EXCUSE ME more people need to be screaming about FOR NEVER & ALWAYS and also its predecessor SEASON OF LOVE, set in the magical world of Carrigan’s Christmas tree farm turned year round upstate NY destination, run by a Jewish family - yes that’s right. The characters are all kinds of queer, some have anxiety, they have messy family dynamics, they are EVERYTHING. (The Veronica Mars references are great too. #LoVe) If you are going to do any holiday romance reading let it be this one, I beg you.

Levi always hated Carrigan's, despite growing up there, and he took his opportunity to leave and become a celebrity chef leaving behind his family and his ex, Hannah, who he still loves. Hannah is furious with Levi for leaving, and maybe even more furious when he returns, but Levi's determined to prove to Hannah and his friends and family that he can be what Hannah needs.

It took me a while to get into this book because I did not like Levi at first, but by halfway through he managed to win me over as he slowly won over the rest of the characters. I really loved all the characters and the way they slowly worked through their anger and distrust to create a better relationship together.

Let me start off by saying that I am not a huge proponent for second-chance romances, but definitely try to give them a fair chance! (Who else agrees that most of the time exes are exactly that for good reason??) I can obviously appreciate a good redemption arc, which I do believe Levi has achieved for the most part, thus making their pairing one I’m happy to be wrong about! I loved all the diverse characters, who were so well-written, and that it wasn’t just a simple forgive-and-forget. They really did the work for their HEA! I would definitely recommend reading the first in this series to help lessen some probable confusion about everything going on in their world. Overall, I’d give this story a 3.75, rounding up to a 4 for any possible trope bias!

Second chance lovers, childhood friends kinda turned enemies and not? It was a quick, and easy read and I enjoyed the banter between the characters.

I wanted to love this book. In the first book - I wanted to know what happened to hurt Hannah so deeply. When I was given an ARC, I could not believe my good luck...and then I went from feeling so deeply for Hannah to disliking her. Sadly, I didn't like Levi any better, and I could not get into their second-chance romance. This is likely a me thing. The author did an amazing job with the representation in this story, from the food(s) to the traditions - it is important to show those aspects for the Jewish Community. I would recommend reading it.

✔️ Second Chance
✔️ Opposites Attract
✔️ Forced Proximity
✔️ Workplace

This was one of the best opposites attract books I've read in a while mostly because of the setup: I couldn't comprehend how these two people were going to get their HEA when their life goals and mental health were pulling them in different directions.

It made the read a little stressful, but in a good way! And I love that the answer wasn't a magical or easy solution but took a lot of emotional effort and compromise to get them to the same place where they could both thrive as well as love and support each other.

The chemistry between Hannah and Levi was crackling hot, too, and I dug that that made it harder for them to not get swept up in their own romance. 😂

I loved it: the world, the characters, and the reiteration that love is not just about chemistry but about work and compromise too. 5⭐️

Steam 🔥🔥
Banter 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️
Swoon 💕💕💕💕💕

i think it would be remiss of me if i didn’t start by saying levi is a FAR more patient human than i am. for the multiple times he came out as demi and every. single. person. asked how it’s possible when he likes sex. i— listen, i understand (and have essentially experienced myself) that this is the reality for many aces that have and/or like sex. i just deeply wish as least one person responded even slightly more positively than to immediately question his identity. i just know if that was me, i would not have been so nice about it the 3rd or 4th time in a row. so, i repeat. levi is a much more patient human than i.

okay, onto the actual romance between levi and hannah. i know we’re following the current time where they’re still freshly reclaiming carrigans. and that we periodically flash back to different points in their relationship, from as early as young childhood. i can see what helena was intending. to show us how they came together in the beginning and eventually split. i just personally do not totally believe that their relationship issues were resolved well enough by the end. to me, personally, their chemistry just wasn’t there? and i don’t know how i can explain it.

they spend most of the book both being like we love each other a lot but we have this pile high of concerns and i don’t think we can fix what’s broke. but by the end with one grand gesture and a plan, it’s all fixed. and i truly hope that it *is* enough for them. i guess with lots of work they can get somewhere where it’s healthy and true for them. but i just wasn’t totally feeling it where we end off. here’s to hoping.

i am, however, still very much looking forward to tara’s story (and maybe hopefully cole’s too). she’s an underrated fave of mine and i’m very excited to see what her happy ending entails.

Helena Greer has done it again! She has written a follow up to her first novel and she have truly knocked it out of the park with For Never and Always. And the title says it all.
This novel hits on all the finest tropes: second chance romance, childhood best friends, and found family. It also includes: chaotic main characters, mental health representation, queer representation, and Jewish representation.

