunshine filled, smile beaming cinnamon roll of a hockey player she works with. It’s a slow-burn, coworkers to friends to lovers story that will have you laughing, and swooning, and clapping, and tearing up from start to finish. I seriously could not put it down, and ended up binging it in two sittings! Chloe Liese takes the stereotypical romance character archetypes and turns them on their head in the best ways possible, bringing fresh new characters and stories to the romance world, and I love it so much! 😍 This was easy a 5 star read, and I STRONGLY suggest everyone checks out this and the first book!

I loved our characters and Chloe Liese writes some of my favorite banter and character interactions. I also liked the bonus of seeing Ryder and Willa again bc I love them.

However, the ending and the last third of the book fell a bit flat for me. But, I still enjoyed my time reading it and CANNOT wait to read the rest of the books in this series.

This book is also #OwnVoices for autism representation! I loved Frankie's character and the conversations about autism and what the means for a woman in her twenties. Ren is also the sweetest?? I adored him.

Holy cheese puffs! Ren and Frankie are out of this world amazing!

I got this amazing book thanks to the publisher and Netgalley! I had never heard of the author but as a teacher by day I loved the description! You don’t see many books, romance especially, with an autistic heroine and better yet the author is autistic herself! So I said YESSS!

I am honored that I did and that I got the book because Frankie is, well she’s EVERYTHING! she’s herself and though she still has some learning to do about her new reality (love) she is perfect in her uniqueness. I love how open and honest she is and I love that the author is allowing us the readers this unique insight to what it means to be and to love an individual with autism! She lets you know the truth and just how complex it can be! I also love that Frankie has found someone who is not your typic “normal” as well!

Ren couldn’t be better suited for Frankie! He’s patient, a gentle giant and has his own quirks to figure out in his life! He’s waiting in the winds patiently to be there for her and now that the time has finally come both have to be open and willing to adjust to their relationship and put the work in!

I also have to say that this family is amazing! I love the Bergman’s and I am seriously here for the rest of their stories because you can’t help but become addicted to them!

5 ‘Zenzero’ stars

Seriously, where can I find my own Bergman man?!!

Are all those brothers this good?!! Now how am I supposed to keep my love life expectations realistic?

Ren is freakin amazing! Everyone needs a Ren in their life. Personally, I won’t settle for less! Now when I say that I have a huge crush on Ren, I’m not exaggerating. When he smiles I found myself smiling. When he blushes, I blush. When he laughs, I start to giggle like I teenager. When he talks, I swoon and I’m not even ashamed to admit all of that!

I loved Frankie so much as well. She was such a perfect heroine. The representation of her character was done so well. I was rooting for these two from the very beginning like I knew them personally and desperately want them to be together. And how Ren loves Shakespeare? I felt like my heart won’t be able to take it anymore. Chloe’s writing is just so beautiful and addictive. I was so emotionally overwhelmed by this book. I was so freakin happy reading it that I wanted to cry!

Special thanks to NetGalley for providing this copy.

"You have always made me feel like I’m exactly who I’m supposed to be."

I'll admit. Part of me was nervous that Chloe Liese had kicked so much a** with Only When It's Us that I would kind of let down with book two in the Bergman Brother's series.

Boy, was I wrong or what!?

Ren Bergman is a prince. He truly is. You just don't see romantic heroes like him anymore. He was just so lovely and charming at all times. He never made me feel any kind of murderous rage. I just wanted to wrap him in a hug and keep him snuggled up. Frankie might just be my most favorite heroine ever written. Frankie was not defined by her autism, but rather defined her autism. She eloquently owned who she was and what made her world work the way she needed it to. Her take charge attitude was one to be admired, and Ren sure admired the heck out of her.

This book was full of clutch your heart and swoon moments. I was rooting hard for these two and falling head over heels in love with them along the way. This book was outstanding. From the first word until the last, I was hooked. I didn't want to put it down, and I never wanted it to end. I could have followed Ren and Frankie to the grocery store every week. I just wanted more time with them.

I loved this book. I’ve never read a book where the main character was autistic. It was an eye opener for me. I just loved how Ren wasn’t a typical athlete. I adored these characters. I can’t wait for the next Bergman book.

Gut zu lesender #ownvoices Liebesroman (ice hockey sports romance)

Ich lese sports romances sehr gerne, da hat das vorliegende Buch perfekt in mein Beuteschema gepasst. Im Buch geht es um Ren und Frankie. Er ist professioneller Eishockey-Spieler, sie arbeitet für sein Team im Bereich Social Media. Sie kennen sich mittlerweile seit einigen Jahren und schätzen sich. Doch endlich ist die Zeit gekommen, dass sich ihre Beziehung verändert und vertieft.

