5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars! This book was so special and hit so many real issues that people have in relationships. Freya and Aiden have been married for 10 years and Freya feels like her husband has changed and she’s not sure why. Aiden has been distant towards Freya and he’s afraid to tell her why. Because of this their marriage is in jeopardy and Freya can’t deal with him and decides she needs a break from him so she packs his bag and asks him to leave.

Aiden doesn’t want to lose her, so he tries his best to let her know that it’s not her, it’s him but Freya doesn’t any to hear it. Aiden recommends counseling and she agrees, and this is the start of them working on their marriage. During this time they are invited on a weeklong trip to Hawaii to celebrate Freya’s parent’s anniversary. Will their relationship survive?

I’ve learned so much about how some men perceive relationships and how they hold back their emotions and why they do so. Also, how our childhood trauma can affect us as adults. Also, how people with anxiety deal with it and work through it. It is a beautiful love story and I enjoyed taking the ride with Freya and Aiden. I definitely recommend this book and will be reading it again in the future.

Marriage in crisis is my all time favorite trope, and this book did not disappoint! I absolutely loved Freya and Aiden - they were so obviously meant to be together and getting to see them fall back in love with each other was SO satisfying and adorable. Definitely my favorite of the series so far!

The Bergman Brothers series has been so much fun to read. After seeing Aiden's meddling ways in the first book I could not wait to see what would be in store for him and Freya! The couple has been married for a while but they find themselves in a rough patch. Communication has broken down and Freya has made it clear that she needs space. Aiden is determined to make things right and prove to his wife that he still desires her but work and his anxiety have been getting in the way. Freya's brothers have Aiden's back and do what they can to help, even if some of their attempts are a bit misguided.

Freya and Aiden have been married for some time but the two are slowly drifting apart. Aiden wants to get past his own anxiety and give Freya a baby. He recognizes this is something that she wants but he has to make sure it is perfect timing. Freya has her own insecurities to contend with but she desperately wants to fix things with her marriage. Can the two make it work?

This is not my first book in the series but this one left me slightly annoyed. Normally, I love when I get to see what’s going on with characters from previous books. I like the big family vibes. The way the author placed the previous characters in the story didn’t work. They were too involved in the marriage. I have a thing about being involved in people’s relationship. They were nosy and I get it but there is a time for all of that.

The main characters were also kind of meh. I think Aiden was a pushover. Yes, he loves Freya and he wants to give her the moon. He is super hard on himself and frets entirely too much. I need a more alpha like male character. He just doesn’t cut it. His anxiety issues also took on a life of their own and became a bit heavy for me personally.

Freya is very entitled. She is a little prickly and cold. I think she is very quick to point fingers in their marriage. I wanted her to try to sympathize with Aiden more. I think she could have resolved the issues in her marriage earlier if she was more open to assessing her role in the dissolution of the marriage. I just didn’t take to her as much as I had hoped.

Nonetheless, I still rooted for this couple. They had chemistry and when they slowly started to turn things around, it showed. Even through the issues, readers can tell that the two were meant to be together and that makes the second chance romance much sweeter.

While this may not have been my favorite in the series so far, I’m invested. I love this family and I can’t wait for more.

~ Samantha

Read if you like:
📚 Stand-alones in a series
💍 what happens after the wedding
2️⃣ second chances
🗣️ talk therapy rep

This one is another solid romance from Chloe Liese and she has quickly become one of my favorite romance authors over the last year!

I love that Chloe always includes characters with disabilities whether mental health or neurodivergent representation in her books. I truly love how vulnerable she wrote Aiden to be because I related so much to his struggles with separation of anxiety from how he was raised to his present day situation where he is married and how sometimes despite our best efforts to prevent something we experienced we create a new problem for ourselves and our partners.

I loved the journey to getting back to a good place and the dual pov that we get from both Aiden and Freya to truly understand how Aiden’s anxiety truly impacts more than just himself when he was hyper fixated on trying to not let history repeat itself with how he grew up in poverty.

All in all, if you are looking for some romances with some depth to them, I highly recommend Chloe and her Bergman brother series as they are truly all so well done for the ones I’ve read so far!

Thank you berkley for my ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts!

Continued series of Bergman universe, good characters, good foundations continued stories throughout

Ever Afrer Always by Chloe Liese is a stunningly deep & emotional marriage in trouble romance that will show one inexplicable journey. Can a married couple of ten years repair the broken foundation & reunite from the strangers they’ve become?! Read this story to find out!

