Wow, this book was a winner. I loved loved Frankie. She was a lot more than we've come to expect from autistic women in media, and her struggles with her RA were both heartbreaking and inspiring. As far as #OwnVoices stories go I really enjoyed Liese's take on Frankie's story and the addition of Ren's sister Ziggy made it clear that it is more complex than any one story can portray fully.
Ren is the ultimate book boyfriend (I know I've said that before but I mean it this time) he was sweet, thoughtful, and feminist AF.
This is the second book in a series, but I hadn't read book one and didn't feel out of place with the story or the characters as all. I am definitely going to need more of the Bergman brothers books. In fact, I've already gone back and bought book 1.

A delightful #ownvoices romance, featuring the slowest of slow burns between a prickly, witty autistic heroine and a kind, secretly nerdy hockey star. Frankie is the social media coordinator for LA's NHL team. She has a small circle of friends and has decided not to date, because it never seems to work out well. But she keeps getting distracted by Ren, the redheaded giant and one of the team's stars. Ren, meanwhile, has been pining for Frankie since he joined the team. Players and staff aren't allowed to date each other, plus he's never gotten the sense Frankie was interested--until lately.

This was hilarious, incisive, and sweet. The two leads have smoldering chemistry, although extremely slow-moving. In addition to autism, Frankie also lives with rheumatoid arthritis, and both conditions are handled with sensitivity. Ren does an excellent job of not trying to take care of Frankie, except when she asks for help, or treating her any differently (except as the perfect woman for him). One of the sweetest plotlines involves Frankie mentoring a high school girl who has recently been diagnosed with autism. You can see Liese's care and compassion for what the teenager is going through.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review.

There's something about Chloe Liese's books that are so hard to walk away from! I can't even take a break when reading.

Considering this is an #ownvoices novel was nice to read, as I can relate to Frankie's experiences with autism more than most other books I've read. AOY recognizes being on the spectrum doesn't mean your entire life is steeped in that fact, nor is it the only thing loved ones acknowledge about you. Masking is also a huge deal and I'm glad to see that. As a woman it's both easy and exhausting to slip into whatever role that's expected of you. Personally, days will pass until I realize I can drop whatever character I've stolen from a book or TV show. Sometimes this did feel a bit like reading a diagnosis list, but that could just be my perspective of reading some paragraphs of longtime insecurities. Still, Frankie's autism isn't this huge thing to overcome and that's appreciated.

I deeply love Ren's character. I love a sweet, hulking hero! Also, it's impossible to surpass Liese's skill at writing the steamy scenes. They're the best.

Y’all, this book deserves every possible golden star available. The first book in this series was excellent and I was hesitant to read this as I wasn’t sure if it would live up to the same feelings I had for the first. Then I saw that not only was it a sports romance, but a hockey one at that and my interest peaked. Then I saw it was an #ownvoice story and I was like, yup, this is gonna be good. And then within the first few chapters I was hooked and couldn’t put it down.

I love that this series normalizes disabilities, and does it in such a caring, compassionate way. It is SO refreshing seeing these topics being dealt in such a natural way, showing how normalized autism, chronic pain, and deafness can and should be. I also ADORE seeing men being given a space where they can be emotional & raw without any judgement from those around them. Chloe writes with her whole heart and it’s so obvious when reading her work. I am so thankful that I was given the opportunity to get an advance copy of this, because it’s easily one of the best books I’ve read in months. Although I couldn’t personally relate to our MC in some ways, there was one specific scene where Frankie was remembering her father and it brought me to tears with how much I related to her in that moment. I think so many people will be able to see themselves in Frankie and/or Ren in one way or another, and that in itself it magical.

Overall, I have zero negative things to say about this book because of how well done it was. Chloe knows exactly what she’s doing while writing these books, and she needs to keep trusting in herself and her voice, because she is changing the romance world one book at a time!

THIS. BOOK!!! Chloe Liese has officially become one of my all-time favorite romance authors. This story is about Frankie, who is autistic and has rheumatoid arthritis and has felt like a burden to those who love her in the past, making her wary of relationships and making her keep herself somewhat closed off and grumpy. Ren is a sweet, sexy, sunshine-y hockey player on the team for which Frankie does the social media management. As the two grow closer, both are forced to confront their insecurities and discover new things. These two were absolute perfection in my eyes. I could've read their story for another 500 pages. Put this book on your TBR immediately!

