I really loved this story even more than Season of Love. I enjoyed the twists and the back story. There seems to be something missing in order for it to be a 5 start read for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for a chance to read this ARC. I didn't realize this was a sequel so my review might be different if I had read the first book in this series. Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. The characters seemed whiny and too over the top for me. The 2 main characters just didn't mesh well together, and the friendships were strange too.

I'm not even sure where to begin with my review. My thoughts were kind of all over the place while reading this one. I had a really hard time liking anyone in this book for a very large majority of it. Full disclosure, I didn't read Seasons of Love so I may be missing some things but Cass seemed like an awful, controlling, judgemental person but somehow everyone but Levi and Noelle seemed to worship her, even after learning about how she treated Levi. I completely see how everyone thought Levi was just this whiny, brooding guy...because he was, but I struggle with how nobody seemed to want to find out why he was like that for so long, including his parents?

I can't even lie. I was very tempted to DNF this but instead of just quitting I read ahead to see if I could keep going. This led to me bouncing from the ending of the book to the middle and back again. I ended up reading the book in it's entirety and was pleasantly surprised to end up liking it. There was so much fantastic rep throughout this story: Jewish, ace/demisexual/LGTBQIA+, anxiety, and fat rep. I think that was my favorite part. Someone said in another review that there was a lot of therapist-speak in this story and I have to agree, but I liked that side of it.

If you're looking for a book to read as an escape, this might not be the book you're looking for but if you enjoy a story that feels true-to-life, that has characters who will drive you crazy but then show a lot of personal growth; a story of friendship, family and grieving, then you should go ahead and pick this one up.

*I received an ARC from NetGalley for voluntary/honest review

After a childhood traipsing around the world, Hannah has finally found her home as the co-owner of Carrigan’s All Year. But her mind is still on Levi—her first love and, thanks to some posthumous meddling by her late aunt, new business partner. Levi left Carrigan’s four years ago with a chip on his shoulder and something to prove, but now he’s returned to win Hannah back. Things don’t exactly go as planned though and now he only has a few months to convince Hannah that he’s changed and they are meant to be together.

From the moment I read SEASON OF LOVE, I knew I needed Hannah and Levi’s love story and I was absolutely delighted to find that we’d be getting it in this book. Levi’s presence is constantly felt at Carrigan’s despite him not physically being there and it was clear there was a lot more to their story that needed to be explored.

Don’t let the cartoon cover or the fact that this is a romance novel fool you—there is a lot of trauma explored in this story. Helena tackles tough topics with compassion and grace, validating experiences and reminding us that, despite how it feels, we are never alone in our pain. I found myself relating way too much with Levi, oftentimes highlighting things he said and sending texts to my friends wailing about how it was exactly me. There were so many lines where I felt horribly attacked and wildly validated and it made the reading experience that much better.

All the characters spring off the page with their strong personalities and their interactions are such a joy because of it. In addition to all the character work Helena did in the first book, she also utilizes flashbacks in this one to flesh out Hannah and Levi’s characters even further as well as shines some light on other characters. The relationships between characters also shine, eliciting all the warm and fuzzies.

One of my favorite things about this book is that our main characters actually act like adults and have honest conversations. They do the hard thing and take time to really listen to each other and talk things out—even go to counseling and therapy!—and it’s a beautiful example of how to develop healthy relationships.

Despite the heavier moments at times, I had such a blast reading and falling even further in love with the Carrigan's crew. It is abundantly clear that Helena has a deep love for these characters and this setting—and we get to reap the benefits of that love (hopefully for many more books to come!)

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher for free and have voluntarily written this review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an eARC of this in exchange for an honest review.

For Never & Always is a second chance romance between Hannah and Levi (Blue). They separated four years ago when they realized they wanted very different things out of life. Now Levi has come home and wants to win Hannah back.

I wasn’t aware going into this book that it is a sequel. It’s supposed to be a stand alone but I felt confused at first about what was going on and I think I wouldn’t have been confused if I had read the first book. There were some flashbacks throughout the book that also made the storyline hard to follow.

The characters had the same argument multiple times throughout the book and it was tiring. It really didn’t seem like they had known each other their entire lives and had been in a relationship for years prior to separating. I didn’t find myself rooting for them to get back together.

I really wanted to love this and I did like some parts of it but overall, this was not for me.

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC and eARC copies. I purchased the audiobook myself.