Denke ich an mein Leseerlebnis zurück, so war es ein schönes. Sowohl Frankie als auch Ren habe ich als Charaktere geschätzt. Es war schön, dass sich ihre Liebesbeziehung eher langsam entwickelt hat, alles andere hätte vor allem zu Frankie auch nicht gepasst.

Den Schreibstil der Autorin habe ich als angenehm und einnehmend empfunden. Den #ownvoices Aspekt in Bezug auf das Autismusspektrum fand ich interessant, aber nicht immer ideal umgesetzt. Zeitweise wirkte es wie ein Vortrag, das hätte man eleganter in die Geschichte einbauen können. Auch gab es im zweiten und dritten Drittel einige Längen in der Geschichte, gut 20 Seiten weniger hätten dem ganzen wahrscheinlich gutgetan. Trotz dieser Kritik hat mir das Buch insgesamt gut gefallen und ich gebe ihm verdiente vier Sterne.

Another exemplary heartwarming, swoon #ownvoices romance and second book of Bergman brothers’ book made me smile, giggle, laugh too much !! My husband thought I was choking ( sometimes my laugh resembles crow choir which sign a acapella) and performed Heimlich maneuver ( I wish he could be more careful when he lifted me up and didn’t hurt his back. Now he’s walking like Quasimodo at house, ringing neighbors’ bells as a prank!)

Let’s go back to reviewing and telling you how much I’m delightful for finally reading this sequel because since I’ve read Willa and Ryder’s story, I was so curious about Ren and I’m so happy he finally had his own book.

Every time his character appears on the pages, Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t stop the feeling” starts to play in my head. He’s my cinnamon dolce latte! He’s magical rainbow appears in the sky as the rain stops, marshmallow on my hot cacao and sunshine brightening my day! From the beginning he was so adorable character.

But I have to admit: at some parts of the book I adored our heroine more. Yes, I’m talking about our grumpy heroine Frankie. The author created so realistic, genuine and relatable characters who seem like your real life friends.

The representation of Autism via Frankie and her challenges, issues with adjusting daily life, connecting with social life, doing her job and the other people’s reactions and approaches to her illness were impressively real, well-told.

She also suffers from rheumatoid arthritis which is an invisible chronic illness. Both characters are well developed, emotionally layered and their slow burn, forbidden love story was incredibly sweet, poignant and entertaining.

You feel like teenager again as you read their sizzling chemistry. You get excited, your heart rate increases, intact your heart begins to dance and sing: “I got sunshine in my pocket, got the good soul in my feet”

Yes, more five blazing, lovely, swoon, sweet, sunshine stars are coming up!

And of course I’m all set to read Aiden and Freya’s book!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Ownvoices for sharing this incredible Arc with me in exchange my honest thoughts and thanks to Chloe Liese for creating this extraordinary series.

4.25-4.5 stars

So much love for Always Only You! Chloe Liese is a new-to-me author and I am so stoked to find and read the rest of her backlog. Always Only You is part of the #ownvoices books for its representation of an autism spectrum main character (and side characters) as written by an autism spectrum author, plus the representation of chronic illness (rheumatoid arthritis).

Ren is a big ginger Viking ray of sunshine to Frankie's grumpy, elder wand (name of her cane) using storm cloud. Frankie works as a social media manager for the ice hockey team Ren plays for. She's grumpy and gruff and a hard worker despite her chronic pain. Very few know of her autism diagnosis because she works hard to be independent and wants nothing more than to be able to live free from the coddling, suffocating constraints of her family and be seen as a person and not a problem.

Ren was so stinking cute, I don't know that I can handle it. He comes from a huge family where he was a late bloomer. His original love was Shakespeare and was heavily involved in The Geek Life before he found ice hockey and bloomed into the gentle giant he is today.

I honestly cannot say enough good things about this book. From the switcheroo on the typical grumphole hero to the heroine being a grumphole. To the Harry Potter references. To the whole of the support from the secondary characters. To the very authentic feel of our heroine in her chronic pain dealings but also her autism representation... and the secondary character who was also on the spectrum but had different symptomatology/characteristics. I loved the discussion of not only how various peoples on the spectrum express their symptoms differently as well as the discussion and dealings with rheumatoid and it's own treatments (including cannabis and immune suppression drugs) and the effects. Oh, and the steam. <spoiler>Did I mention the hero was a virgin? Gah.</spoiler> I love that! Plus this is a slow burn y'all. The characters already know and like one another but they slowly transition into their physical relationship.

Seriously though... Can I get a Soren Bergman of my very own? Please!

I will absolutely be stalking the author's backlog and so looking forward to the next in the series (Freya and Aiden- I think its a second chance romance since they're already married).