This is book #3 in The Bergmans series, but it could easily be read as a standalone. Although love this series & this family so much that I recommend all of them.

Ever After Always is perfect for fans of
💙Marriage In Trouble
💙Second Chance Romance
💙Anxiety Representation

Marriage in trouble is a trope that I haven’t read many of but I don’t think this could have been done better. It makes the reader’s heart tug in pits of despair & then it will make one dance with joy. It is one heck of an emotional rollercoaster & such a phenomenal romance.

This is one of the most achingly honest & heartbreakingly realistic love stories I’ve ever read. It is such a beautifully authentic romance that simultaneously feels like a gorgeous portrait of real life.

If you’re looking to read one of the best romance series of all time, I highly recommend reading The Bergmans by Chloe Liese.

Massive thanks to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing for the gifted copy, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.

I liked getting a point of view from the eldest sister in the Bergman family, Freya. and that it wasn’t a new relationship but a marriage where the couple has sort of lost their way with each other and desperately want to find their way back.

I also loved the mini cameos from the family and of course mama Bergman. Looking forward to reading more about mysterious Axel!

3.5/5

4.25 Stars
I loved this realistic and honest take on marriage (marriage is a lot of work lol especially as a neurodivergent person with BPD) and how the MCs worked through their issues in a healthy way. The tension between Aiden and Freya was sizzling and I definitely teared up throughout their story. I did think the conflict was a bit underwhelming though. Overall, an enjoyable, relatable, second chance romance with a sprinkle of spice.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC!

I requested this book before I realized it was a re-release of a book I've already read! The new cover threw me off. That said, I'm a fan of Chloe Liese's, having read a lot of her work, and I really enjoy the Bergman Brothers series and the world Liese is built here. Reviewing this book made me realize there are some in the series I haven't read yet, so I'm looking forward to diving back in!

#EverAfterAlways:⁣
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Thanks @berkleyromance for my free book! #BerkleyPartner #berkley ⁣
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“Because ‘ever after’ isn’t an idea. It’s a person—an imperfect person who’s perfect for you.”⁣
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Chloe Liese was one of my first auto buy indie authors. I had the sweetest friend in Krista introduce me to The Bergman Brothers, and that was it. You have no idea how excited I am to see the brothers (and Freya) get traditionally published and get all the recognition they deserve. This series really pulled me in to romance, and I’ve never let go!⁣
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Book #3 of The Bergman Siblings series is for our girl Freya. Freya’s marriage is in crisis as her husband Aiden is essentially a stranger. They just going through the motions of life, and it’s not what it’s supposed to be. They end up on a Bergman island getaway where this can either make or break their already Rocky relationship.⁣
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As always, we have great representation (anxiety, trouble w/conceiving, marriage in crisis) but still have the banter and steam we all know will be there. This is a good second chance romance with opposites attract. I have never sang Paula Abdul’s song so loud as I did with Freya & Aiden. I connected with Freya so hard that I will always say this is my favorite Bergman book. This is the only Bergman book (so far) that has ever made me cry for not feeling alone about some of the emotions I go through daily. ⁣
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Released today, y’all need to jump on this series if you haven’t yet. I promise you won’t regret it.

Aiden and Freya's book helped me get through a difficult part of my own life. Suffering (unknowingly) from Post-Partum Depression I found that this book helped me reconnect with my marriage and to think about how I was not expressing my own needs and anxieties to my partner. While my story is very different from that of Aiden and Freya's there are universalities in how communication between people who love each other breaks down and how when trying to protect each other we can be hurting them instead.

Freya is fed up with her marriage. Her husband is increasingly distant. Working longer hours, sneaking off for secret calls, and generally less physically affectionate and intimate with her. And, all while they were supposed to be trying to get pregnant! He didn't even notice the promotion she got at work. Not that she told him, but he should have seen the increase in her paycheck when he went through their monthly statements. But, when she finally puts her foot down Aiden begs her to go to counseling with him. Uncertain as to how they will make this work, especially with a big family trip for her parent's anniversary (during which they need to play the happy couple) is beyond her. But, as Aiden’s opens up about how his anxiety is affecting his sexual abilities, and how debilitating it is for him in general it is clear that these two not only belong together but will find their way back to each other.
<spoiler>I particularly loved the quirky but realistic advice of the marriage counselor and how she found ways to make them a team in little ways (like playing video games) to help them find and rebuild their emotional intimacy. </spoiler>