For Never & Always
by Helena Greer

Narrated by Mara Wilson and Emil Benjamin

Story Rating: ⭐️⭐️(0-5)
Narration: 🎧🎧🎧🎧 (0-5)
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️(0-5)
Steam: 🔥🔥 (0-5) Maybe more like 1.5

What I’m Starry-Eyed Over:
🤩 These narrators have gorgeous voices, are easy to listen to, and very well cast.
🤩 The book cover—it’s irresistible.
🤩 LGBTQIA+ representation is beautifully written.
🤩 Jewish traditions, celebrations, and culture is interesting and fun.
🤩 Carrigan’s—I love the setting of an Inn and the event planning and hosting.
🤩 3rd person dual POV—we definitely need both perspectives about their time apart.
🤩 Past and present chapters with lots of history. Childhood friends-to-lovers and second-chance romance. It builds the longing of wanting them to be together.
🤩 The bet and idea of the dates.
🤩 I’m so glad they went to couples’ therapy.
🤩 Change (that oh my gosh moment) and working things out.
🤩 I just love the friends/side characters, but you might need to read Season of Love to appreciate them.

What I’m Wishing/Dizzy About:
💫 Second chance romance does this to me, but it felt a little too heavy, serious, and sad for how I like to feel in my books.
💫 I didn’t feel as immersed as I’d hoped, more like being told Levi and Hannah’s story.
💫 I was hoping for more fun and to laugh more.
💫 A little too closed door. I just didn’t feel their attraction and physical attraction.
💫 I’m just not sure I believe in the HEA.
💫 My mind (and heart) is still whirling about the whole Cass treating Levi poorly.

I was so happy to be back at Carringan’s Christmasland for book 2 in this delightful series!
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Picking up right where we left off we get Levi and Hannah’s story. This is a second chance romance with former best friends, current enemies. Two tropes I love. I love a second chance Romance and enemies to lovers not to mention small town vibes, this is a fun one!
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Thank you @readforeverpub and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

I really enjoyed the author’s previous book, Season of Love, and jumped at the chance to read this follow-up book, For Never And Always. I think that readers who haven’t read Season of Love will probably be a bit lost with all the characters in For Never And Always. This time the focus is on Hannah and Levi. Unfortunately, I just didn’t see them as a great couple, until possibly the very end of the book. They were fairly self-centered and acted younger than their age (mid-30s). If you like the friends-to-lovers trope, this book may appeal, even though it’s more friends-to-enemies-to-lovers.

As a child, Hannah was dragged all over the world by her parents (documentary film makers) and all she wants now is to stay in one place (Carrigan’s) and run the place now that her great-aunt Cass has died. Levi grew up at Carrigan’s as the son of the cook and handyman/caretaker and never fit in, in their small town. He has been traveling the world, becoming a master chef in the process. How on earth will these two adults manage to reconcile such differing life choices, even though they say they love each other? That’s the story in a nutshell.

As with the first book, I loved all the Jewish representation, the LBGTQ+ representation, and the emphasis on mental health. Plus the location (Carrigan’s Christmasland, now called Carrigan’s All Year) in New York State’s Adirondack Mountains, is basically a character itself.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I truly wanted to love this book but it just missed the mark for me! Starting off, I loved Hannah. I related to her character quite a bit between her fear of straying too far from home and the neurotic need for organization. I also really appreciated the unabashed love for Jewish culture and queer representation. It was beautiful and fun and really well done.
On the other hand, Levi’s character bothered me quite a bit. The fact that he seemed far more upset about Cass leaving the inn to he, Miriam, and Hannah instead of his parents gave him this weird chip on his shoulder, but I think Cass’s treatment of him could have stood as enough reason for him to dislike and feel hurt by her. It just felt like a weird, slightly immature, addition. Aside from that, he was whiny and the fact that he had the audicity to act like Hannah singlehandedly destroyed their relationship (when he made plans for their future without any regard or asking her) was infuriating! All in all, I just never felt the spark between Hannah and Levi so there was nothing that made me root for them. The amount of background characters made my head spin but I liked getting to know them!
Over all, if you enjoyed Helena’s first book, I’d recommend giving this a shot! Otherwise, I’d recommend reading the blurb and deciding whether it’s your cup of tea.
Thank you to NetGalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Forever, & Helena Greer for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

For Never & Always is a small town Jewish romance. It is the follow-up to Season Of Love.

This book can be read as a standalone. However the main characters from Season Of Love (Miriam and Noelle) are in this book. And Hannah and Levi were supporting characters in that book. The last lines of Season Of Love are the beginning of For Never & Always.

This book takes place at Carrigan's Christmasland. It is an inn in the Adirondacks that now does all events, including weddings.

This is Hannah and Levi's story.

What I liked about this book. There is a lot of Jewish rep. Most of the characters are Jewish. And they celebrate Jewish holidays. This book is extremely Jewish. I also loved the mental health rep. Hannah has anxiety and this is a big focus of the story. I also absolutely loved that Levi is a celebrity chef on a reality show. I really enjoyed everything to do with this part of the story. There is amazing LGBTQ+ rep. Many characters are gay. And there is also mention of demisexuality.

I did enjoy Hannah and Levi's story. However I wish that they had spent more of the book together. And I think that I would have liked more romance.