Thank you to Chloe Liese and NetGalley for the ARC. I really enjoyed this romance. Frankie is on the autism spectrum and also suffers from RA. Ren is a nerdy hockey player. This was not a typical romance in that the characters were very different and I appreciated their struggles. I’m very drawn to characters who are not neuro-typical. I did not read the first in the series. There are some steamy open door scenes in the later half of the book. There were times that I felt there could be more editing, but overall I enjoyed the characters, plot and finished it very quickly.

All. The. Damn. Stars.

Ren a hockey star with the LA Kings, closet Shakesperean nerd, and generally one of the best human beings ever written into existence (seriously I dare you to find a flaw).

Frankie in charge of social media relations for the LA Kings, not so closeted Harry Potter nerd, trying to navigate life with both autism and rheumatoid arthritis all while maintaining a mask of normalcy.

One is sunshine incarnate, the other is Eeyore personified. Yet together they are absolute perfection. A slow-burn romance, a dash of the forbidden, a hint of long term pining, unexpected living arrangements, and of course the Bergman family magic.

The romance aside, this novel handled the discussion of autism so beautifully I nearly cried. The heart to heart between Ziggy and Frankie was everything and my heart just about exploded. As the mama of a little boy with autism, I can't thank the author enough for this sort of representation and exquisitely written story that sheds light on issues many people are unaware of in the most natural way possible.

This was adorable. I ate it up in exactly one day. It was steamy and fun and SO SWEET and I loved the family dynamic and the side relationships Frankie has with her friends. We get to live in the heads of both main characters, Frankie and Ren, and I felt that their falling in love was both authentic and so dang cute.

This is an #OwnVoices story which you find out at the end in the authors note which is incredibly cool.

Frankie is the social media coordinator of the hockey team that Ren plays on. Frankie is on the autism spectrum and has rheumatoid arthritis. She works hard to appear neurotypical to those around her, and also to take care of herself completely independently, which she rocks at. She is cool as all get out, but also sometimes struggles to accept love and support from those around her. Ren is a giant Swedish hockey playing teddy bear who loves both Shakespeare and Frankie. I love a very sensitive and vulnerable male lead who cries and loves his siblings. Both characters were very vivid and developed and so easy to fall in love with as a reader. I wanted a little more hockey scenes and instances of seeing both of their respective passions in action, but also I almost always want my romance novels to be 500 pages long and I realize that that is ridiculous.

One thing that I struggled with was that in some of the scenes I got a little lost in where their bodies were in space. I’m visual to a fault and sometimes in books that are a little less physically descriptive I get easily confused. I know that this is not something everyone needs or even wants in their books though.

All in all I will be reading every single book in this series (there’s one before this that I haven’t read so I’m pumped to get to it!).
ARC was kindly provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Always Only You is the second book in the Bergman Brothers series. The story is about Ren and Frankie, they both work for a professional hockey team, he’s a player and she’s the social media manager. They have been working together for the past three years and they both know they can’t act on their feelings for each other because a player and a staff member can’t date, but that won’t stop them from getting closer and forming a strong friendship.

Like the first book, I absolutely loved this one, I was drawn into the story from the very first pages. The main characters are amazing, very likeable and you just want to know more about them. I love how Frankie and Ren started more as friends because you get to see how their relationship evolves throughout the story. They were very sweet, adorable together, they were always there for each other and had insane chemistry.

The representation of autism through Frankie’s character was very well written, she also has rheumatoid arthritis, but doesn’t let it dictate her life, she is very strong and determined. I love her and the chapters in her POV were my favorites. She appears as a grumpy character, but she is strongly keeping her soft side to herself and the people who are the closest to her. Her banter with Ren was so funny and I also loved their more domestic moments with her dog Pazza.

Ren is the biggest sweetheart ever, he loves Shakespeare and is in a book club dedicated to his plays. He would do anything for his family and loved ones and is always there for them. He’s always smiling and blushing and his love for Frankie is beautiful. I love him so much!

What I also liked a lot:

- The Bergman family: Their tight bond is amazing and the more you know about them, the more excited you get for the future books in the series
- The little moment between Rooney and Axel: I don’t remember if they interacted in Only When It’s Us or not, but the one interaction they had in this book got me SO EXCITED for a possible book with the two of them as main characters!!!!!!!!!!!
- The bond between Frankie and Ren’s sister Ziggy was very well written, I loved their scenes together so much

In conclusion, Always Only You is a wonderful #OwnVoices story, I adore Chloe Liese’s writing and if you haven’t started this series yet you definitely should do it because you’re missing out! This book is a sport and slow-burn romance but it’s perfectly balanced and very much focused on Frankie and Ren and their relationship. The Bergman Brothers series is just starting, but I’m already loving it so much and I can’t wait to know what’s next for this great family!

*Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange of an honest review.

Own voices ✔
Sports romance ✔
Grumpy heroine ✔
Giant teddy bear / cinnamon roll of a hero ✔
Slow burn (like a real, real slow) ✔
Pining (aka the best kind of angst) ✔

Only When It’s Us was one of my top reads this year but Always Only You just hit different. Chloe took the grump/sunshine trope and flipped it on its head while also giving us an own voices autism romance. I'm knocking down 1 star only because forbidden romance isn't really my jam.

Ren is the best kind of book boyfriend: the type you’d want to date in real life. He’s a giant nerd, a sweetheart, a ray of sunshine, a virgin (I don’t think I’ve seen that since the one and only JAMMF?), AND a ginger. But the real star of the book is Frankie. She is autistic and deals with rheumatoid arthritis (hello Elder Wand and a ton of other HP references!) and has built a lot walls around her to protect herself. I appreciated the inside glimpse into what life is like for people on the autism spectrum, the daily struggles and challenges. I’m not autistic, but I saw a lot of myself in Frankie’s cynicism, fear of relationships, and self-sabotage to the point of tears. And I hardly ever cry while reading! And FYI, autism + chronic illness + virgin hero ≠ 'clean' romance.

Also, I was so happy to see Willa and Ryder and the whole Bergman brood! And I’m a total sucker for marriage in trouble stories so I'm pretty excited to see Freya and Aiden’s story next!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a book every contemporary romance lover should read. I’m going to make a list, because that’s what I do best (sssh, don’t contradict me):
• Frankie is the grump of my heart. She wears a scowl as protection but also because she’s always in pain and also actually a bit of a grump
• Ren is the giant, sweet, loving, geeky ginger cinnamon roll we always love.
• There’s some actual communication going on in this book and that’s making me all kinds of hot.
• Not P in V sex ASAP - love it! They spend time together, get to know each other, learn each other’s bodies and it’s hot and it’s sweet (and a sexually frustrated Frankie is always fun).
• Autism rep - even though I’m not on the spectrum, I felt Frankie in my soul. More on that another time.
• Arthritics rep - you can have bitchy joints who won’t cooperate and still be strong and awesome and sexy
• Male tears!
• This is all hearts and emotion, but for once I didn’t find it sappy or unnecessarily fluffy. I’m stunned and happy with this nice surprise.
• It’s also funny
• And contains the bestest of friends. And family.

The one thing I felt was off in this book was the fact that it was so perfect. Seriously - Ren is the perfect love interest, sweet at attending an respectful with all the moves. Frankie is the perfect heroine, with her amazing personality and struggles and development. The story is sweet. The romance is slow burning and sizzling. The side characters are wonderful. Sometime they're just too understanding, too funny, too great..? Or it's just that I've never met a book that's ticked all my boxes?

As I said, I recommend this for all contemporary romance lovers. It's not super steamy, super exciting or super dramatic. It's more like a slow, goofy smile stretching your face. Yeah, sweet, fun and inclusive.

5 of 5 root beer gummies

(Review will also be posted on Instagram and retailer sites if possible. Thanks to Netgalley and Chloe Liese for this ARC - all thoughts and opinions are my own)
/ Denise

I think I just found a new favorite writer. I went into Always Only You with zero expectations thinking that the summary was intriguing and it's always nice to try an #ownvoices book, and I was totally blown away by the delightful Bergman family, so sweet Ren, and snarky and loveable Frankie. Ren and Frankie were just lovely together, and I'm so happy with how their relationship worked throughout the book. Also, I didn't know that I needed a ginger, Shakespeare-loving, super sweet hockey player in my life, but Ren was just the best. And Frankie was unapologetically herself in the most fantastic ways. Being autistic and having RA were central to who she was, but they weren't all she was which is a failing of many books with characters who are neurodivergent or have a chronic illness.

Honestly, my only minor critique is that the cover does not do the story justice, but I guess that's why they say not to judge a book by its cover.

I highly recommend Always Only You for anyone who enjoys a sweet romance that doesn't depend on ridiculous drama, a delightful group of family and friends, and characters that are incredibly diverse and feminist.

Thanks to Chloe Liese for the complimentary arc. This book publishes Aug. 4, 2020.

Always Only You by Chloe Liese is a funny, warm hearted sports romance that you can't help but love.

Liese has put together some really terrific characters in this one.

