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 💕

4.5 stars
I loved this book so much. Levi and Hannah’s relationship was amazing to watch unfold as they reconnected and I loved the second chance romance in this scenario. I related so much to Levi and his journey with demisexuality. This book is so good. I highly recommend it.

*Thank you netgalley and Forever for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was hard to rate. Don’t write such a good story that it disrespects us when it fades to black.

I voluntarily read an early copy.

Helena Greer takes readers back to Carrigan’s Christmas-land for another enjoyable Queer love story. For Never & Always has the same cozy vibes of Season of Love paired with an emotional, second chance romance.

I’ve been ready for my trip back to Carrigan’s since the end of Season of Love. Levi “Blue” Matthews returns in the last chapter, after an extended absence traveling the world, to deal with his inheritance to a piece of the inn.

After a devastating breakup, Hannah is not ready to see Levi again, but she has no choice; it is time to deal with his ownership shares. Hannah expects to find the same Levi who broke her heart years earlier, but the Levi she finds is self-assured, confident, and grown.

Levi convinces Hannah to give him 5 dates in hopes of a second chance in exchange for his celebrity culinary services for an important wedding. While working together, Hannah realizes Levi has grown up and Levi realizes Hannah has changed as well. Will it be enough to foster their happily ever after?

🎄THOUGHTS🎄
This book has so much heart and is beautifully written. Greer has a unique writing voice full of humor, tenderness, and introspection. Greer doesn’t shy away from tough topics; the characters in this book are still reeling from the loss of Cass and dealing with their complicated grief as they make revelations about her imperfections. For Never & Always balances the heaviness of grief and trauma with an idyllic setting and an endearing cast of supporting characters.

I loved the emotional journey that Levi and Hannah went through to find their happily ever after. For a second chance romance to work for me, I need to see lots of effort from the couple. Levi and Hannah put in the WORK to make their relationship healthy and sustainable. By the end of the book, I was all in on Team Levi/ Hannah.

I am DYING for the next book with Tara; Greer has gifted us another Sapphic romance. And the cover, DEAD.

Read if you like:
·Second chance romances
·Jewish representation✡️
·Plus size rep
·Found family👨‍👩‍👧‍👦
·Making peace with the past
·Complicated family relationships
·Queer representation- Demi & Pan
·Dual POV, Dual timeline
· Closed door 🚪romances

*If you enjoyed Luck & Last Resorts by Sarah Grunder- Ruiz, you need to read this one.

Overall rating- 4.25

Loved this book. It was a page turner and kept me up wanting to finish it. I def fell in love with the fmc and was rooting for her success.

For Never and Always by Helena Greer is a stand-alone follow-up to Seasons of Love. This was a cute second-chance enemies-to-lovers romance between Hannah and Levi (whom everyone lovingly calls Blue). After an awful breakup because they wanted different things in life, they are forced to work together to cater a wedding, and Levi's bets he can win Hannah back. I enjoyed the demi-sexual rep in this book and the way they finally realized how to communicate with each other. If you want a fun romance, you should read this book.

4 stars!

I loved Helena Greer's "For Never & Always." While you don't *need* to read Greer's other book "Season of Love" to understand "For Never & Always," I highly recommend that you do. It puts this world and these characters into a much richer, deeper perspective. This is a second-chance romance with years of history, trauma, and love behind it. I will say that while it's hard to shock me anymore, Helena Greer managed to do it when she revealed something early on about Hannah and Levi. I absolutely adored their story. Greer handles these characters with care and sensitivity. Hannah and Levi are so very different from one another, but it is within those differences that their love flourishes. I loved the demisexual representation in this story. More of that in fiction, please! This book has everything: angst, growth, religious representation, self-discovery, reconnection, weddings, trauma bonding, cooking, shenanigans, evolution, and of course, Christmas. And a check-in with Miriam and Noelle from book one! My heart ached for these characters. I laughed, I cried, I thought about my own life and my own personal trauma. That's what a good author does: they crack you open and help you heal through their words. Helena Greer is such a talent! I appreciated the timeline jump between the present and the past, showing how their love blossomed, evolved, and crumbled over time. Some might disagree, but I think the timeline jumping is well-handled and fits this particular story. I was thrilled to return to the world of Carrigan’s All Year Christmas Inn, a warm and cozy place with characters who feel authentic and realistic. I simply love this series and can't wait for more!

Thank you to NetGalley, Helena Greer, and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

Thoroughly enjoyed For Never and Always. Would recommend this book if you are looking for a light, quick read this winter!

For Never and Always was such a fun second chance romance! I read it right after finishing Season of Love and I’m glad that I read them back to back. After finishing Season of Love I was hoping we would get Hannah and Levi’s story and I was not disappointed! I enjoyed the format of switching between them falling in love and current day. I thought the two main characters had great chemistry! I thought the way the tension between the two of them was written was great!

The jewish and queer representation in this book was great! I also thought the mental health representation was great!

I do think it was helpful to have read Season of Love first. While I do think technically this one could be read as a standalone I probably recommend that people read Season of Love first.

This was a fun read! Once I started it I didn’t want to put it down! Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Overall, this was a 4.75 stars for me!

Trigger Warnings: mental health, cursing, alcohol, medication, death of a family member, past emotional abuse, sex, coming out, discussion of therapy, mentions of panic attacks, homophobia

Representation:
Levi- Jewish, ADHD, Demisexual, Pansexual
Hannah- Anxiety, OCD
Other characters- Lesbian, Gay, they/them pronouns

For Never & Always is a second chance romance with one surprise inheritance, two best friends (now bitter exes), and three months to prove he loves her, forever and always.

Hannah Rosenstein should be after a lonely childhood of traipsing all over the world, she finally has a home as the co-owner of destination inn Carrigan’s All Year. But her thoughts keep coming back to Levi "Blue" her first love, worst heartbreak, and now, thanks to her great-aunt’s meddling will, absentee business partner.

When Levi left Carrigan's, he had good intentions. As the queer son of the inn's cook and groundskeeper, he never quite fit in their small town and desperately wanted to prove himself. Now that he’s a celebrity chef, he's ready to come home and make amends. Only his return goes nothing like he his family's angry with him, his best friend is dating his nemesis, and Hannah just wants him to leave. Again .

Levi sees his chance when a VIP bride agrees to book Carrigan’s—if he’s the chef. He'll happily cook for the wedding, and in exchange, Hannah will give him five dates to win her back. Only Hannah doesn’t trust this new Levi, and Levi’s coming to realize Hannah’s grown too. But if they find the courage to learn from the past . . . they just might discover the love of your life is worth waiting for.

It was so nice getting to go back to Carrigan’s! This second-chance romance is absolutely perfect for fans of Alexandria Bellefleur! I thought Levi reminded me so much of Brendon! Overall, this was another gem from this author and I cannot wait until the third installment comes out! This book showcased some serious character development and a beautiful connection between the two main characters. The amount of work that is shown for Levi and Hannah, individually and together, was truly inspiring. The second chance romance worked perfectly with both of them coming to terms with their issues and working on themselves and how they fit together. It also includes great Jewish and queer representation!