FRIENDS-TO-LOVERS IS THE ELITE TROPE, I DON’T CARE WHAT ANYBODY ELSE SAYS‼️ It’s the pureness of it that gets me every time 🥹

THE BOOKSTORE & HALLOWEEN SCENES…. Guys, you are not ready for what you’re going to read!! Chloe Liese really made a reader’s greatest dreams come true with this book 😍

♡ Friends-to-lovers (aka the BEST trope 🥹)
♡ Sports romance (hockey 🏒& soccer ⚽️)
♡ Brother’s best friend
♡ Bad boy x good girl

Ziggy and Seb are everything I could have ever expected / wanted from them and more. Seb is our poor broken soul and Ziggy’s just someone that wants to be seen for who she is rather than the version of herself she once was. Their chemistry FLEW off the page from literally the first chapter🔥🔥 The way that they grew to be more whole and healthy people together as the book progressed was truly the most pure experience that I’ve ever got to witness.

Seb describes Ziggy at one point as a ”delicious contradiction of shy quiet and sheet courage, tender feeling and tenacious fire” and I loved that about her character. Chloe Liese will never under-deliver and give us anything less than complex, three-dimensional MMCs and FMCs & I love that about her books ❤️ Her writing style has you falling for both characters hard and rooting for them the whole way through the book.

Where can I submit my request to get a Ziggy x Seb hug? 🥹

Now, please excuse me while I cry over the fact that we only have ONE more book left in this absolutely fantastic, world-altering Bergman Brothers series 😭 I didn’t realize how much I missed this series until I started reading this book. I swear, I was only a chapter into it and it felt like coming home ❤️

If you haven’t started this series yet, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Chloe has done it once again, another beautiful, emotional love story featuring the beloved Bergman siblings. I was so excited for Ziggy's story after all of her appearances in the other books and this one truly did her character justice. Seeing her grow throughout the story was amazing and made me want to be a little braver too. Seb is now one of my favorite love interests in the series because who doesn't love a reformed bad boy!?! The slow burn of this story was totally worth it and I loved every moment of the build up. I will once again be waiting very impatiently for the next installment in the series to see all of the characters again and see Viggo finally get his happily ever after!

“I’ve never been this close to something this unspeakably good. I have never wanted more to be worthy of it.”

This is the first book I’ve picked up in weeks. And I read it in one afternoon not moving off my couch. If Only You was everything I’ve come to love by Chloe Liese. It is nonstop sweetness and romance, but not shying away from the work that comes with doing hard things.
This book is a true journey from pretend friends to real friends to more, and it was done so organically. It feels very true to life.

I loved the MC’s. I loved their care for one another from the get go. Their friendship was something to aspire to. And watching their feelings bloom left a nonstop smile on my face. I feel like it could have gone a lot of directions, but it was absolute low angst perfection.
The honesty of living with neurodivergence and celiac disease is heartfelt and inclusive. The authors note at the end had me wiping away tears.

This was just a really swoony and lovely romance and I am so excited and yet know I will be so saddened when the series ends next year. Thankfully- I LOVE a good re-read.

Ziggy is great at soccer, but struggles with being taken seriously. Her brother's best friend Seb can rub people the wrong way and needs to change his image. When Ziggy proposes that they start a mutually beneficial arrangement, they start to really get to know each other as more than just casual friends. Just as cute as the rest of the Bergman Brothers series. I love that there is a sports element to the story, but there's also real depth and emotion between the H and the h.

With each book I read by author Chloe Liese, I'm reminded why she's one of my very favorite authors. Liese's 'If Only You' reminded me why the Bergman Brothers is one of my favorite series, too.

This fictional family is just the best. Sure they have their struggles, but the family is so full of love. The Bergmans have all come so far since that very first story, and now little Ziggy is all grown up and ready for her family, as well as the rest of the world, to recognize that she's grown up.

This fake relationship story is different than most in that it's not immediately a fake romantic relationship. Ziggy and Sebastian instead begin a fake friendship that develops to a real friendship and then into more. This is an incredibly slow burn romance that provides plenty of pining as these characters grow - both independently and together. As the blurb says, be sure to brace yourself for the longing.

This story is also funny with several moments that made me legitimately laugh out loud and sigh with happiness. It also contains some truly swoon-worthy moments.

Liese has made a name for herself writing inclusive romance. 'If Only You' continues the tradition of making people feel seen. Some of the important representation includes autism, chronic illness and chronic pain, pansexuality and bisexuality.

I'm sad that there is only one story left in this series, but at the same time, I'm oh so eager for that particular story.

Included as a top pick in bimonthly April New Releases post, which highlights and promotes upcoming releases of the month (link attached)

I wanted to love this book so much. I've loved the entire Bergman brothers series by Chloe, but something about this one was off. It almost feels like Chloe is adding secondary storylines to make her characters have issues to have them -- it doesn't feel natural and like it adds to the story. It's just there to be in there. If it was woven in better, it might enhance the story, but it feels inauthentic to me.