*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

First: If you have not read these books stop looking at Goodreads and purchase them right now.

I have no words. I loved 'Only When It's Us' SO much, so when I saw there was a second book coming into the universe I was ECSTATIC! Ren and Frankie are fantastically written characters and I loved getting a chance to see Willa and Ryder in an early scene and seeing how they were doing on top of getting to see the whole family again. And while the acknowledgments note that this is just the story about one woman and her autism, not her experience is not the same as anyone else's but I learned so much from this story. I loved living through Frankie as she struggled to accept the truths Ren spoke while still learning to love herself, I loved getting to mee the goodest Musky (ha) boy around, I loved the friendship develop between Ziggy and Frankie.

TL;DR this book is everything you didn't know you needed right now. Do yourself a favor and read it!

Ren is a professional hockey player and Frankie is the team's social media manager. A growing attraction between them is pushed to the forefront when Frankie and Ren are forced to spend more time together. But will working together and Frankie's misgivings about being in a relationship push them apart?

This book had a solid, cute, romantic plot and unique characters with traits not commonly seen in romance novels (autism, physical disability--three cheers for representation!). And who doesn't love a sports romance? However, these aspects were bogged down by less than stellar writing.

The first third of the book, in particular (likely because it's the set-up), was nearly all tell rather than show, to such a degree it was extremely noticeable. The problem with this style of writing is it lacks a natural flow/progression and becomes boring, making me itch to skip forward to get to the good stuff. Once we were in the second part of the book and the characters and scenes had been established, the story unfolded in a much more satisfying way.

The author used so many forced romance novel tropes in one book it almost reached a level of parody--forced ride home, forced cohabitation, forced couples yoga, accidental physical run-in while wearing towels. It was just too much. Pick one! Then create something new. Once the book reached the stage where the characters were actually together, these cheap tricks disappeared, and the story unfolded in a more interesting and creative way that showed the premise's promise. The first half of this book just felt... lazy. Like the author also just wanted to skip the first half of the book and reach the good stuff (which, she does a very nice job with the "good stuff").

Thank you to NetGalley and author Chloe Liese for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

If I just had to say one word for Always Only You it would be SWOON! Holy cow, this story was absolute perfection!

I'm a big advocate for #ownvoices romances, and THIS is a perfect example of why they're so important. This is Chloe's first published #ownvoices novel and it's clear she excelled at the task. I can't stop gushing about how good this story was. The way Frankie was portrayed and how others responded to her Autism was just perfect. As someone who has a few loved ones on the spectrum, this is how I want to see Autism written in romances. I especially loved that Frankie isn't the only character on the spectrum! It was such a good addition to have another character for her to interact with and discuss how she handles life. I also loved that Frankie has rheumatoid arthritis, I really thought her having a chronic invisible illness added so much to her character. Chloe consistently nails writing characters with chronic illness and it's one of my favorite things about her books.

Ren is giant delightful cinnamon roll and I loved him so much. His Shakespeare club loving self was a complete delight! I mean, who can say no to a hero that only curses with old phrases?? His character was totally swoon-worthy, especially how he had a crush on Frankie for so long. I loved seeing these characters go from friends to lovers! I thought having Frankie be the grump and Ren be the sunshine character was a fantastic gender twist. It made so much sense having Frankie be the grumpy and skeptical one, especially with how she had to learn to cope with her arthritis and autism diagnosis.

Chloe can write some steamy steam *fans self* I totally appreciated (and was surprised) that Ren was a virgin. I didn't see that coming as I was reading, but I loooove a virgin hero! I love how much Ren and Frankie communicated throughout the whole book, but it was especially great during the steamy scenes.

Always Only You was hands down a five star read and it immediately made my 2020 Favorites list. I just finished last night and I already want to do a re-read! I highly recommend preordering this one! Always Only You releases August 4th!

Chloe Liese is back with the second installment in the Bergman Brothers Series! This opposites-attract, forbidden love sports romance features a nerdy, late-blooming hockey star, and his tough cookie coworker who keeps both her soft side and her autism diagnosis to herself. Always Only You shows how our limitations are only as big as we make them and how communication is key in a relationship.
I loved the neurodiversity and autistic representation that was showcased in this own voices story. It really portrayed a new side to the Autism spectrum that shatters the stereotype many people initially have in their heads. Liese portrays Frankie as headstrong, competent, and independent and to see her embody these traits while also being physically and mentally disabled is so refreshing to see in a protagonist. Furthermore, the way Ren accepts Frankie for who she is and Frankie him shows the kind of respect and honesty that readers love to see between two love interests.
The novel was perfectly paced, sexy, flirty, and funny! It encompasses all that is desirable in a romance book and it makes this an easy binge read. If you’re looking for a fun sports romance with laugh-out-loud humor, steamy scenes, and diverse representation then this is a must read! Even though this works as a stand-alone, I cannot wait to see what the Bergman Brothers get up to next!

