Wow. Where do I even begin?

Honestly, being a pretty impatient person myself, I generally don't enjoy slow burn romances. But If Only You didn't feel like a slow burn; from the moment Ziggy and Sebastian meet, you could feel the sparks and the intimacy the two characters shared. Reading them grow together and get rid of their fears, together, was beautiful.

As always, the representation is amazing. Every time I read a Chloe Liese book, I feel like I understand a medical diagnosis in the most important way - from the patient's perspective, their thoughts and feelings. I always feel more confident that I'll be able to treat a patient with that diagnosis in a more empathetic and kind way, so I will always be grateful to her for that!

Also, while I love the Bergman brood, Ren+Frankie hold a special place in my heart, and with this book, my love for them grew even more <3

If you're looking for a heartwarming book, that, aside from having some amazing tropes, also is real, honest and just downright swoony, I highly recommend it!

Another incredible Chloe Liese!

First off, our couple. Ziggy and Seb were two incredible leads. Their dynamic was lots of fun, and a fake friendship was something different from fake dating. I think even from their first interaction there was a zing of chemistry and it lasted throughout their "fake" hangouts.

Seb was a soft, emo boy in a hard shell. And Ziggy was a headstrong and underestimated woman. I love how often Liese's characters have other stuff going on. I first read With You Forever by her and had never read a romance book that had a character with IBD. I know these might not scream sexy, but it's real life, and makes the story that much more intimate, and the couple that much more realistic to see them learn these sides of each other.

There is so much family in this series and I love that. And the way the Bergman's interact with Seb is so touching.

This was such a lovely story and romance. Seb and Ziggy were hot and soft all the time. And I love how much he cared about her, and did things for her that showed He listened to her! The bookstore scene...god!

Incredible!

Thank you to Chloe Liese & Netgalley for the eARC! I cannot get enough of what comes out of Chloe’s brain. My first time seeing FAKE friends > real friends > lovers trope, “bad boy”/good girl, with the sweetest *slooow* burn, character development for the MCs separate from their relationship, and some Bergman meddling of course! *boop* 🥹🫶

This book was such a great read. Sights bravery and willingness to understand and help Seb was so heartwarming. Seb and ziggy are such a cute couple. They understand each other and support one another. I appreciated that they started their relationship as friends and then developed into a relationship. I thoroughly enjoyed the Bergman family members and always enjoyed their scenes.
Thank you for the ARC!!

I've been waiting for Ziggy's story since I began reading Chloe Liese's Bergman Series. She did not disappoint with this beautiful story about two people who are helping each other be the best versions of themselves. They start off as fake friends, to friends, and eventually to lovers. Seb and Ziggy handle each other with such gentleness and warmth that lead to a great lead up to their romance arc. I can't forget to mention that I LOVED all the mentions of Bergman's and seeing their stories continuing throughout the series.

4.5 stars for me!

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

As far as I'm concerned Chloe Liese can write no wrong and this latest Bergman siblings book was no exception!! In this installment, we get to know more about the youngest Bergman, Ziggy - a bisexual, autistic, professional soccer player who is tired of being treated like the baby of the family in need of protecting.

In an attempt to bust out of her 'good girl' box, she proposes a fake friendship with her brother's friend Seb, a pansexual, professional hockey player whose own image is much in need of improving after numerous affairs and an unfortunate car accident.

The chemistry and tension between Ziggy and Seb are off the charts but what I loved most was how supportive they were for one another, especially being accepting of the struggles each are going through. Seb discovers he has celiac's and Ziggy helps him figure out the foods he can eat that will help improve his health.

Other highlights for me in this book included a sexy bookstore visit, angry yoga sessions, Linnie, the A-frame (where all the magic tends to happen), no annoying third act break-up, LOTS of great conversations about feelings, the secret Shakespeare club and a MMC not afraid to go to therapy to deal with his toxic family trauma.

Trust me when I say you definitely want to pre-order this book ASAP and if you haven't yet had the pleasure of getting to know the Bergmans yet, definitely start at book one (you won't be sorry!). Much thanks to NetGalley and the author for an early digital arc copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!!

This book was a perfect addition to the Bergman family series. I would highly suggest reading all of them in order, but it is not necessary if you choose not to.

One of the things that you can always expect from Chloe's books is diverse representation. I love the way she writes love stories for everyone regardless of disabilities, identities, or illness. In this one the characters are queer, neurodivergent, and one gets a late in life celiac disease diagnosis. Chloe handled all of these with care and in an authentic way.

Ziggy and Sebastian are absolutely wonderful together and I really enjoyed watching them become friends then something more.

Slight spoiler but this one also skips out on the whole third act breakup and I loved how the final act was handled in this book.