Thank you Chloe Liese for the ARC! —

I don't even know what to say, it was so good it took me a whole week to even digest it enough to write a review
The whole book was just SO
sweet
I loved that while seb was this bad boy character, he still treated people like humans, especially ziggy/women in general because too often that archetype can turn into a mysoginist really fast. He also had real character growth in a realistic time frame, we weren’t just told that he's a better person all of a sudden and expected to go along with it
I LOVED LOVED LOVED that ziggy wasn't immature (in my head she was still like 16 from Rens book lol) and infantilized, she was so likable
I also LOVED that there was no third act breakup AND I loved that although seb didn't think he was ready for a relationship he did wallow in it and drag it out, he just did the work
And the SPICE?!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHH that was NOT what I expected but it was AMAZING

I do wish we had gotten more info on sebs relationship with his parents afterwards though, but i did like that he didn't just outright forgive them for everything in the name of ~character development~
And I also wish that we had some background info on ziggys past relationships

On another not I was lowkey distracted by how AMAZING of a brother Ren is, i love him so much (the google alerts?!! Dead.)

The time has finally come for Ziggy's story, and boy, who better to pair her up with? None other than the cinnamon role hero, Sebastian.

🏒The Bergman family stories are so wholesome & fulfilling. It was great to see where the other siblings & their partners were during the timeliness of this book.

🥅Ziggy & Sebastian's relationship started as fake friends to real friends to lovers. Both of them were so comfortable & giddy around each other.

🏒While I didn't really get the point being "fake friends," I loved the transition from then on. It's not my favorite Bergman novel, but I certainly can't for Viggo's book.

Thank you, Netgalley & Publisher for the arc, in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and the author for the ARC of this!

This is one of my favorite romances series ever and I was absolutely enthralled the entire time I was reading it. Ziggy and Sebastian were so easy to relate to and fall in love with. I love fake (dating) friends with benefits and I loved the representation in this book.

Liese’s books are always like coming home, and IF ONLY YOU is no different. This series is quickly becoming a comfort read and I already cannot wait to re-read this book.

Chloe Liese has once again given us an amazing Bergman Brothers (this time a sister) book with If Only You! This time we have a sweet slow burn romance with Ziggy, the youngest sibling, and Sebastian, one of her brother's (Ren) best friends. Chloe crafted a perfect (fake) friends to lovers romance with mutual pining, and emotional depth. There are so many aspects of Ziggy's story that I relate to and I loved rooting for her the entire time! It's been so amazing to see Ziggy mature throughout the series to being a leading lady.

Chloe will continue to be my go to for carefully handling disability and chronic pain in her books. Her thought and care display that she's an own voices author. As with the other Bergman Brothers books, If Only You can be read as a standalone, but it's more rewarding to read if you've read all of the other books in the series. I can't wait for Viggo's story!

Thank you to NetGalley and Chloe Liese for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I almost always enjoy Liese’s writing, and this was no exception. I loved the character development of both main characters, and the mechanism to get them together is one of my favorites. My only complaint is about pacing; the majority of the book takes place over a very short time frame, then we skip ahead several months for the finale. I would have liked to see parts of that intervening time, rather than be told about it after the fact. Regardless, another charming, delightful, and diverse romance from Chloe.

I received a copy of this story from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I've been waiting for Ziggy's story! The bits and pieces I've seen of her across the other Bergman Brothers books I've read have been wonderful. I knew I would love her journey but I didn't realise how much I would also love Sebastian's journey.

The themes of this story -- self-care, healing, found family, taking risks -- are ones that hit close to home and really speak to me. Seb and Ziggy's experiences and fears are so well portrayed. You can't help but be sucked in and cheer them on. And the glimpses into the relationships of the rest of the Bergman siblings were darling additions. Linnea is always hilarious!

My only critique is the pacing of the ending. Most of the story is a slow burn, building the foundation of Seb and Ziggy's friendship. They work on themselves and their own journeys, which is beautiful to see. But because of that, the ending ends up feeling ever so slightly rushed. It doesn't quite flow with the rest of the story despite how much I loved the ending.

I've been recommending this book to everyone I know!

Chloe Liese does it again! Another fantastic installment in The Bergman Brothers series. The autistic representation made me feel so seen.

DNF at 30%

Honestly I am sick of authors going form indie published books to traditionally published and changing their tone - or worse - toning down for clicks and trends. This book is entirely built on clicks and trends. I think the representation is authentically meant but inauthentically presented to the reader. Maybe it is me but - show me someone’s queer and autistic. Don’t tell me.