Hannah is a Jewish, Christmas themed bed and breakfast owner who has been eternally single since a break up with her Childhood sweetheart. Everyone keeps encouraging her to date because she is unlikely to leave the small town in which she grew up.

At Christmas, Levi shows up at home, the same home he ran away from years ago. The Christmas themed bed and breakfast and his ex Hannah. And the first.thing Levi notices is the attraction and tension between him and Hannah. With their history and the complicated changes that both parties have gone through, everything about Levi being back is complicated.

This is hands down one of the BEST novels I have ever read. Ever! The emotions, the love, the mental health aspects, the representation, the acceptance and so much more. Ugh my heart is so touched

Helena Greer brings us back to Carrigan's Christmas Farm to resolve the cliffhanger from Season of Love! (This is described as a stand alone but I think it would be hard to follow for people who haven't read the previous book.)

The Jewish and queer rep is just as fabulous as it was in her debut, as is the emphasis on mental health, but I wasn't as into Levi and Hannah's romance in this one. Their relationship is VERY angsty and was a lot to take. I had a hard time rooting for them and didn't really understand what they saw in one another, and it felt like the resolution was drawn out longer than it needed to be. I adored all of the side characters - Miriam and Noelle from the first book, plus Cole, Elijah and others - and often found myself wishing there were more scenes with them and less with Levi and Hannah.

That being said, I love Greer's writing and cannot wait for whatever she puts out next.

Thanks to Forever for the copy to review.

This book is predictable in a sweet way. Nothing really stood out from the second chance trope, but I enjoyed reading. I obviously hope Cole is next if the series continues.

Ok listen, maybe it's that I had no idea this was a 'stand-alone yet tied into the same world' type deal with Season of Love (which I didn't read), maybe it's that I ended up snagging an audio copy of it, or maybe I simply didn't jive (read that it was entirely me and my inability to keep up) but I just felt meh.

What did I love? I mean there's a ton to love here. We've got queer rep, mental health rep, Jewish rep, this whole book is a melting pot of representation and I LOVE IT. The balance and beauty of everything just so casually existing- I simply love the books where representation is just a normal and casual part. What didn't work for me? I really struggled to keep up with the who was who and what really happened. I'll partially blame this on picking up the audio instead of reading the physical or ebook but I think I felt thrown into this drama that was hidden and no one even knew fully what happened so I spent forever trying to catch up and piece together parts of the story for myself. A few of the decisions in this "second-chance" romance left me going 'seriously, why on earth would you think that?'

It was fulfilling for what I was looking for but just didn't quite do it for me. The representation was amazing and once we got that reconnection- I was able to cozy on up and breeze through easier. It was a bit of a journey though and wasn't the easiest for me to keep up with.

This one is a no for me (DNF @ 25%). It was a struggle for me to get into and a struggle for me to want to pick it back up. Not only is the writing somewhat confused on the tone it's trying to go for (is it grief, is it funny, is it tense, etc), but the MCs are both kind of immature and it's hard to understand their relationship.

Now, it might be because this is the second book in a series and it's difficult to jump in, but I found I didn't understand or wasn't interested in many of the relationships and I didn't see the chemistry between the MCs.

If you read book one, you'll probably like it though! It just wasn't for me.

Helena Greer's "For Never & Always" is a captivating contemporary romance novel that dives into the complexities of second chances, grief, and the enduring power of love. It's a story that will stay with you long after you turn the final page, leaving you with a warm feeling of hope and the belief that sometimes, the greatest love stories deserve a second act. Greer doesn't shy away from tackling complex themes like grief, loss, and the challenges of moving on. She delves into Hannah and Levi's emotional journeys with sensitivity and honesty, making their struggles and triumphs all the more relatable.

I highly recommend picking up "For Never & Always" for a heartwarming and thought-provoking read. Prepare to be swept away by the beauty of Carrigan’s, the characters' emotional journeys, and the timeless message of love's enduring power.

Arc received from the publisher; all thoughts and opinions are my own.

When Levi (aka Blue) shows up at Carrigan's All Year (a Christmas tree farm turned year-round events center) after five years away, he's not exactly met with open arms. Hannah had told him to leave, and she meant it, but she didn't really mean for him to stay away. But now that he's back from being a somewhat famous chef in Australia, she's having a hard time keeping him from weaseling his way into the farm's kitchen and her heart. But even as Hannah starts to believe she may want a relationship with Levi again, logistics and real life throw roadblocks at their future.

I am an idiot. I read and LOVED Season of Love last year and kept wondering when another book in that series would come out and somehow did not realize until seeing the announcement for book three in this series (Tara's book) that THIS WAS BOOK TWO! I immediately dropped everything to read it, and could not have been more pleased. Hannah was the character of the Carrigan's crew I was probably least interested in from book one (still pining for Tara and Cole's books), but her and Levi's story ended up being a smash hit. I loved how the problems the couple faced felt so real, like they could happen to anyone, and it didn't shy away from them or brush them under the rug. It felt like an epic romance for the ages, with lots of interesting bits on Judaism, event planning, and cooking thrown in.