Spice: 3/5
Stars: 5/5

This book is beautiful.
It’s fun, it’s spicy, it’ll make you laugh and cry.
But at it’s core it’s a testament to love in a deeper, realer way than just about any romance book I’ve ever read.
Aiden and Freya love each other, truly, deeply, but they are human and they are flawed. Watching them put in the effort to learn to love each other better, to not just return to what they used to be, but to become something <i>more</i> than that is simply beautiful, and Chloe Liese captures it so well.
I teared up reading this book so many times. Both Aiden and Freya’s emotions are raw and visceral, as if their hurt and confusion and love are bleeding off the pages. Their characters are real, three dimensional, and so easy to connect with and love. They’re also fiesty, witty, and their banter had be laughing as much as I was crying. Liese balances a lighthearted romcom with deep, emotional storylines and development masterfully. This is a book I know that I will keep coming back to, the kind of story and characters that linger in your mind and heart long after the final page. This is Chloe Liese at her best, and I cannot recommend it more.

DNF. I really liked the premise but the writing did not work for me at all. It wouldn't be fair to the book if I finished reading and gave it a low rating.

Ever After Always by Chloe Liese, book three in the Bergman Brothers series, is a story about second chances, forgiveness, and growth; following Aiden and Freya, who have been married for over a decade, and suffering from estrangement and communication problems. Freya believes that Aiden has drifted away from and she is at her wit’s end; making a decision that changes their relationship, kicking him out. Aiden wants to give Freya the life she deserves; the baby she has been wanting. Bringing a new life into the world comes at a cost, and Aiden has to plan everything financially. Marriage counseling didn’t help; especially since the two of them refuse to talk about the real issues. Joining the celebration of Freya’s parent’s longtime marriage at the island is the last resort to save their marriage, and find their way back to each other. Freya needs to bring out the big guns if she really wants to save her marriage: she needs her brothers’ intervention.


Freya is full of life: she loves her family and the people in her life intensely. She loves her job and is a person who feels all her feelings. Aiden is a hard working man, kind hearted, and his love for his wife is unwavering. Aiden struggles with anxiety and is open and honest about his struggles. Freya and Aiden, have changed as everyone does in life and in relationships. They have to learn to grow together and appreciate the past but embrace the change in their future. I highly recommend Ever After Always to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

4.5 - “Because husband, our ending is the best. One with space for all that life beings - not just happiness and hope, but waiting and waiting - with love to see us through. Our ever after.”

Aiden and Freya have hit a rough patch in their marriage. Aiden is afraid that he's unable to give Freya the one thing she wants most: a baby. He's struggling mentally, pulling away from his wife. Freya notices and feels as if their marriage is slowly falling apart before her eyes. On vacation to celebrate her parents' marriage, Freya worries about her own and that things will continue to collapse once they're back in the real world. But it's clear that they both still have deep feelings for each other and they need to exhaust every avenue to make it work,

Freya and Aiden both have traumas that have led to the cracks in their marriage and everything about it feels so realistic. The issues aren’t arbitrary or petty, and they go to counseling to try to understand each other better, which is just great representation for maintaining a healthy relationship. I don’t always like the marriage in crisis trope, but it was just done so well here. They go to marriage counseling and make it clear that they both want to make their marriage work.

What I think Chloe Liese does so incredibly well is representation. Aiden struggles with anxiety that’s rooted from his childhood, and Freya struggles a bit with her body image. Both of them are relatable and nothing ever feels overblown or unrealistic. They are so supportive of each other through their struggles, and I think that makes them a stronger couple by the end.

This is probably the best marriage crisis book I’ve ever read. Even when they’re at their lowest, it’s so clear how much they love each other. In some others, I would doubt the couple throughout the book, but I didn’t doubt them for a second. And these bonus epilogues are just the gifts that keep on giving. Getting an extra slice of their happily ever after is so satisfying and exciting.

Wow, I loved this book. This is my third Chloe Liese book, but my first Bergman Brother’s book and I will definitely read the rest of this series.

This marriage in crisis romance hit all of the right buttons for me. A love that is true, but communication has been lacking. Characters that are at the end of their rope but want to make it work. I just loved Freya and Aiden. They just got a little lost along the way. This book was a great example of what happens after the Happily Ever After that we all love at the end of romance books. But will the couple stand the test of time? Ever After Always examines the work it takes to really do that. And I loved it.

I have now read the entire Bergman Brothers series, though I did read them out of order, so I am reading this one last. This one was a little different in that the couple was already together as we went into the book, rather than the story of them dating. I think that’s partially why I struggled with it a little, because miscommunication was so central. It was hard because Freya seemed to try to make it seem like everything was Aiden’s fault, when in reality both parties took blame. I felt connected to Aiden because he came from humble upbringings and has anxiety, and he just wanted to be able to provide for his family. Freya’s character just felt a little off and uncaring and I just wanted more from her because I had read so much about her family. But ultimately things worked out and they came together.