If Only You ⚽️🧡
➖release date: April 11
➖rating: 5/5 ⭐️’s
➖spice level: 2/5 🌶’s

Ziggy & Seb have made a cozy little home in my heart and I never want them to leave 🥹 I’ve always been an Axel & Rooney girlie, but I think these two might be my new comfort couple because of how thoughtful, tender, and just perfectly vulnerable they are <3

what to expect in “If Only You”:
➖brother’s best friend 🫣
➖sports romance ⚽️🏒
➖fake friends ⮕ real friends ⮕ lovers 🤝
➖autism & celiac rep 💗
➖so much Frankie & Ren! 🥹🫶🏻
➖a delicious slow burn filled with loads of mutual pining 🔥

For me, the best part of this book was just getting to see two people who were really struggling to fight for themselves, find a safety in one another that allowed them to advocate for their true, authentic selves (and also the unconditional love & support Ren + all of the Bergmans gave to Seb that made my inner self-loathing lonely girl v emotional 😭💗)

While there are tons of feels in this one, the Bergman family shenanigans (looking at you Viggo 🤪) are still v much alive and well in this book, and they add that little layer of lightness that you expect from this series!

Thank you sm to the publisher + netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review! 🫶🏻

My favorite place to be is back with the Bergman family 🫶🏼

Once again I’m completely blown away with with this series! I absolutely loved Ziggy & Sebastian’s story. If Only You is a brother’s best friend, slow burn, sports romance and it was was such a good read! Chloe never disappoints with these books, her writing is so good, her characters are so unique & realistic and these stories always fill my heart to the brim. The chemistry between these two, the mutual pining and the tension! I enjoyed this so much. And the bookstore scene will live rent free in my head for the rest of my days 🫶🏼🫠
I absolutely would recommend this one!

Ziggy Bergman has always been underestimated and she’s decided now is the time to do something about that. Not only is she the baby of the family, she’s also one of the youngest players on her national soccer team. That’s where Sebastian comes in- her brother’s teammate with a reputation in desperate need of rehab. They’ll be fake friends and help each other out. Of course, with a Bergman involved things are never that simple.

I was SO lucky to be gifted a copy of this eArc as a lived-experience bi reader with celiac disease. Honestly, it feels like this book was written for me!! It is my favorite Bergman book to date. Ziggy is such a fantastic character; I already can’t wait to reread her story. Ziggy is neurodivergent, determined to be brave, and can’t seem to stay away from Sebastian. Seb has a lot of work he needs to do before he can be anything more than a friend and I love that Chloe Liese showed him working through some of his trauma. I loved the chemistry in their relationship and how it grew out of a “fake” friendship.

I am SO thrilled to see celiac in a romance novel!! This is a huge first for me- I almost never see celiac in fiction, much less represented well. This representation makes me so happy!! I also hope that it helps raise awareness about celiac disease and normalizes a gluten-free diet.

The celiac representation is so well-done and thoughtful. Now I just want to live in this book so that I can also have the Bergman family making delicious and safe gluten-free food for me! Chloe Liese captures the difficult parts of celiac disease, from stomach pain to social anxiety. It is so accurate that dining out becomes a new experience and something that you need to plan for and not simply show up at. Sebastian is so lucky to have Ziggy to help him navigate those initial scary days after his diagnosis. His experience felt very realistic and relatable to what it’s like being diagnosed and then coming to terms with the diagnosis. I appreciated that there was a lot of joy and healing alongside the illness and pain.

Unsurprisingly, Chloe Liese nails the LGBTQ+ representation and creates an inclusive and realistic experience. I love how Ziggy was so confident in her identity and always knew exactly who she was. Ziggy’s sexuality is never defined by who she is in a relationship with, which is so important. Ziggy is bi and Seb is pan, which they are both open and confident about. Their slow-burn romance is filled with longing to be more and it is so satisfying when it finally unravels!

I read this book in about a day because I could NOT put this book down. It was way too delightful and compelling to stop once I got started! I loved the cameos from the other family members! It was great to see how Ziggy’s relationships with her brothers/sister grew and changed as she asserted her independence. The Bergman family just feels like the biggest hug and you wish you could hang out with them!

I’m so grateful that I could be a lived experience reader and would highly recommend this book to anyone!! Readers who previously enjoyed the Bergman series will absolutely need this newest installment. Fans of Talia Hibbert and Ali Hazelwood will love this book. I can’t wait to see how the adventure continues with Viggo!

If Only You releases April 11, 2023. Thank you so much to Chloe Liese and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc

Okay, so this book has me in a chokehold. I binged the whole thing in two days, it might just be my favourite of the bunch. I absolutely fell in love with Ziggy and Sebastian. And of course, the rest of the Bergmans.

Ziggy and Sebastian’s banter was top-notch, and I really rooted for their friendship as much as their relationship. I love how honest they were with each other, and how well they communicated. I also just really liked how this book was plotted and how their relationship evolved.

This book also has bisexual and pansexual rep, as well as autism and celiac disease rep. As someone who is gluten-free and also pan, I thought the rep was really productive. It captures some of the struggles people who eat gluten-free face, and how our relationship with food isn’t always the best, and how we struggle to find quality ingredients at affordable prices. The bi/pan rep was so casual, which in my opinion is the best kind of rep. They are just existing as they are, which is always good to see.

This series remains one of my favourites, and I loved how we got to touch base with the previous Bergmans as well. There’s only one book left to go, which makes me sad. (Unless we get Elin’s book? Please Chloe I’m begging).

If you haven’t read this series, I highly suggest you give it a go.