Member Reviews
If Only You by Chloe Liese is a swoony sport romance that will melt your heart!
Ziggy Bergman is the baby of the family and wants to show the world and her family that she’s an adult woman and not a cookie cutter goody two shoes and who better to get some edge than Ren’s bestie and hockey teammate, Sebastian. Seb and Ziggy couldn’t be more different but he’s on thin ice, she wants to be seen as mature and cool so why not be fake friends, you know instead of fake dating? Fake friendship and it’s as swoon worthy, sweet and fun as imagined.
What I loved about this book is seeing neurodivergent rep with an autistic main character. Ziggy is such a sweet and caring person, choosing to see the good in others, loving her romance books, being an amazing and passionate soccer player. Her sensory issues with certain things like clothes and loud sounds were something that I as a person with sensory issues appreciated and felt seen in. It’s often times you don’t see neurodivergent characters being the main characters in a romance book and Chloe Liese does such a beautiful job of that. Another thing I loved was seeing Sebastian’s growth and journey to forgiving himself and accepting love for himself, from his friends and that’s it’s okay to lean on people. Your past doesn’t define you and that was very emotional to see. I love how despite his grumpy exterior he was so sweet and caring and understanding to Ziggy and very protective of her. Their friendship was so sweet and soft. You could see the moments where it was more than just friends and them coming to realize they’re in love. This book also has queer rep with bi and pan main characters, dual pov, slow burn romance, mutual pining, friends to lovers, celiac rep, self love journey, found family trope and sport romance and no third act break up and it’s so fun, witty, steamy, sweet and in true Bergman fashion, a big Swedish family to wrap you around and welcome you like you’re one of them. I also loved seeing familiar faces from past books and how they’re doing. I loved the ending. It was so perfect and sweet and felt like everything is falling into place as it should be. As sad as I am thinking about this book being the second to last, I can’t wait for series to continue but I hope everyone is ready for Ziggy’s book because If Only You will have you grinning at your reading screen!
Chloe Liese treats her characters with such care, and it was lovely to see that carry through in how Ziggy and Seb treated each other throughout IF ONLY YOU. This book is soft and sweet, but with plenty of Bergman family chaos (in the best way!). I also loved the athlete-athlete dynamic in Ziggy and Seb’s relationship. I’m going to miss this series when it’s over!
ARC Review! 🌟💓👏
I don't have words. I genuinely don't. I have never felt so visible. I can relate to both our main characters, but Ziggy?? She and I are so similar it was lovely. I saw so much of myself in her. 😊
I absolutely ADORED this book and these characters! The story flowed so nicely and felt so organic. I can not express how much of a wonderful read this book was.
Sebastian is putting in the work. 👏👏👏 We love to see it. Man went through so much and put so much into being better, not just for Ziggy but for himself. It was so lovely.
I cackled out loud at so many parts and got in my feels during others. The duality of a reader, lmao.
This book feels like home. The family in it?? Home.
As soon as I saw a Ben Platt song on one of the chapters, I knew that this was moving into my favorites list.
The best addition to the Bergman series to date! It was wonderful to read Ziggy’s story after so many books with her waiting in the wings.
I felt like a bit too much time was spent revisiting the other siblings love stories (and there are A LOT of Bergmans.)
I loved the vulnerability of both Ziggy and Sebastian. Their chemistry was palpable, just jumping off the page and into my heart!
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of If Only You by Chloe Liese.
She's back, folks! After not loving Everything For You, I was worried that maybe the Bergman magic was falling off. I should have had had more faith in Chloe, as this was a stellar read. I was instantly sucked in and could not stop reading -- to the point that I wanted to slow down and make it last, but couldn't because I needed to know how it was going to end. Ziggy and Seb were perfect for each other. They brought out the best in each other and it was a true joy to witness their story and watch their growth together. As always, it's a blast to see the whole Bergman crew back in the books and causing trouble (side note, I cannot WAIT for Viggos book!)
My only complaint about this novel was that I didn't get enough of Ziggy and Seb actually together and that I didn't feel like we got enough of their backgrounds. We heard about the damage they had and how hard it was growing up, but I felt it lacked the depth to really get us to understand why they acted how they did, especially with Seb.