But overall this was a fun romance full of amazing Jewish, mental health and LGBTQ+ rep. I will definitely check out the next book in the series.

The answers we need after the cliffhanger of book 1 - Levi "Blue" is home!

Levi has always loved Hannah since their youth, only he was shunned away from adoring her properly by Cass, the matriarch of the farm who passed away. Hannah has lead the charge with the help of her friends and family to revamp the relevancy of the tree farm and its surroundings. They've made it a year round place of business.

After being called home, Levi is determined to win back the hand of the one women he never wanted to leave behind. Together, they must have candid and honest conversations to overcome the obstacles to their happily ever after.

The dueling POV worked to build the love story. Greer delivers a strong message in that there is no shame is seeking help. I enjoyed how well this couple was written to fit together in the modern world.

Thank you Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the complimentary copy.

I read Season of Love last year, and loved it, so I was thrilled to return to Carrigan's with this book. I think I loved this book even more than book one.

Hannah and Levi are both vibrant, yet challenging characters, with a love worth rooting for. I enjoyed seeing how they tackled their issues and confronted their fears together, and with the help of their friends and family.

Fans of Season of Love will be happy to get more of Miriam and Noelle, Mr. and Mrs. Matthews, and Carrigan's.

For Never & Always includes Jewish rep, Queer rep, and Anxiety/Mental Health rep, it addresses some tough subjects, like grief and bullying, and, for me, was a thoroughly enjoyable read. Already looking forward to book 3's release next fall.

I received a review copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

A huge thank you to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!
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Hannah and Levi have been best friends for their entire lives, together for a window, and have spent the last few years on opposite sides of the world, yet they have never truly let the other go. Back together at Carrigan’s Christmasland they are forced to really look at each other and confront the pain that they caused each other and the growth that has happened in the time they’ve been apart. I love a second chance romance where the adults have really put in the work to fix themselves and not just the relationship; therapy is not just a thing of their past, but their present, and doesn’t work in a one-size-fits-all fashion.
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Levi is demisexual and panromantic, having finally found the words and labels that feel most comfortable for him once he left his small hometown. The small asexual flag on the cover might as well be a little calling sign to me, and I loved how Greer didn’t shy away from his identity despite his romantic partner remaining the same before and after he discovered his labels. I also really enjoyed the Jewish representation throughout the novel. These are people who really value their religious culture in a way not always seen depicted in mainstream media and it really added to the story for me.

This is a unique holiday romance that is technically a stand alone, but is a companion book to Greer’s previous holiday romance. The writing is good and the story of a second chance romance between childhood best friends turned grudge holding business partners.

I’m sure for those who read and enjoyed Greer’s other story set at this Christmas themed Inn run by a large Jewish family, then you will enjoy this one as well.

I found it hard to enjoy entirely thanks to the repetitive and almost circular conflict surrounding the two main characters. They use a lot of therapy talk and I honestly didn’t enjoy either of them.

I did, however, immensely enjoyed the Jewish and Demi rep, as well as the continuation of the sapphic romance from the first story. The cast of supporting characters and the world around the Inn was an enjoyable one.

It may have fallen flat from what I was hoping for, but it did have some good moments that others will enjoy!

In this book, the heroine is content with her life as a destination inn co-owner until the hero returns back home. The hero is a famous celebrity chef that wants to make amends to the important people he left behind, but he has a lot of obstacles along the way. The heroine and the hero must learn lessons from their pasts to have their happy ending. Hopefully a customer's wedding and five dates will be the start that will help them in this journey.

This is the sequel to another Helena Greer book focused on the other pair of owners of the same destination inn that this book's couple also inherited. To truly have a whole image of the important figures in this series, it should be read in order even though each book gave enough information to enjoy each book by itself. Even with information provided in each book, I still wanted more details added to get a better understanding in certain areas of the book. I liked the focus of mental health discussion and the various representations shown in the book, but I felt a little dissatisfaction with certain aspects that could have been explored a bit more. There was a nice set of characters within the book, but some personalities were not as favorable reading about in the story. Overall, it's a nice book but it did feel like it needed something more in my opinion.


** Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions and thoughts in the review are my own. **

Hannah and Levi were childhood friends turned lovers who struggled to make things work when their dreams started to diverge more and more. What I liked about this story was how much both characters worked on themselves and came together to work on their relationship to see if they could give it another chance. I also really enjoyed the side characters who all have their own lives and problems going on in the background, which is something I always appreciate.
What I didn’t love so much was the flashback chapters. I know they were there to give more context, but I feel like they really didn’t need to be there or at least not so many. I also didn’t realize how entwined this book was with the author’s previous book Seasons of Love. I will be reading that but I feel like my thoughts about the previous owner/aunt have been tainted bc I disliked the way she treated the people around her. But idk I could be wrong; we’ll see.
The other thing I really liked about the story was the casual rep that was included: Jewish, queer, anxiety. I really appreciated the demi rep from Levi as it is much closer to my own experience than other demi rep I’ve encountered.
This is a book that definitely gets the delicate balance of fun and serious that I think a lot of the romances of today are trying to achieve.

