Helena Greer’s wonderful queer, Jewish romances are just too good. For Never & Always picks up after Season of Love with the story of Hannah and Levi and their second chance romance. There’s secrets, shenanigans, and some sad moments as they figure it out against the backdrop of Carrigan’s, the Christmas tree farm where they grew up together. I really loved the little touches that spoke to who the characters are: Hannah is a logistics queen and loves lists, so the sections are interspersed with lists of the upcoming events that beautifully meld the secular and Jewish moments.

From one list-loving Hannah to another, this book made me swoon! Helena Greer does a beautiful, seamless job showcasing a Jewish American experience that is both assimilated in some ways, and fiercely protective and celebratory of our thousands-of-years-old traditions.

Thank you to the author and Hachette/Forever for access to the eARC of this book.

A lot of people will love "For Never & Always". There's a lot to love if you enjoy a slow romance bordering on Women's Fiction, a large cast of characters, ruminations on the past, picturesque writing, complicated situations, periodic flashbacks, and queer and Jewish and neurodivergent characters.

The structure and execution of this story unfortunately wasn't for me. I wish it had been. I wanted to love it. There was just too much going on with too many poeple involved which led to confusion, and when combined with narration laden with explanations, ruminations on things that weren't important, and unnecessary scenes, I ended up bored, mind wandering, and impatient for it to be over, which is why I essentially DNF'd around Chapter 6 though skipped to the last few chapters to see what happened, where I confirmed the book did not get better further in.

I just finished this, and OMG. I LOVED IT. There was so much growth that happened for both Hannah and Levi. I loved how we got chapters that went back in the past to give us their perspectives about growing up, falling in love, making massive mistakes, and working on how to repair said mistakes. I love how this wasn’t a quick forgive and forget scenario. It’s clear from the beginning they both love each other so much, but are continuing to wonder how in the world they can heal from their past failures in their relationship and be able to create a life pleasing to both of them when their dreams and goals look totally different. I loved how the author never made it seem easy, because when you love someone, it can be difficult to argue and discuss difficult things with one another! Helena Greer did not shy away from this in the book. I loved Hannah and Levi’s story. They were working on their relationship even in the epilogue, and I just love it!!
I also enjoyed how good and developed the side characters were. Miriam, Noelle, Cole, the Matthews, etc were all crucial parts to the story and Hannah and Levi’s second chance, and you could feel that!
Also, the representation in this book is fantastic. Levi speaking with Hannah about realizing he is demisexual, Miriam and Noelle’s relationship, Cole realizing his sexuality later in life, and more. This found family is messy and beautiful, and this book felt like a warm hug to me. So, so good.

Thanks Netgalley for a hotly anticipated second Helena Greer book! Loved being back with the gang at Carrigans. Levi didn’t win me over but this book did.

DNF @37%

This was tough. I didn’t like either of the characters and the backstory on their relationship isn’t given early enough for me to care enough about them to root for them. It had sooooo much potential which makes this hard, but ultimately the characters were making stupid decisions and I couldn’t deal with 60% more of this so… DNF.

this book is full of brooding and complicated characters who you can’t help but root for and love. i flew through For Never and Always and it was a super enjoyable read! i won’t say it was light or easy, as there is difficult subject matter (props to the author for including trigger warnings) but it is approached in a thoughtful way, which i appreciated!

there was so. much. representation in this book, and i know that will mean a lot to future readers. i didn’t completely resonate with this book, but i know for sure that many will. i had a good time reading this, and wanted to shake Levi and Hannah almost every chapter (which i think was intentional :)). these are broken characters who have problems that many people can relate to - for me, i empathized with Levi and his itch to see the world and get the heck out of his small hometown. did i agree with the way he went about those things?…. well, not really!

the second chance romance was hard earned in this one. Hannah and Levi’s rekindling was a slow burn and at times, i was exhausted FOR them.

you may enjoy this read if you like:
- second chance romance
- grumpy x grumpy (no sunshine here!)
- soulmate tropes
- jewish rep
- lgbtq+ rep


i can’t wait to see what other people think of this book!

thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the opportunity to read and review this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the ARC in exchange for the honest review

The second book in the series this one can be enjoyed entirely as a standalone but I think you'll enjoy it more having read Season of Love

CW: homophobia (past as experienced growing up in the early 90s/early aughts that manifests in symptoms similar to agoraphobia and treatment thereof, and briefly current to a side character), death of a loved one (past), grief, severe anxiety over traveling,

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)
-m/f contemporary romance
-second chance romance
-childhood best friends to lovers to estranged to lovers
-Jewish and queer rep
-It has only ever been you
-opposites attract
-feeding people is my love language

This was second chance and angsty and an amazing return back to Carrigan's. I was so intrigued about the hints of Hannah and Levi in book one, but gosh that twist at the beginning of the book had my jaw on the ground and these two just kept pushing and pulling. Wanting to be together but both wanting different things.

Hannah is a homebody, her dream of making Carrigan's successful and with her best friends is coming true minus her whole love of her life leaving her behind four years ago. She was a burst of organized sunshine and I just enjoyed her confidence in what she wanted, she pushed right back at Levi and made that man grovel.

Levi was chaotic, hurt, and not perfect in his choices. But he also wants to come home, He misses his friends, his family, and most of all he misses Hannah. I loved that he was just all in about her, this book never hides for a minute that Levi is here for Hannah and will do anything to get her back. But he also is a talented chef with a bit of an ego and wants to keep on with his career. And a man who quotes Logan Echolls, too good.

The way this book had me in a chokehold going how the heck are these two going to work it out. Full of big feelings and just tender emotions. The angst, the messiness, but also just the nostalgia of this is your person with all of your core memories who just means the world to you. My heart ached reading this one.

Steam: 1

For Never and Always is even more delightful than a Season of Love, which I enjoyed thoroughly. FNAA brings with it a story of two people grappling with anxiety and grief and trauma, it includes an almost immediate plot twist I did not see coming but rooted for so hard, and, most importantly, it includes Levi Matthews, a character I absolutely adored and felt so connected with.

Levi has experienced a much different and much crueler version of his hometown and the Jewish Christmas Tree farm than his best friends and the love of his life did, and as much as they overlooked the reality of his experience, he has also overlooked some of the reality of their experiences, especially Hannah’s crippling anxiety. When he returns from years running away and finding his path on a cooking show, he finds Hannah also finding her path working through her anxieties in therapy and living her dream of managing events at the inn she longed for during a childhood of traveling. Both of these characters grow tremendously in this wonderful second chance romance, but I have to say, Levi is my favorite.

Thank you so much to Helena Greer, Forever, and Grand Central Publishing for this eARC. I absolutely could not put it down!

AHH I FINISHED IT. IT WAS SO DAMN GOOD. I rarely highlight fiction books but I have so many highlights in this one. Levi is a big dumb and Hannah is a beautiful anxious queen and Noelle remains hot as ever and all is right in Carrigan land. Do I really have to wait until 2024 for the next one?! Thank you times infinite millions to Helena for the super duper advance copy 😍 Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free advance copy as well.