I didn't hate this book, but it just wasn't my favorite and I wanted more from it.

Chloe Liese continues to highlight disorders in a way that is very real, and in this case, it was anxiety, with Aiden. Aiden’s anxiety felt very real to me, and I really felt connected to him. His character was complex and full of flaws, but he was a real person and I just loved him.

Thank you so much to Berkley and Netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I love everything Chloe Liese writes, and this is no exception. In fact I think it proves how much talent she has. On the face of it, a book about a marriage in trouble is everything I usually avoid. But I ended up loving this book just as much as all of her other books. The heartfelt way that Liese writes pulls me in every time and this book is no exception. There is so much insight in these pages - I highlighted more than I didn't, I swear.

The book was beautifully paced, with multiple subplots woven through. There is just the right amount of humor to balance out the sheer angst coming from Freya and Aiden as they worked everything out. And it was so nice to see the rest of the Bergman clan - it was really nice to see the Bergman parents a bit more in this one too.

As someone who doesn't want kids, I shy away from books where the main characters are actively trying to have children. Partly because I find them so heartbreaking, but also because I have a heard time buying in to that headspace. But this book is the exception that proves the rule. While not the main plot line, Aiden and Freya's desire to have children is a strong thread through the story, but it so well done all my reservations were for naught.

Representation is something that Chloe Liese always does so amazingly, and this book showcases anxiety and its effects so well. It shows the intrinsic nature of anxiety without making it a villain, or in any way disability 'inspiration'. Aiden is a complex character, full of flaws - and growth - who also has anxiety.

There are many things to take away from this book, but with most Chloe Liese books the theme that grabs my heart is: everyone (messy, untypical, flawed) deserves to be happy and loved - no matter who they are or what they are dealing with. Perfection or togetherness is not a requirement.

I don't have much to say here because I was really disappointed by this story. I'm being pretty generous with 3 stars mostly because the writing itself is good (I think Chloe Liese is talented) and parts of the story are decent.

We have a marriage in crisis. I genuinely think marriage in crisis is a difficult trope to execute in general and this story has some good reasons why I find it such a challenging trope. We have Aiden and Freya who have been married/together for nearly a decade. Freya and Aiden have shit communication skills. Freya wants Aiden to share how he feels, and it makes her sad that he doesn't open up to her and closes himself off. The past few months Freya has been beside herself unsure what has gone wrong in her marriage for Aiden to close himself off. Aiden has generalized anxiety disorder. He has decided to start an app with his friend and the stresses of starting a business have increased his anxiety tenfold. In a (misguided) attempt to shield his wife from burdening herself with his own issues, he shoves them all aside and basically goes non-verbal with her.

Essentially, the issue was neither party was communicating with one another. This was not the issue. The issue was that the entire structure of the book ended up being Freya continually making Aiden feel as if he was the sole reason the marriage was falling apart. Now I don't think this would've bothered me much if it wasn't for this next part:

Aiden's anxiety also seems to manifest with some obsessive behaviors. This is because he grew up in severe poverty. Therefore, his stresses often stem from concerns about money. Aiden has become obsessed with working all the time because he and Freya decide they want to have a baby. This sends Aiden panicking that he has to have enough money saved away for the baby and to keep the family financially stable. This all was very logical to me! I really felt for Aiden and it crushed me to see how much his past was haunting him and affecting his mental health.

What I really didn't fucking vibe with was Freya knowing all of this about him and then proceeding to make snippy comments and start arguments whenever he brought up work and his fears about money. She even goes so far as to say something along the lines of "I understand poverty as a concept" and then goes on to get mad at him for worrying too much about money. AND THEN her gang of brothers continue to haze him and berate him (albeit playfully) since he's the one who is "making Freya miserable"

Listen... I'm all for making the male main characters beg for forgiveness. But there's only so much torturing this poor man that I can take. ESPECIALLY when so many of his fears and flaws are a result of mental illness. Though his mental illness doesn't make him less RESPONSIBLE for his actions, it does make me more sympathetic to his actions. Something that his LOVING WIFE OF A DECADE wasn't even sympathetic to.

It was just a weird story to experience... since I was literally hating on Freya so much of it. WHICH SUCKS!!! why do authors make me feel like a woman hater .... 😭