These two are the definition of love of their lives, but also that just love isn’t enough and they have to work towards their happily ever after. I found this story and cute, and a good second chance romance. Both parties needed to work on themselves in different ways— Levi needed to think beyond himself and Hannah needed to learn to let go of Carrigan and explore the world— yes she did that when she was younger, but now for herself. This book also takes an extra twist on the second chance which I will not spoil, but I will say it harps on a trope that I know many of you love. I also want to commend all the representation in this book! I loved the Jewish, anxiety, and queer representation, as well as the normalization of therapy.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever Pub for the early copy.

After reading Season of Love, I thought I knew what to expect from Hannah Rosenstein and the mysterious Levi “Blue” Matthews and their second chance romance… but I was blown away by their lifelong history together, with Carrigan’s and on their own.

Hannah has been successfully running Kerrigan’s all year with the help of her business partners, her cousin, and best friend since they inherited… Until the fourth partner shows up and tosses all her careful planning in the air!

She wants him out of her life officially, and he wants to get her back.

Levi had to leave Carrigan‘s for the greater world to find himself and prove to everyone that he was a success. Now on the heels of a successful stent on a big Australian cooking competition show, Levi is back at the place that never felt like home, trying to get the love of his life to give him a second chance.

Greer tells the story at present time and provides flashback chapters outlining both Hannah and Levi’s experiences as they grow up, and how those experiences eventually lead to them getting together and their separation. I found this to be a perfect way for their story, and their past to unfold together for the reader.

Like any second chance romance, both the MC’s have a lot of work to do to get to a point where they can come back together, and I loved seeing both characters grow and except each other‘s realities and shortcomings and find away towards a mutual future.

I also really loved how she treated Levi growing up as unlabelled demisexual and his eventual discovery of his orientation and the clarity it brings. Greer doesn’t pull and punches when it comes to Levi’s experience growing up and not fitting in within his small town. This just adds to a triumphant return.

Overall, I loved this book and all work and emotion that went into this well earned HEA!

Thanks to Forever Romance for my gifted copy. Opinions are my own.

#ForNeverandAlways #helenagreer

I didn’t realize when I started this book that it went along with Season of Love. I probably should have read that book first, but it isn’t necessary to enjoy the story. I do plan to go back and read Season of love though.

This was an emotional and complicated second chance romance. Not the lighthearted rom com the cover lead me to believe it would be. Levi and Hannah had a lot of history between them. Levi wasn’t the most pleasant person, but he did show some growth as the story progressed.

This book had a lot going on. I even wrote a few notes down a couple times. The story navigates between the past and present, while weaving in other side characters and their lives. It’s all interesting, just requires the reader to pay close attention to details.

Overall, an engaging, emotional second chance romance.

Read if you like:
💕 Second Chance Romance
💕 Mental Health Rep
💕 Complex Characters
💕Lots of Side Characters
💕 Family Drama

Although I did not read the first book I didn't find this book to be difficult to follow, but my reactions to the various characters might have been different if I'd had that additional backstory. There were things I loved about this book, and things I really disliked. Overall, I guess I'd rate it a 3.5.

At the top of the things I loved was Hannah, her drive to make Carrigan's succeed, her creativity with the business, and her strong, deep love for all of her friends and found family (not so much her actual parents as their selfish parenting style and inability to consider her needs were the root of her insecurity and anxiety). She had some big mental health challenges, but she was self-aware enough to recognize them and was didn't shy away from the work of addressing them while still living a full and somewhat satisfying life. I also loved the way Jewish culture permeated every aspect of the characters' lives, it wasn't just a throwaway characteristic. Finally, I loved the full and well-rounded presentation of demisexuality. Levi self-identifies as demi and his struggle to understand his own nature in a world that is not at all accepting of or knowledgeable about it were very clear and well-written for those who are unfamiliar with it.

The main thing that I disliked can be summed up as Levi. By the end of the book, I developed some appreciation for him and for his character growth and the fact that he was (finally!) trying to change, but through the first half of the book, he was so self-centered, prickly, and such a drama llama, that it was hard to understand why anyone would even want to be in the same room with him, let alone be as close to him as Hannah and Miriam apparently were when they were growing up. It's like midway through the book, the author realized she'd gone too far for anyone to believe he and Hannah could ultimately be happy together so she had to make him more sympathetic and likable in the latter half of the book.

The other aspect of the book that I wasn't a fan of were the flashbacks. A few would have been okay but they interrupted the flow of the story every time and I felt that Hannah and Levi's strong connection and the difficult end to their relationship was clear from present day conversations. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.