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.

I've never read an Adriana Locke book that I didn't love, so I knew Between Now and Forever was going to be a fantastic read that I would love as well.

This was so much more than a fantastic book. It was a beautiful story about healing and starting over after loss, and finding love again. We still get the laughs and banter, and tension for days but underneath it all, Jay and Gabby were meant to find each other. They needed one another to heal from past hurt and move on with the right one.

Gabby's story hit me on a personal level that I was not expecting. The way she kept pushing and doing the best she could in a tough situation, as a single mom, was written so real and vulnerably. When she decides to move back home to her small town to raise her boys, the last thing she was expecting was a hot and cold neighbor that she can't seem to stay away from or stop thinking about.

Jay's fighting anger and heartbreak from a past situation, and despite their instant connection and the pull he feels towards Gabby, he takes one step forward and ten steps back with her. Doesn't help that one of her sons loves him and the other wishes he would just go away.

I adored Gabby for going after what she wanted and not accepting Jay's hot and cold attitude because when she finally got what she wanted they were insanely hot. The humor, family drama, quirky friends, and small town living made this a book I couldn't put down.

I'm hoping we get more from this small town - maybe Della and Lark (hint, hint) and I definitely need to see Scottie get an HEA.

𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 is a grumpy/sunshine, neighbor to lovers small town romance that pulled me in immediately with a hilarious meet-cute for Jay and Gabrielle! My sense of humor might of gotten me hooked, but it was my heart that kept me on the line. There were so many raw emotions flowing from 4 different characters reeling from different types of loss— the two main characters, and also Gabrielles’s two sons. I loved how authentic they all felt, but the kids were so well represented. Carter was just adorable, yet amazingly perceptive, as kids often are, and Dylan, while difficult, was clearly struggling with how to navigate his new family role. Gabrielle was a boss in my eyes… I don’t know how she kept going, mess or not, but I respect her for it. I enjoyed watching her connection with Jay evolve organically, with the obvious chemistry and sassy banter. I do wish it didn’t take so long to reveal Jay’s past issue that’s holding him back, but I was probably just being impatient.😉 Once his past is explained, it felt a tiny bit unsettled to me. I get why he left it alone, but I wish he would make an effort in a certain regard. You’ll know what I mean, when you read!!😅 Come back and let me know if you agree or disagree!! Overall, it was a wonderful story that brought out every emotion in me.

I also listened to the audio narrated by Rachel Vivette & Oliver Clarke, and their performance was excellent! Both of them nailed the comedic aspects, the emotional themes, and the romance with ease! I even enjoyed their portrayal of the kids, which I know can be hit or miss sometimes. I highly recommend the audio!!

I received an ALC/ARC for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️🌶️

I loved this story about a second chance at love. Jay & Gabby are incredible characters that have faced very heart breaking situations. The way they come together was beautiful and their love story is awe-inspiring.

All of Adriana Locke’s characters are very relatable and I can envision people in my life that they could be. Her writing style is refreshing and engaging

Narrated by Rachel Vivette and Oliver Clark.
Devoured this audio and loved it so much!
The narration was amazing, new to me narrators and they nailed Gabby and Jay, and all the side characters and children. Perfectly done.👏 I felt all the fears, worries, lust and the love.

*Neighbors to lovers ( the trope I didn't know I needed this year)
*Single mom of 2
*Starting over
*Small town
*Grumpy MMC
*Funny Meet Cute

Gabby moves back to her small hometown with 2 boys, Dylan and Carter, after their father passes away. She buys a fixer upper, living down the street from her cousin, and next door to the grumpy single carpenter.

I just love all these characters. I felt Dylans anger towards leaving his friends, his fathers death, and starting in a new town-and then seeing his mom trying to move on too. It's so hard on him.😔
Her youngest son takes to Jay, much to his dismay at first, but Jay is really so great with the boys and wants to help when he can- with the kids and their mom.

His past relationship/situation story broke my heart. What a terrible experience, no wonder he didn't date. I loved seeing the jealous side come out when another man shows interest in Gabby. So long those no dating rules.

Gabrielle is a single mother who just moved back to her hometown with her two sons after they went through a very tough year.

Gabrielle meets her grumpy next-door neighbor, Jay, in the best and funniest way, and I loved every minute of it!

Jay has gone through his own hardships in the past and tends to keep to himself. However, the new neighbor, Gabrielle, breaks down walls, one brick at a time, with the help of one of her sons.

I really enjoyed the DIY aspects of the story, which had me totally laughing at Gabrielle and the girls! I hope we get the other two women's stories!

There were a few moments that I thought were definitely unnecessary and too dramatic, but overall I enjoyed the book!

Gabrielle and her two sons move back to her hometown after the tragic death of her ex-husband. She buys a fixer-upper home that she plans on fixing with her questionable skills.

Jay, her grumpy new neighbor, immediately attracts her attention. And Gabs accidentally finds an unintended, embarrassing way to get Jay’s attention.

Her 7-year-old inquisitive son, Carter, has never met a stranger and begins asking Jay for help. 14-year-old Dylan is sullen and angry in his grief.

Jay is suffering from missing a little girl that his ex-girlfriend refuses to let him see.

Try as might to fight the attraction between them, Gabs needs Jay’s help, and Jay needs Gabs and her sons. Will Jay open his heart? Will Gabs?

