I found Chloe's work early last year on NetGalley and instantly fell in love with her story telling. Not only are her characters smart, strong, and extremely relatable, they're diverse. She has quickly become one of my favorite Indie authors to follow. I normally devour her books in one sitting and have re-read her first book in the series, Only When It's Us, multiple times. It's that good.
Rarely do you find an author that can so beautifully articulate life struggles in such a true way. Most times, I read books to escape, but with Liese’s work, I read to feel understood and to feel. She has a way of crafting stories that normalize what many face day to day (mental illness and neurological differences), making them feel heard with a sense of belonging not seen in many novels. This book spoke to me deeply and made me feel all the things.
I have always been a hopeless romantic at heart. Boy meets girl, they fall in love, and live happily ever after. Book ends as they ride off into the sunset, completely happy and utterly in love. Reader closes book and smiles. But what happens 10 years down the road? Ever After Always is the aftermath of the ups and downs of marriage. The result of riding out life’s storms together and waking up one morning realizing you have changed and so has your marriage. How do you cope? Can you make this work?
In the third installment of the Bergman series, Aiden and Freya are at an impasse in their marriage. They are comfortable, yet distant. After months of quiet discontent, Freya’s had enough. She knows something is off, but she doesn’t know how to fix it. Quickly, readers realize Aiden has struggles of his own. He doesn’t want to place his burdens on Freya, but is desperately fighting to provide for their future. Cue couples therapy and a Hawaiian paradise getaway, complete with meddling brothers and a dirty talking parrot. What ensues is laughter, tears, and a lot of self discovery.
Ever After Always takes you on a roller coaster of emotions, but in the best way possible. One minute you’re simmering in a slow burn and next, you’re literally laughing out loud. Couple that with a few punch in the gut moments and you have yourself a book that you can’t put down. In it, you get to know the world of the Bergman siblings; their chaotic love for each other just makes sense. This family makes you want to be a part of their clan; the world created in Ever After Always pulls you into its orbit that you don’t want to leave.
I loved everything about Ever After Always. It was beautifully written and spoke to me on so many levels. Marriages are tough work. Living with anxiety is hard. There were so many times where I wondered if Chloe had a a glimpse into my own marriage; the parallels were uncanny. This book is about real life, not a fairy tale. And it's a story that needs to be told.
5/5 stars
A HUGE thanks to @chloe_liese for an advanced copy in return for an honest review. I will continue to sing your praises and be one of your biggest fans!
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