That small gripe aside, I absolutely loved it. And, I am absolutely devastated that I already devoured it and will be without a Bergman novel for the foreseeable future.
Thank you Chloe and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I love the Bergman Brothers series so I've been impatiently waiting for this one. Chloe has outdone herself this time. We start with a good girl and a bad boy that's her older brother's best friend. One of them is neurodivergent and the other is chronically ill. Each has an issue (or a few in Seb's case) that can be solved with the other's help, so they team up. It's a slow burn that doesn't have unnecessary drama which is all I ever want in a romance. I laughed, I cried. It was fantastic. I read it in one day and normally I struggle with ebooks, but it was just too good to not finish! If you haven't read the prior five books in the series, you may want to before you read this one. I think it would be enjoyable as a standalone, especially if you like sports romances or lived experience books.
First and foremost I want to say thank you @netgalley and @chloe_liese for providing me with an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review
This book comes out April 11
Ziggy and Sebastian 🥹😭❤️
This book was beautifully written. It was lighthearted, funny, emotional, hopeful. I love this series so much so of course I was beyond excited to know more of Ziggy and get to know Sebastian and I have to say it delivered, it truly was a wonderful story and I loved every second of it. I loved getting to see Ziggy and Sebastian grow and heal individually and together, their journey was one of self discovery, of friendship, of growth, of healing, of forgiveness and moving forward, of learning. It was one that will tug at your heartstrings and make you smile and laugh and feel for them and be proud of them too. I love these two so much and their love for each other was beautiful to see. I loved that I got to see myself in Ziggy, I got to see pieces of me in her and just be proud of who she is and seeing Sebastian journey and seeing him love himself and grow and bloom made me so proud of him and it was lovely to see.
I adore coming back to this series and getting to see the Bergman’s again and what they are up to now and of course it got me the most excited for the last book in the series which I cannot wait to be able to read.
Overall this book was beautiful and I’m left feeling happy and light and so proud of Sebastian and Ziggy and filled with joy of how their story turned out. I highly recommend this book and the series, is truly incredible and will forever hold a special place in my heart.
In this book we have:
Ziggy and Sebastian
A bit of an age gap (22-27)
Brother’s best friend
Autism rep
Celiac desease rep
Queer rep (bi and pan)
Hockey and Soccer
Fake friends to friends to lovers
Bad boy/good girl
If Only You absolutely blew me away. Now I can’t say I’m surprised I have adored the Bergman series so loving the latest instalment was expected. I did not however expect to have to wait so long for some things and in the end be totally onboard with that decision! Listen when a writer can give you steam through tension alone, that’s a talent that should be praised! Because friends the tension in this book is nothing short of delicious!
Ziggy, who I had thoroughly enjoyed as a side character really gets to shine in these pages. She’s hilarious, kind and spectacularly wonderful. But she’s also very aware of who she is and what she wants, even if it takes her a while to go after or vocalize what she wants. Her interactions with not only Sebastian but also her family give the reader such an open door look into who Ziggy is. A firecracker of a woman mature beyond her years just wanting to be seen while making those around her succeed!
Sebastian, oh boy! The bad boy of the hockey world, like truly, he’s not really putting on an act! Yet as he gets to know Ziggy more something starts to change and honestly the realizations happen somewhat quickly. But he’s battling a lot internally both mentally and physically and he doesn’t quite trust any of the feelings he’s beginning to feel. What won me over though was how he stuck to his convictions once he made up his mind about certain things. I’m not sure I’ve ever cheered for a main character so hard before.
If Only You, as with Chloe’s other books beings a healthy helping of representation to the table without anything feeling forced. Chloe writes from such a genuine place and it’s just one of the reasons her characters walk so easily off the page. It is a slow burn but as I said, contains impeccable, delicious, Michelin Star worthy tension! It’s absolutely everything I didn’t know I wanted!
⚽ Best friends sister, brothers best friend
⚽ Fake friendship
⚽ Bisexual, pansexual, neurodivergent and celiac representation
I just got this one and had to gobble it up!