Gabrielle and her two boys have moved back to her home town. Her boys have just lost their father, her ex-husband. Her oldest son is a little snarky and mouthy ( as most teenagers are) her younger son is warm, open and energetic. Gabrielle is eager to have a life with friends and a man, a man who can make her feel appreciated and supported. Jay her next door neighbor is definitely an eligible man but he is not interested. Jay has some personal issues that he is still working through so he is not open to being with Gabrielle. Gabrielle’s openness to being involved with Jay and her need to have so many repairs done on her house and Jay having a week free keep these two in constant contact. I enjoy a story of an older woman with children who is looking for love. These two were a great fit. Jay wasn’t a grump, he wasn’t a cinnamon roll, he was just this guy trying to figure out life. This romance was so sweet, I loved Jay’s interactions with her sons, he never talked down to them. Great story with some nice spice and I loved the side characters who I assume will have their own books.

Adriana is an author that never misses for me. I always binge the crap out of her books and they always hit. ⁣
⁣
This was no exception. From the very first meeting between Jay and Gabrielle I was grinning ( literally the best meet cute). They had such good chemistry even when Jay was trying to keep her at arms length. I loved the relationship that grew between Jay and Gabrielle but also between Jay and Gabriella's sons. ⁣
⁣
All of the side characters were great and I hope we get more from them because I'm definitely invested in their stories as well! The girl friend group was so fun and supportive with each other and it was so sweet to see. ⁣
⁣
Basically, I enjoyed every second of this

I am a big fan of Adriana Locke's works and this is no exception. Excellent writing style, good romance and humor and a fun plot with a little angst thrown in. This is a standalone single mom romance with a broody neighbor.

Gabrielle decided to take her two boys and move back to the town where she grew up after her ex-husband passes away. She is a little bit of a hot mess but is a great mom and is just trying to get her mojo back with everything that has happened. When she meets her aloof (and a bit grumpy) neighbor, she is instantly attracted even though she isn't looking for anything serious. Jay wants nothing to do with the hot mom or her sons but he can't seem to stay uninvolved. Gabrielle continues to put herself in situations where he feels like he needs to step in and help and her youngest child doesn't know the meaning of "take a hint". But Jay has been hurt before and is scared to open himself up to Gabrielle and her kids. But slowly he finds he can't stay away.

The initial meeting between Gabrielle and Jay is priceless! The book starts off pretty quick with some humor which I love. Gabrielle is just amazing and hilarious.

These two were so sweet! I loved how they began as friends and then developed their relationship into more later. I could totally feel the on page chemistry between the two when they were together!

I really enjoyed the banter between all the characters! Her group of girlfriends seemed like so much fun!

Gabby and Jay's backstories were definitely on the emotional side and I loved when the finally opened up to each other!

ARC REVIEW

I was very much looking forward to this ARC but it unfortunately felt a bit short for me.

I just could not relate to either MC and felt they both made silly choices.

There were cute moments of this book though:)

Listen, I wanted to like this book a lot. The synopsis hooked me. Did you read the part where Gabby topples over her porch railing while her neighbor, Jay, watches?

I just couldn’t get into the characters and the story. I found the push and pull between Jay and Gabby annoying. Jay constantly shutting Gabby out (or the door in her face) when he leads her on did not sit well with me.

I did finish the book but and am very grateful to be considered for the ARC.

Between Now and Forever by Adriana Locke is a heartwarming and engaging romance that beautifully captures the complexities of love, loss, and second chances. The story introduces us to Gabrielle Solomon, a resilient single mother of two, who returns to her small hometown after the unexpected death of her ex-husband. There, she finds herself living next door to Jay Stetson, a grumpy yet irresistible carpenter with his own emotional scars. Their journey from neighbors to lovers is filled with humor, warmth, and genuine moments of connection.

Locke's writing shines as she balances emotional depth with lightheartedness. The alternating perspectives between Gabrielle and Jay provide insight into their struggles and vulnerabilities, making their romance feel authentic and relatable. Gabrielle's character is particularly well-crafted; her determination to create a stable life for her children while navigating her own grief is both inspiring and touching. Jay, initially guarded and reluctant to let anyone in, slowly reveals his softer side as he bonds with Gabrielle and her sons, especially the youngest, Carter.

The chemistry between Gabrielle and Jay is palpable, marked by witty banter and tender moments that keep readers invested in their relationship. The slow-burn romance is expertly paced, allowing for genuine emotional growth as they confront their pasts together. The supporting characters, including Gabrielle's children and her friend group, add richness to the narrative and highlight themes of family and community.

However, while I thoroughly enjoyed the book, there were moments where the conflict felt a bit contrived or predictable. Some plot points could have benefited from deeper exploration to enhance the emotional stakes further. Additionally, the resolution felt slightly rushed toward the end, leaving me wanting a bit more closure on certain character arcs.

Overall, Between Now and Forever is an enjoyable read that combines humor, heart, and healing in a beautifully crafted story. With its relatable characters and charming small-town setting, I would rate it 4 out of 5 stars. This book is perfect for fans of contemporary romance who appreciate stories centered around family dynamics and personal growth. Adriana Locke has once again delivered a heartfelt tale that resonates long after the last page is turned!

This is my first Locke book and there were things that I enjoyed and things that I was only OK with. I was interested in Jay’s path as he worked his way through his problems. I felt for him, for the heartache he’d gone through, and his hesitation to get involved again. But the pull to Gabrielle and her sons was just too strong.

I did feel like there could have been some more time spent addressing the issues with Gabrielle’s oldest, regarding his dad as well as a new relationship for his mom. There’s a lot of mental health that could have been explored that I felt was only partially done.

Speaking of the kids, Dylan is pretty much the teen you would expect in his situation, a little sullen and walking that line between kid & adult. Carter is just downright adorable – cute, spunky, and fun. His interactions with Jay were some of my favorites. Gabrielle is a great mom, caring and thoughtful. She does a lot to help them as well as her friends & Jay.

As a first read for this author, I’m satisfied. The characters are interesting, their issues feel realistic, and the pacing is even. It’s a slow burn, angsty, and humorous with a satisfying HEA.