I really, really beautiful story, with a hero that can’t possibly exist in real life, but gosh, he’s nice to read about. The heroine is on the spectrum, and while I have young students with autism, I’m not close to an adult with it, so it was really interesting and almost educational for me to read about. Since “you don’t know what you don’t know,” I was bubble living without realizing it. It’s awesome the author packed all this awareness into the book, while still making the romance the most important thing.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Loved, loved, loved this slow-burn romance. Chloe Liese's novels are wonderful, and they are so emotionally deep without being emotionally draining and angsty. They are refreshing, enjoyable, entertaining and enlightening. As an own voices novel featuring a lead with Autism, it is an honor to read such a well-written novel that can only be told so well by someone with experience.

Always Only You is the next story in the Bergman family series, and it is really simply fantastic. Ren is a sensitive, devoted male lead, and he's been simply biding his time to woo Frankie since they work together, and workplace romances are not allowed. Ren has always been intrigued by and drawn to Frankie, and he developed a true affection for her based on what she is day-to-day. He knows her, but he doesn't know about her diagnosis because Frankie keeps it under wraps. She really believes she can't have true love in her life, and Ren is determined to be the man that helps her discover that she can.

This is a fantastic, slow-burn, emotional, but not emotionally draining, read.. Sharp, smart, sassy, sweet and simply amazing.

Disclaimer: This may turn in to a very long love letter to this book/series/author. I finished reading it two days ago and immediately wanted to start reading again and experience the joy it had given me.

I was introduced to this author with the first book of this series earlier this year, and that book ranks amongst some of my favourite from this year. Always Only You is its platinum band, diamond encrusted shank wrapped in a tiffany box inside of the Stanley Cup/Jules Rimmet big brother.

I think the author was very brave to tackle an own voices story, any author who puts themselves on the page does it, but there was something about Frankie that resonated deeply with me. I haven't had a diagnosis, but as I've grown into adulthood I have seriously questioned parts of my personality and happiness with myself. Seeing Frankie bloom (her conversation with Ziggy was especially delightful) made me a bit more hopeful for my own future..

Now, Soren. If you could write a more gorgeous specimen I may never recover (and given how much I love this author's writing and this series, something tells me one or two of these Bergmans are going to make me eat my words). Patience, dedication, honesty, passion, loyalty. Utterly lovely.

The wider cast of these stories are just as important as whoever is the star on show - as is shown by Annie and Lo, Willa and the rest of the Bergman family. The kitchen scene had me howling with laughter. I am SO excited to see what they are going to get up to with Aiden.

If you've made it this far - I idd warn you. Let me just say I think this is my favourite book of 2020 so far and I will be waiting on ice skates and soccer cleats for the next novel to arrive. It is sweet, delightful, enlightening, enriching and beautifully raw. Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and especially the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I hadn’t read a book by Chloe Líese before, but I was intrigued by the synopsis and was thrilled to get an ARC of Always Only You, I adored the story of Frankie, the grouchy social media expert, and Ren, the cinnamon roll hockey player, The description of Frankie as an autistic woman felt authentic to me, likely because the author is also on the spectrum. I appreciated that Ren wasn’t the stereotypical womanizing jock that I often see in romance novels. Both characters see and love the other for who they really are and their relationship feels realistic. This definitely won’t be the last book by Chloe Líese that I read.

This book is just wonderful. Like really - just wonderful, and lovely, and did I say wonderful? For me - it ticks all the boxes. Emotional, funny, sweet, sexy - it even touches into my very favorite genre of sports romance.

Frankie is the social media manager for the LA Kings Hockey Team. She is also on the autism spectrum, has rheumatoid arthritis, is incredibly smart, a lot bit grumpy, and has a killer sense of humor (and a great love for Harry Potter). No single one item on that list defines her though - she is a strong individual and is written beautifully to show that autism is rarely what you think it is.

Ren is the only non-soccer playing member of the very large Bergstrom family. He is also a professional hockey player and serious Shakespeare fan. He is pretty much the opposite of what you might think a toxically masculine professional sports player would be. He is also a virgin and completely in love with Frankie. He has promised himself that he won't tell Frankie about his feelings for her or push her to start dating until their relationship wouldn't interfere with her career.

He's really a special person - he cares so much for others and for his own family. Really downplaying his own success and even his own needs. Watching Frankie and Ren come together and find each other is really joyful and just wonderful.

Overall - this is a must read (so is the first book in the series if you haven't already read that one).

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are all my own.