Frankie Zeferino is an autistic social media specialist for a professional hockey team whose life is further complicated by having rheumatoid arthritis. Frankie is a little grumpy but in a lovable way. And oh my, her internal dialogue is just so funny. Her Harry Potter references will thrill all the Potterheads out there. Frankie is just a great character with a great outlook on the world. I love how Liese outlines the strategies Frankie uses to cope with the difficulties of her everyday life.

Ren Bergman is my newest book boyfriend. A rough and tumble hockey player who is nice, friendly, avoids fights, and does children's charity work - what is there not to love? And he's a member of the Bergman family. For fans of Only When It's Us, Ryder and Willa make some cameo appearances in this one. (For those that didn't read that book, this book will easily stand alone as well.)

If I had to rate the steam factor on this one I'd say it is about medium steam. It's a slow burn for much of the book with lots of sexual anticipation done in a fun way.

I'd recommend this book to rom com fans who like their books with some steam. Or for people who love hockey romances. Harry Potter fans will love all the Potter references made in this book. If you like your books G-rated or with low steam, this may not be the book for you. Also there is medical marijuana use in the book.

Overall I give this one a huge thumbs up and think it is a great summer read.

I really enjoyed this book. The two main characters were interesting and the dual narration helped us get inside each of their minds to understand what they were going through. Frankie has a lot to deal with in her life. She’s somewhere on the autistic spectrum and also suffers from rheumatoid arthritis. She’s had to deal with an overprotective family and the loss of a much-beloved father when she was young. She is tired of being regarded as a problem or as strange. She is strong enough to cope with the constant pain she feels. She has learned to deal with the problems she faces in not being able to decode other people’s emotions and interactions. The author says in a note that she also is on the spectrum so I felt I could trust her depiction of what it is like to be inside an autistic person’s head. It was a revelation to me. It was so wonderful to see that this is a person who can welcome affection and return it; someone with a wry sense of humor and lots of love waiting to come out.

Ren is a star professional hockey player and very good-looking. You wouldn’t think that he had any hang-ups or insecurities, but he does. He was a late bloomer in sports and really just a nerd who loves Shakespeare when he was in high school. He was teased and bullied. And then he grew and became a sports god. But inside, he’s still a guy who likes to read Shakespeare in his free time and doesn’t want to fight or curse. Instead he uses 17th century insults when he wants to express his anger at someone. He’s just dorkalicious. And he’s been in love with Frankie since he first met her. He’s willing to help her and be at her side as she goes through life. He doesn’t care about autism (in fact he has an autistic sister whom Frankie can help) or her rheumatoid arthritis. He’s just wonderful.

I heartily recommend this book. As a teacher with students who are on the spectrum, it made me more sensitive to their needs. That’s a lot to get from a romance novel.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

I liked the first book in the series, but couldn’t connect with the characters here. I absolutely loved the idea of this book that autism is not a sentence, that you should and could set a goal and go for it and do everything to achieve it. It wouldn’t be easy, but it’s doable. I support the idea wholeheartedly. However, I am very skeptical about work in social media. From my experience, it is constant work with double meanings, wordplays, subtlety, a lot of communication, challenges and unexpected events. So, as open-minded as I am and well understanding that every person on spectrum is different and taking into account that it is fiction, I can’t stop thinking how much stress contains this job for the heroine.
The hero was a nice and thoughtful guy. And I give the author credit for portraying a normal guy in professional sport. 👍It is refreshing to read a book about a hokey player without all these scenes with puck bunnies and commitment avoidance with a heroine ( the last several books I read were just like that ☹️).
In my review to the first book I mentioned the name Søran. The author did a good job explaining it in this novel. 🙂 Some of the Swedish words made me grin, but ok, not going there...🙂
The book was interesting, with likable characters, nerdy-dorky situations, humor and, of course, Shakespeare. 🙂 3 stars only because of my elusive connection with main characters.
Thanks to the publisher, NetGalley and author for a kindly provided advanced copy! All opinions are mine.

The first book on this series Only When it’s Us was a good surprise for me and got me excited to know more about the Bergman family, in this romance we get to know Ren, who’s a hockey player and Frankie, a social media manager for the team Ren plays for. This is an #OwnVoices romance with austism rep but it also has chronic illness rep.

Frankie is this independent, hard worker woman despise the pain she has to endure because of her chronic illness, and she’s also the grumpiest, the perfect combination for Ren’s sunshine vibe, I loved her so much, she’s amazing, her witty humor was everything, and Ren... he is definitely book boyfriend material, a cinnamon roll made especially for Frankie, he’s the complete opposite of what we expect an hot hockey player to be, he’s a true Shakespeare enthusiastic and a dork! and the fact that he blushes a LOT around Frankie??? that’s so cute.