Overall I would HIGHLY recommend this one to any fans of this series and also just any romance fans.

i know that with every new chloe liese book that comes out that i’ll love it before i’ve even read it. but now that i have read it i can say with certainty that if only us is now my favourite one. the way these characters opened up to eachother over the course of the book was so special and heartwarming. i have been waiting for ziggys book ever since willa and ryders and now that we’ve got her, she’s just as good of a character as i anticipated, as is seb he’s like the bad boy with the soft spot for her it made me want to hug him so hard. anyway i’m going to cry when viggo’s book comes out; the bergmans are my favourite found family

Thank you netgalley and Chloe liese for the opportunity to read this e-arc early in exchange for my honest review. This is my new favorite Chloe liese Bergmann books I cannot wait to order my physical copy and makes me excited for book 7. Chloe writes and I wanna read it. The slow burn was done so well the brother best friend was sooogood and he's a bad boy. Perfection. Chloe is an autobuy author for me.

I'm a big fan of the Bergman's brothers and sisters series and I couldn't wait to read Ziggy's.

Ziggy is a soccer player and she feels like she hasn't the courage to speak for herself. She's tired that her family see her like a fragile person who needs to be protected at all time. She wants it to change, she wants her family, friends and teammates to see who she is now and not who she was.

Enter Sébastien Gauthier, a hockey player who play with Ren, her brother. Sebastien is rough on the edges, he drinks, he brawls and doesn't take care of himself and his reputation. But when he has an accident, he has to lay low and make a change to keep playing hockey.

Together, they make a deal to see each other in public and change their image by being fake-friend.

The representation in this book was amazing. Autism, Celiac disease, anxiety, and some more. I recommend this book and series in a heartbeat.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️

The characters are so well developed, ending up as close as friends, but the plot suffers for it. That said, I did enjoy the book for the most part. There are portions I skim-read, information over sharing and random sidebars that could be revealed in much more interesting ways when they are actually important to the story. I read and overall enjoyed book 2 of the series, and this one has the same style.

Thank you to NetGalley and Chloe Liese for the ARC.

AH, Chloe KNOCKS it out of the park again with If Only You.
I'm no stranger to the amazing Bergman family, and I was waiting eagerly to see who the next book was going to be about, and I'm so happy that it was Ziggy. Ziggy reminds me a lot of myself. Me & my social anxiety, emotional about everything, and my tenacity to often think of myself as the "child" when I'm very much like an adult. I could not stop reading Ziggy and Seb's relationship, what first began as a friendship that later turned into so much more. Ziggy and Seb really meld together so well and I couldn't stop gushing at the story. I loved it so much and that little tidbit at the end is getting me excited for Viggo as well and sad that one of my favorite series is soon coming to an end.

So, I finished this book in one sitting and yet I have waited until Valentine's Day (which I don't believe in) purely to express my love of this book, this series and this author ❤️.
Chloe Liese could write anything and I would one click it without a second thought, such is the power of her writing and her words. I adore it. I adore the thought and care that goes into her writing with every single character she creates. It is both delightful and overwhelming to see oneself in so many different people within the same family/series. They all somehow feel they belong to me now. I adore Ziggy, how fierce she loves her family but how she knows herself so well. The times where she feels like she's being shut out and coddled. I hear her. I also love how despite her challenges she loves, challenges and defends Sebastian. She knows what he thinks of himself and she defies him in order to make the best of him and them.
Sebastian... oh, Sebastian. To have lived under the shadow of such toxicity and then to be thrust into a family like the Bergmans. How lucky, but so very much to take and accept at once. I was so proud of him when he faced his demons head in. I about fell over laughing when he faced his brotherly summit. His discussion with Viggo was just priceless.
I loved how this storyline really focused on Ziggy and Sebastian's individual idiosyncrasies and how they overcome them, as well as their mutual partnership. It was just a beautiful story, not that I'd ever believed it epuld be otherwise. I'd have been devastated to wait until April Hahaha.

Now then, Viggo. What are you up to and how do you land on your romance loving ass?

Finally Ziggy’s turn! I knew she would come before Viggo! She surprised me a lot. I already loved her, especially thanks to her bond with Frankie, but in this book my love has skyrocketed. The way she stands up for herself was really inspiring. I think lots of us need to learn how to ask for the things we want instead of waiting for other people to guess. Something else I loved about her was how gentle she was with Sebastian. I think this is the biggest and greatest quality of the Bergmans: they are so gentle and care so deeply about other people’s emotions, especially their significant others.

Sebastian was the blueprint of damaged hero! My heart broke for him. No kid should have to go through what he did, and I really understood why he was the way he was at first, though even since the beginning I could see that the was silently screaming for help from inside. So, Ziggy’s gentleness was exactly what he needed, and she needed to be seen as an adult woman, just like Sebastian did. They were perfect for each other.

I am so sad we only have one more book. Seeing all of the Bergmans in this book made me super happy. I can’t wait for Viggo, but I’m gonna miss them so much!

TW: Parental abuse

Rating: 4/5
Steam level: Open door, 2-3 scenes, medium level of detail

Thanks to Chloe Liese and NG for my ARC! Opinions are my own!