Chloe has a storytelling style that draws you in and is so relatable and representative. It's such a treat whenever we get a new story. Make sure to listen to the authors note too! Such kind words.
I've loved Ziggy since the first book. She definitely gets treated like the baby since she's the youngest and in this book she wants to change that image of herself. Sebastian has such a reputation and its only getting worse. She had the suggestion of their fake friendship to help them both.
That first scene was priceless and every time he held back after that. The chemistry was electric. I love multi pov so much, just listening to their inner struggles and joys. Oh man I fell for these two so much!
Love the A-frame!
Omg good gracious! Hello Ziggy Dear. I want to read that fantasy series.
Also the Boop!
Thank you chloeleise and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.
Thanks NetGalley for the advanced readers copy of this absolutely perfect book. 5 stars, can Chloe Liese write a bad book? Because all the evidence I see points to no, she’s writing gold. I read this book in 2 days while trying to slow myself down so it would last longer because I didn’t want it to end. Loved catching up with the other siblings and really loved the dynamic between Seb and Ziggy. This book is healing, it takes imperfect characters who mirror us readers who are also imperfect in ways that most romance books don’t delve into and gives them the happy ever after. As expected it did not disappoint and I anxiously await the final installment.
Oh my goodness. I loved this book. Right from the start I was smiling, laughing, swooning. This book brought all the feels and I was living for it.
Watching Seb and Ziggy’s friendship bloom and deepen was a joy to read about, and their mutual love and respect for each other is so good.
I loved all the Bergman family shenanigans we got. This family is truly something special.
I am so so sad there is only one more Bergman book left, but at the same time I am beyond excited to finally get Viggo’s story.
If Only You is and will be one of my favorite romance reads of the year. I adore the fictional Bergman family and greatly appreciate the representation in this series.
Ziggy has always been one of my favorite characters so I couldn’t wait for her to her book! The chemistry and tension between Ziggy and Sebastian was *chef’s kiss*! If you love sports romances (soccer and hockey), fake friends to friends to lovers, and amazing character representation - you need to read every single book that Chloe Liese has written!
Thank you to Netgalley, Chloe Liese, and Victory Editing Netgalley Co-op for this arc ebook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!
thank you to chloe liese and netgalley for giving me an arc!
i was so so so excited for this book and ziggy and seb did not let me down!!! they were so excellent and met my every wish and expectation. reading about ziggy's character development from the previous books in the series and then throughout her own book was so thrilling. cheering her on and seeing her grow into herself was one of my favourite parts of this book.
sebastian gauthier, mr fancy pants himself, one of the best bad boys i have ever read. he was just so loveable and swoon-worthy. he was so perfect for ziggy! the way they helped each other and the way their relationship developed was just so special to me. i shed so many tears while reading this book just because of how soft and considerate and perfect they were for each other. and i think chloe is so brilliant about writing relationships where both parties become safe spaces for one another, its one of my absolute favourite things about her writing!!!!
the family moments in this book also made me shed so many tears i love this big silly little family with all my heart!! viggo bergman has had special place in my heart since the very first book i cannot wait to see what (or who) the hell he's hiding in Escondido. i need it to be 2024 NOW!
I read this book in one sitting and yet, it was the most wholesome reading experience I've had in a long while. It's common knowledge that I love Chloe's writing and all her characters, but the Bergmans have a special place in my heart. So imagine my suprise when I got approved for an arc of Ziggy's book, I just had to dive in immediately.
Ziggy and Seb are the definition of soulmates. They started off their mutual publicity stunts with no expectations whatsover and ended up the healthiest couple. I absolutely loved every step of their relationship, the early fake friendship, which blossomed into a true, deep friendship, which in turn ended up into the most heartwarming romance ever! They always treated each other with respect, never rushed one another but gave each other time to figure it out in their own terms and time. They stood by the other through thick and thin, they were patient and mindful, supportive and loving, and in the end it's all these what made this couple really special to me.
Seb Gauthier had one of the best character entrances of all time! It was ICONIC and that scene will haunt me to the end of my days! He slowly but surely became one of my favorite characters of Chloe's, the way he acts like a big bad wolf but is actually the softest teddy bear inside; his thoughtfulness and admiration towards Ziggy, his inner strengh to fight for her, become a better person for her...yeah what's not to love?