I loved their moments together, I like it so much when it's the guy who's already in love first, the romance was slow but it helped so we got to know more about their layers, specially Frankie, it was delightful to see Ren going through Frankie’s walls showing her that he truly accepts and love her for who she is.

If I didn't think that the Bergman family already has a place in my heart, after reading this book, they definitely would have! It was good to see all the Bergmans again — especially Ryder and Willa, I missed Willa and her sassiness — and getting more glimpses from the siblings we don’t know much about it, I loved how chaotic and amazing that family can be and I’m all in to see more of their weirdness on next books.

Always Only You got me swooning and smiling thorough all of it, this book simply warmed my heart, from Ren and Frankie interactions with one another to their interactions with their friends and family, I’m so excited to read about Freya and Aiden but I also can’t wait for axel’s book, please please I need Rooney to be Axel’s love interest.

As a frienamesies to lovers book this was something different for me. I loved the quirkiness of the characters and could relate to some of their issues. This is the second book in the series and I feel should be read in order because a few of the characters make an appearance in this book. I enjoyed reading this book.

I don't think I could love this book more. Like it's honestly impossible, and this book will absolutely be one of my most favorite reads of the year.
Always Only You is the love story of lovable, hard-working grump, Frankie Zeferino, and sunshine in human form, ginger hockey hunk, Ren Bergmen. I'm here to tell you that what initially piqued my interest in this book was the cover - I saw a ginger hockey player and my dreams had come true. I'm an avid hockey fan, and I married myself a ginger IRL (he's not a hockey player but he's built like one).
Theirs is a forbidden romance since they both work together in close proximity. Frankie has herself WELL shut off because of her diagnosis - she's got an autism diagnosis that she doesn't readily share, as well as rheumatoid arthritis. She consistently feels like she's essentially a burden to anyone she's allowed to get too close in the past, and while she's harboring feelings for Ren, she doesn't want to put herself in that position ever again. Ren has wanted Frankie since day one. Harboring deep, emotional feelings for her that he refuses to act on because of their working relationship. But to Ren, Frankie is the girl of his dreams, and she is more than worth waiting for.
Always Only You is a slow-burn, opposites attract, workplace romance between two lovable dorks, by an #OwnVoices author in regards to the portrayal of Frankie's autism, as the author is as well. This book catalogs the struggles, victories, and everything-in-betweens of folks with ASD exceptionally well on the page. This book made me feel things incredibly deeply and viscerally. I absolutely cannot wait to see Ren & Frankie in future Bergmen Brothers books, because while I may not have ASD or RA, the struggles Frankie has with allowing herself to be loved, and feeling worthy of that love, is something I have difficulties with to this day.
All in all? Read. This. Book.

Always Only You - Chloe Liese (8/4)

Rating - 4 / 5 Stars

** Thank you to Netgalley and of course, Chloe Liese, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely LOVED THIS BOOK! I devoured it in one day! After falling in love with Willa and Ryder in the first of the Bergman series, I knew I had to get my hands on this guy. I was so excited to see more of Ren and his happy ending.

Ren is the optimist, but at his core, he is nerdy from high school who is sensitive, inexperienced, and feels he does not fit in among his family or elsewhere. While everyone else lives and breathes Football (Soccer), including the newest addition, Willa - Ren is a hockey player for the Los Angeles Kings. He is very good at hockey which makes him feel like the odd one out amongst family. Enter Frankie - The girl he has pined after for over 3 years.

Frankie is one of the best characters I’ve read recently. Where do I even start? As this is an Own Voices novel, I want to point out how excellent Chloe’s writing of Autism and RA are. The connection that Frankie shares with Ziggy is absolutely outstanding and heartwarming. It is incredibly interesting as someone without these struggles to read about them from the point of view. As Autism is a spectrum, everyone is different which makes Frankie even more beautiful as a character. Away from her Italian family, she grew up with in order to soothe her RA with warmer weather and dreams of becoming a lawyer, Frankie moves to Los Angeles and begins working as the Social Media coordinator for the Kings - where she meets Ren.

The love story of Frankie and Ren is absolutely stunning. There were moments I cried, smiled, and hated that the book ended. I am so excited to read the next installment of this series.

Keep up the good work, Chloe!

Thank you for the opportunity to review the novel.

I LOVE this novel! It's well written about living with autism, chronic disease and still so much love and hope. it's poignant and gives a very close insight into a persons brain if you're autistic. If you haven't read the first book in this series, you don't need to to be able to read this, but don’t miss this new one!