Every Chloe Liese book speaks to my soul like no other author does. Ziggy and Seb were such spectacular leads in this novel. They complimented each other perfectly, were so vulnerable and tender, and just had the most perfect romantic arc ever. I loved seeing all the Bergmans again and watching this new and mature dynamic of the whole group. I'm so excited for the final book but also am so so so not looking forward to this series ending. I wish I could steep myself in this series for the rest of eternity.

Youngest of seven, Ziggy Bergman is tired of being babied by her family. Despite being autistic, she is an adult and can handle her own battles! Realizing her brother's best friend Seb also needs an image overhaul, Ziggy proposes a mutually beneficial arrangement: the two pose as friends to clean up his image and rough up hers.

Seb's image is spiralling, much to his agent's chagrin. When Ziggy makes him an offer, he takes it to salvage the one thing he loves: hockey.

I received this book as a "lived experience" reader. I am neurodivergent, somewhere on the autism spectrum, chronically ill, and queer. Chloe Liese's books have helped me embrace these identities, even when they feel like a burden. This book was no exception.

Ziggy is a special character. I feel privileged to have gotten to watch her grow into an independent person. I love how she articulates her challenges and struggles clearly so that readers can understand what it's like inside her brain, and people like me can feel a little less alone.

Seb's journey to discovering his chronic illness recognizes the challenge of living your life in pain and accepting it as normal. Seb's entire life changes for the positive when he receives his diagnosis, but acknowledges the grief in losing a major part of his life as well.

Most special was probably her author’s note at the end. It devoted the most time to her readers in these groups. It felt like it was written for me and everything I needed to hear.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Is this my new favorite Bergman book????? I think it’s my new favorite Bergman book…

For real though, I just have the worst time reviewing books that I really, really love because I just can't put the words together and I really, really loved this. But I'm going to try because Ziggy and Sebastian deserve it.

I love a story where it's clear that the characters grow not only on their own but together and this was one of those done spectacularly.

The banter, the tension, the Bergman shenanigans- it was all perfect. I spent the entire book just wanting to wrap Sebastian and Ziggy in one big hug. The entire book also felt like a big, warm hug. It also made me want to reread the entire series again and who knows- if I start now maybe I'll be just in time to read this again when it comes out!

I have been waiting for this book since Book 2, because a fantasy romance reading girl was a protagonist I just knew I'll love.
This book completely subverts the fake dating or best friend's sister trope in the best way. A bad boy with a heart of gold and a protected good girl try to rebrand their images by being friends! Of course they had simmering s**ual tension even before they took this step. The best part was that the ice hockey player brother was not over protective in a victorian manner, but respected his sister's choices and ultimately his friend's emotions as well.
This book stole my heart with how thoughtful the protagonists were for each other, words matter a lot to me but acts of service have a different effect all together!
As always, the representation of people on the autism spectrum was sensitive and gave the reader insight into how the person would want to be treated.
The author also did a unique thing by giving a * spoiler alert * macho athlete an almost debilitating issue like Celiac Disease. I've had a classmate suffer from the same, and struggles of finding safe food is something of a nightmare for these folks. The hero has the privilege to access these gluten free foods easily but nonetheless it is an emotional rollercoaster after a lifetime of discomfort and self medication. This book changes what a sports romance means to people, because the heroine and hero both are pro athletes with amazing careers in front of them!

I absolutely adored this book. I think at this point Chloe Liese can do no wrong in my eyes. The characters were so good, I love and admire Chloe for the representation she puts into her books and how seamless and not forced it is within the storylines. I'm honestly flabbergasted that Ziggy and Seb managed to stay friends that long but hey Ziggy has more will power than I do.. or actually maybe its Seb. I love how this book fits perfectly within the series with the A-frame love references, the brother intervention. I loved seeing more Ren thoughout the book and get a nice glimpse of the very secret Shakespeare club. The only bad thing I could say is that I now need to spend all my money to get this book asap.

Chloe Liese had quickly cemented herself as one of my all-time favorite authors, she can literally do no wrong. I read this book in one sitting. If Only You felt like someone had taken my lived experiences and emotions from my head and put them in paper form. It was the most cathartic read that I have had in my life. I love Ziggy and Sebastian so incredibly much and I loved seeing how Sebastian grew. I usually am not a fan of friends to lovers or of slow burns (which I guess this isn't technically a slow burn, but still) but this book proved me wrong and I loved it so much. The representation in the Bergman Brothers series continues to be unmatched. I also loved how the Bergman family is portrayed as such a great family, but still Liese does not hide the familiy's flaws. The story is just masterfully put together and I loved all of the side characters (I very much wanted to know more about Ziggy's best friend). I am literally going to be devastated when the series ends next year, but I can only hope that we potentially get a second-generation series. I cried, I blushed, I laughed, this book is a 5/5 stars for me. Thank you to Netgalley and Chloe Liese for a free book in exchange for an honest review.