This was also the first time I read a book with celiac rep, and it's so important to me to see that I'm not alone in my struggles. It's so hard to have to change the way you live for so many years in a single moment, with no one understanding just how emotionally draining it actually is, how much strengh it actually requires. We don't just change our eating habits, we change our entire lives. And I think Chloe did a damn good job of showing just that!
And talking about first appearences, let me tell you, Ziggy killed it. The woman felt uncomfortable and she took matters into her own hands. Iconic, really. She's so not the docile woman I was expecting her to be, and I'm so happy for how she turned out. Turns out, she's not the wallflower (if you know what I mean) we all thought her to be. She's independant, she's strong, she's resilient, she's tough. She takes matters into her own hands, she fights for the things she wants, she stands up for herself and for those she loves. She's patient and kind and she loves so deeply it makes my chest ache.
I loved seeing the Bergmans all come together once again, the family dinners, the scenes in the A-frame, the wedding, the babies! Linnea stole the show once more, and the meddling brothers meddled once again, or at least they tried to. Too bad it turned boomerang on some of them!
This is definitely a 5 stars read, and I can't wait for release day so I can get my hands on a physical copy to reread and annotate!
I am a big fan of the Bergman Siblings series and this 6th and penultimate installment did not disappoint. Right from the first chapter with Ziggy and Sebastian's meet-HOT (to call it a meet-cute would be a disservice to the scene) I was hooked on them and the intense chemistry they share.
I love a friends to lovers trope, and the way Ziggy and Seb supported and uplifted each other purely as friends, through several difficult moments, was emotional and heartwarming. And, as always, the other Bergman siblings did not disappoint in their supporting roles. Viggo, Ren, and Frankie had particularly excellent scenes throughout the book.
The pining was expertly written and had me blushing several times, yet the final love scene left a little to be desired, largely because there was some spice that I believe warranted a little more on page negotiation and/or talking through between the characters.
All in all, a wonderful read with meaningful representation of neurodivergence, chronic illness, and queerness, with expertly written characters, and a beautiful story of friendship and love.
thank you to chloe and netgalley for providing me with an arc!
my expectations for this book were so high and chloe liese did not disappoint! i loved finally getting a closer look at ziggy and hearing her own voice. she has come so far throughout the series and her character growth has been amazing and inspiring.
seb is so !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! he is exactly what i pictured for ziggy’s love interest. truly the “bad boy” to her “good girl”. he did so much for ziggy and seeing him learn and grow and overcome his trauma had me swooning and sobbing. definitely one of my favourite men in the series <3
their development from “friends” to friends to lovers was everything!! the way they were both completely themselves around each other and saw each other in a way that nobody else did was so special. they were like two puzzle pieces with how they fit perfectly and completed each other. AND THE LOVE DECLARATIONS!!!!! shakespeare wishes he wrote them they were so good.
and of course all the bergman family moments were so wholesome :( little linnie and seb were too cute. i especially loved that we got to see a new side of viggo. i cant wait for his book, 2024 needs to come quicker!
In true Chloe Liese fashion, this was nothing short of amazing. The Bergman Brothers series is my favorite of all time, and the sixth installment was perfection. This book features brother's best friend, friends to lovers, friends with benefits, fake friends, bisexual/pansexual representation, slow burn, sports romance, autism representation, and Celiac disease representation. I have been looking forward to the youngest Bergman sibling's story, and I loved that we got to see Ziggy's journey. Her relationship with Sebastian was such a beautiful adventure. As always, Chloe Liese includes a playlist by putting a song at the beginning of each chapter and I loved her choices. She never recommends a bad song in my book! This book has such a special place in my heart, because I felt myself identifying with both characters, and resonated with the struggles and obstacles and ultimate triumphs they both faced. If there is one thing I can influence you to read, it's this masterpiece of a series by Chloe Liese!
A HUGE thank you to Chloe Liese and NetGalley for the eARC of this amazing book.
I love everything Chloe writes and the Bergmans hold a very special place in my heart so it’s no surprise that I am, once again, obsessed with the new instalment in the series.
