I wasn’t quite ready to leave Adriana Locke’s world just yet since I finished another of hers right before starting this one, so I knew I had to dive in! Let me tell you, I’m so glad I did!

Gabrielle is a divorced single mom of two boys. I actually really love the story of their divorce. Her falling off her deck in nothing but a towel? Priceless 🤣 And I loved that that’s how she meets Jay. Jay is such a grumpy neighbor, but as he opens up, you can’t help but understand and be in his corner. These two really deserve that second chance at love.

While this one doesn’t come out until December (happy birthday to me!), it should definitely be on your radar! (Request it on netgalley or lookout for it through Valentine PR!) Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for my early copy. All opinions are my own.

I could not put this down! I loved how these two broke down each other's walls. They both had such heartbreak, albeit in different ways, but needed healing. The children being involved was just another added bonus of this story, in how relationships can also affect them. Gabrielle and Jet are more alike than they realize, aside from her being klutzy lol. They are both strong-willed, not looking for love/yet do, and in search of self-forgiveness.
I really truly loved this story so much.!!

I fell in love with this book and these characters. It was the best kind of book that gave you all the feels. It had so many moments that would melt your heart and have you laughing out loud. The interactions with Jay and Carter had me cracking up with some of Jay's inner dialogue. I loved the banter between Jay and Gabby with the back and forth but ultimately they were perfect for each other. You could feel the heartbreak through the pages but the determination to move forward and be happy was there too. I loved every aspect of this book and didn't want it to end. Jay, Gabby, Dylan, and Carter made the perfect family!

Arc provided by publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

I loved this story! Adriana is such a talented writer and sucks you right in to every book she writes!! Gabby and Jay’s journey was absolutely beautiful, and the healing for the both of them along the way was perfect! The friendships and banter among all of the characters was perfection! Hoping to get more of the others stories as well!! It was a super cute read and I couldn’t put it down!

Loved this small-town romance! Jay, the grumpy neighbor meets Gabrielle, the single mother of two boys. After hearing about Gabrielle’s ex, Jay is determined to help with Dylan and Carter, despite his own past. Love the slow build and happily ever after.. This was such a good book! Highly recommend reading it.

Wow, this book had everything in it. From grief, to family to finding love again. It was such a wholesome book and there wasn't a moment while I was reading it that I didn't enjoy. I highly recommend everyone to read this book, you won't regret it.

This is a five-star read filled with hope. There was so much to love about this story, the loss and the drama that we face in life, its open on the page and just adds this extra layer of depth to the story, making you care and understand even the most grumpy characters. There are also some truly funny moments in this story, including the most amazing meet cute of Jay and Gabrielle. If you need your pieces putting back together then pick this story up, it will help you find those pieces, if you just need a reminder of how life can knock you but pick you up again then pick this up, even if you’re just looking for a good read, pick it up. Dylan and Carter will swarm your heart and have you wanting the best for them. The Girls will make you want to get yourself ready for a Friday night catch up.

The story of Gabby and Jay is a story of hope. It is a story of learning to live again after heartbreak. It is a story of so much more. I love that Gabby is a devoted mother. I love that she seems self aware. I love that she knows what she needs and that she wants to move forward. I love her spark and her wit and her ability to laugh at herself. I love that she is a little bit of a hot mess. I love the way she teases Jay and.how she keeps him engaged. I love that Jay just can't help himself, he gravitates toward Gabby but also toward her sons, especially Carter. I love his relationship with his friend Lark. He starts to melt toward his neighbors after a brush or two with Gabby. His fall is slow but oh so sweet. Gabby's friends are sweet and caring and giving. Carter is such a loving little boy. He is so sweet and kind. I love seeing Dylan start to come out of his shell of hurt and anger. I love the portrayal of Gabby's ex-husband. We don't have to suffer through a bunch of bitterness but we still get the emotion of Gabby's pain from the end of her marriage. The words are woven into a beautiful and emotional blanket that warms my soul and makes my heart soar with hope and sing with happiness.

Between Now & Forever is a heartwarming and engaging story that captures the beauty of second chances, new beginnings, and the power of love and resilience. The story follows Gabby, a single mom still healing from the loss of her ex-husband, and Jay, a man wary of relationships after being hurt in the past. Their paths cross when they move in next door to Jay, and despite Jay’s initial reluctance, fate intervenes to bring them together in unexpected ways.

One of the highlights of the story is Gabby's two sons, Carter and Dylan. Carter, the youngest son, is sweetly naive and brings a sense of innocence and joy to the story. His endearing personality adds a touch of lightness and humor. On the other hand, Dylan, the older son, is struggling with the challenges of being a teenager in a new town and coping with the loss of his father. His journey towards healing and finding his place in the world isn’t an easy one and it takes him a while to ask for help and embrace change.