Thanks to Forever for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 9/10

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Hannah grew up following her parents all over the world while they made documentary films, and now all she wants as an adult is to stay in one place. Specifically, Carrigan’s- the restaurant she inherits from her freat-Aunt Cass.

Levi grew up at Carrigan’s as the son of the cook and never felt like he quiet fit in. The small town vibe was always a little 'too small' for his personality. After traveling the world (similar to Hannah) Levi becomes a master chef- but there is still something missing. Perhaps it's Hannah- the one who got away?

I did not realize this was book two in a series, and I think a lot of my confusion with characters and feeling like I was 'behind' or really missing something important is a result of this. That being said, there is a great plot, excellent character development (even though I felt like I was meeting the characters well along, and not at the beginning, if that makes sense?) and a lot of diversity. There are some books where the setting also begins to feel familiar to the reader, and the restaurant (Carrigans) in For Never & Always is a prime example of this. It seems like a place to Hannah and Levi, but it's also part of their core identity.

My only gripe is that I didn't see Hannah and Levi as a couple. Even in the end, I love an HOA, but I felt like it was forced on me. The characters were often self-centered and immature for their 30+ year ages- and there was a lot of angst/complaining/pining. I wanted them to take more action rather than passively commenting/lamenting on their situations.

I just want to start this review by saying that this is technically a companion novel and not billed as a sequel, but it feels more like a sequel. I think to really get a good sense of the character group and the dynamics you'd have to read Seasons of Love. I know that it's not always mandatory, but for this one I believe it is. While I'm normally a fan of second chance romances, especially with a secret wedding thrown in the mix, I wasn't sure about this one even till the end. The TLDR of Hannah and Levi is that for most of the books they seem like their future paths, the essence of who they are, are diametrically opposed. And while For Never & Always is a swoony romance, even at the end I wasn't sure how much I bought the HEA. There's so much history to wade through, this distance of who they were and who they are now. It's also all wrapped up in Levi's feelings about home and Cass that by the end I just wasn't sure?

I read this book because of how much I loved Season of Love. Unfortunately this book did not have the same spark that one did.

The queer & Jewish representation was great just like in Season of Love, but unfortunately the relationship just didn’t work for me.

Look, I loved Hannah & Levi, I did. But those two should not have gotten back together. Also Levi constantly pulling at his hair was so distracting!

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

First off, let it be known that I wish I would have read the first book in this series (not necessary to understand what is going on, but I think it would have been super helpful and made me like some side characters even more!)

For Never & Always is a fun almost-holiday-ish (they're a Jewish family who run a Christmas tree farm)(but it's in the early summer so not actually Christmastime but it still works!) win-her-back romance story. Levi is coming back after years away (finding himself and becoming a celebrated chef) and after having been told to never show his face at the tree farm again by his longtime love, Hannah. Hannah needs him to come back so he can sell her his shares of the farm, but he's back to make her realize they belong together.

I wanted just a little more out of this book, and that might be because I typically don't like couples who bicker and enjoy riling each other up. To be clear, there is plenty of character growth out of this, and it was great, but that put me off at the beginning. Both main characters took a really long time to realize that they weren't the be-all end-all. That was frustrating. There were a looottttt of side characters to keep up with too.

But! There was so much representation, from Jewish holidays and religion, to queerness (love to see a demisexual in literature), to grief, to a nonbinary rabbi. It was lovely.

Thanks to Netgalley and Forever Publishing for the e-ARC!

I’m on the record as a loving, a second chance romance, and this is one of the most satisfying I’ve read. Blue and Hannah grew up together and are now in their 30s. Their relationship has a combustible energy, and after a falling out four years ago they were each left to choose a path independently for the first time in their adult lives. But after the death of a relative and a 🎄 tree farm willed to them both, they’re forced to confront where their choices left them.

What’s to Love:
💜 their chemistry
🧣 forced proximity
🌲 a great backstory
✡️ Jewish community & the best incorporation of heritage I’ve seen
🏳️‍🌈⚧️ different sexualities represented

Overall, I recommend this book for anyone who loves second chances. That said, a heads up on my one hang-up: The characters seemed a bit old for what was happening on-page. Their self absorbed inner-monologues in the first part of the book seemed years younger than the back half—which was hard to get past when mixed with flashbacks. However, when it came time to work through their issues, Blue & Hannah showed emotional maturity and great self-awareness.

I got way behind on a great stack of arcs when I was pregnant and am just now catching up! Thanks to @readforeverpub for this one 💕