What an amazing book! Ziggy and Sebastian have my heart 🫶 I love them and I loved following them on this journey.
Sebastian was such a sweetheart. Underneath his hard, angry exterior and his often rude and closed-off personality, was someone longing to be loved and accepted. After the suffering he endured in his childhood and the way he was hurt by the people who were supposed to love and protect him the most, he had to try to find some coping mechanisms to move on. Unfortunately, he didn’t pick the best or healthiest ones but as the story progressed and he started spending more time with Ziggy, who tried her best to show her the good she saw in him (which he refused to acknowledge/accept), he eventually started seeing himself in a different light and made it his mission to work on himself in order to be worthy of her and her love.
I loved Ziggy from the moment I met her earlier in the series and loved reading her story and seeing her find love. She’s just this genuinely nice person who sees the best in people and is not afraid to fight for what she wants, no matter how hard it might be. She’s strong and independent and her character development was truly amazing. I saw so much of myself in her and can only hope to be more like her in the future. Seeing Ziggy grow more confident and learn to stand up for herself was truly inspiring.
So of course I also loved Seb and Ziggy together! They were such a perfect fit. I think this is the first “fake-friendship” trope I’ve ever read and I think it was really refreshing. It was similar enough to fake dating while still very different. I loved seeing them go from fake friends to friends and, later, to lovers. It was a very slow burn but it was 100% worth it. Although they both quickly realised their feelings had become much more than they ever though they would, they (especially Seb) knew it would be best to wait for the right time in order to give their relationship the best chance to succeed.
One thing that really sets Chloe’s books apart from most romances is the way she approaches diversity and representation. In this book, the main characters were both queer (pansexual and bisexual) but this was never made a big deal; there was also autism rep, and celiac rep, which I loved learning more about. After meeting Ziggy in ALWAYS ONLY YOU, at a time when she was really struggling with her autism, it was heartwarming to see how far she’d come.
It was lovely to see the rest of the Bergman family again but I have to mention Ren and Frankie, who for obvious reasons were very present in this book, which I LOVED because I’m obsessed with them ahaha. It was so so nice to see them and know what they were up to. Chloe really gave me everything I wanted and I love her for that🤩 I was in tears at one point because of how happy I was.
Overall, this is an amazing slow burn with real, relatable characters that will give you all the feels. If you haven’t read the Bergman Brothers Series yet, make sure you do asap. You’re have no idea what you're missing!
★ 5/5 Stars ★
The biggest thank you to Chloe Liese and Netgalley for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Feeling so very lucky that I was able to read my most anticipated book of the year a bit earlier 🥹
I cannot wait for Viggo’s book but I am not ready to say goodbye to these characters😭 Until then, I just got the new UK editions, which means it’s time to reread the whole series!
This is only my third Chloe Liese book (and second Bergman brothers), but I know by now that I love her stories so freaking much. It’s the total package, flawed but lovable characters, amazing rep (mental health, chronic illnesses, and above all, being on the autism spectrum), and so much longing and pining.
My eyes crinkled from smiling, and fuzzy warmth seeped into my chest while reading If Only You. And when I curled up on the couch, I suddenly had a lump in my throat because Ziggy and Seb’s story hit so close to home. I highlighted so many passages. About always trying to be invisible and, at the same time wanting to be seen. About wanting to take control of how others perceive us, but also knowing we should let go. About hiding a part of yourself and slowly letting that part come above the surface. About why Ziggy loves to read:
‘Those made-up worlds contain some of the most tender, scary, beautiful human truths, navigated in the safety of imagination, whose wisdom and hopes I take with me bravely into my own life.’
So, yeah, Chloe Liese has become an auto-read author for me, and I can’t wait to read Viggo’s story and the second Wilmot sister book. And meanwhile, I still have the first four Bergman Brother stories waiting for me on my ereader.
this one may have stolen #1 place in the series ranking for me, they feel real, and raw and so incredible sincere it's hard to believe they don't actually exist. with an amazing balance of funny heart melting scenes and deep profund emotional ones, it never feels lacking of anything. I felt a bit in love with the booth oh them so I may be biased to say it's not a reading you would regret.