Addy's talent for creating relatable characters and genuine relationships shines through in their story. The small-town setting adds an extra layer of warmth and charm to the story, making it even more engaging and heartfelt. The sense of community among the characters creates a backdrop of support and love for Gabby, Jay, and their family.

3.5 ⭐️
This was a cute, quick and easy read from Adriana Locke. A complete stand alone about neighbours Jay and Gabrielle who meet when single mom Gabrielle falls on her decking wearing only a towel when trying to get a good luck at Jay!
It’s a low angst neighbours to lovers story, with a little drama caused by Gabrielle’s teenage son.
I liked both characters but would have loved to have seen a little more of their relationship developing and just the 2 of them, as well as with her sons.
Thank you to the author and Netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely love this author and everything she writes. This book....I devoured like all of her others. Thank you so much for the ARC!

This read like a solid old fashioned romance book. It was sweet and deep and made me cry more than I'll admit.
I really loved the mature story between these two characters. There was a lot of pain and hurt that life had thrown them and they healed and grew together.
There was no dramatic drama filled fluff that drags. It flowed really well and it was a very enjoyable read.

This was my first read by this author and I really enjoyed her writing style. I can't wait to read more books by her in the future.

Grumpy x Sunshine is one of my favorite tropes and this didn't disappoint. I loved the relationship development between Jay and Gabrielle. It didn't feel rushed, even with them only knowing each other for a short amount of time. I loved the chemistry between the 2 of them and the slow burn was burnnnnning lol.. It had the perfect amount of spice.

It had a lot of funny moments. All the interactions between Carter and Jay were hilarious and super sweet. The snake part also had me laughing!
I haven't read many small town romance and this was my first "Single Mom" trope book, but this definitely made me want to read more, especially by this author. It was the perfect length of book and was an easy read. The ending was so sweet! It definitely had me almost in tears.

Thank you for allowing me to read this book early!

The way this book started was the ultimate 90s rom com setting. I absolutely loved both the MMC & FMC. It’s refreshing to have 30+ characters actually acting their age and as a 32 year it was SO relatable.

What can I say?! I absolutely adore this author and will one click everything she writes. This story grabbed me from the jump and I didn’t want it to end. Loved the characters, the emotions and coming back to visit a favorite small town. Grab this immediately and prepare to fall in love and never want to leave.

This was another great read from Adriana Locke!! This is a standalone that is unrelated to her other series. I loved Jay and Gabrielle and their sweet but teasing dynamic. They each had their own hurtful pasts that made the idea of a relationship difficult, but their natural chemistry couldn't be denied. I especially loved the bond Jay eventually made with her sons as well. Finding that connection while still navigating their feelings about their dad. I laughed, cried, and felt all the feels! It was a beautiful story of life after loss!! Thank you Montlake, NetGalley, and Adriana Locke for the chance to read and review this ARC!

This was a sweet small town romance between a single mother and a reluctant neighbor. Gabrielle and her boys were trying to live after losing her ex-husband in an accident. She was ready to live loudly again. Jay was trying to avoid a relationship and connection with anyone, especially someone like Gabrielle. It took forever to find out why and it was fruatrating a bit, but I guessed the reason early on anyways. I loved seeing their relationship build. I also loved seeing her kids in the thick of things. Carter was adorable, while Dylan was a stinker. This was a good book.

I haven't read the book yet, but I wanted to rate it what I think the book will be and when i'm finished i'll be able to see if my first impressions of the book were correct.

4.5⭐

The book looks fun, and I can't wait until i'm done with my other books so i can get into this one.

I really had fun reading Jay and Gabrielle’s story! They have instant chemistry and I loved the dialogue and spark. Her kids were fun and the healing journey they all went to was beautiful. The spice was also on point.

Between Now and Forever, written by Adriana Locke, is a small town, neighbors with benefits novel. This was my first time reading this author and I was pleasantly surprised!

Format: NetGalley ebook
Genre: Contemporary fiction, Romance
Spice level:🌶️

Gabrielle (FMC)⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Single mother of two boys. Relocating to the small town where she grew up after the death of her ex-husband that she was on good terms with. She is a bit of a DIY’er with her house.

Jay (MMC)⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Carpenter, hurt after his ex-girlfriend skipped town with her daughter, that Jay had helped raise since she was a baby.

Gabrielle and Jay meet when she moves in next door and then flashes him accidentally on the first day she moves in. They soon form an instalust relationship and bond over fixing up her house.

For the most part this was a comedic view into what happens when a single mom tries to have an adult relationship. There was also some sad moments between the oldest son and Jay, due to his feelings about moving on from losing his father.

I was hoping for more spicy scenes, wasn’t aware that this was a closed door romance book. After reading some of the scenes between the FMC and her girlfriend group, I was expecting a lot of on-page spice. Thankfully there was no OW/OM drama or third-act breakup!

Overall score:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title!