Read if you like: neighbours to lovers, single mum, grumpy x sunshine, small town, returning to hometown

1.5-2 ⭐️ because this book made me mad lol

Gabrielle is a single mum to two boys. She’s just moved back home to a small town and meets her hot new neighbour Jay under unfortunate circumstances. Jay is jaded, he doesn’t want to date after his last failed relationship but can’t stop helping Gabrielle.

Now usually I like a protective MMC but he didn’t know Gabrielle at all besides that she was a single mum. He wasn’t making any moves and he was trying to avoid her, but he was talking about he wanted to protect her and her kids and couldn’t imagine anyone else in their life. I just wasn’t convinced that he liked her at all. He was constantly running away from her.

There was no chemistry or connection and I just thought they were meant to be with other people. The yelling mid sex? Uhhh okay each to their own I guess 😬😂

Dylan (her son) was going through a lot and while I understand his situation, I wanted to shake Gabrielle because she was not handling his attitude problem well at all. She was a doormat and continued to let him disrespect her and it drove me insane. PARENT YOUR KID!!! 😤🤬

It made me SO mad for her to say “I won’t fight for a man that won’t bother to fight for me” because all I’ve been seeing is that he’s been trying, and helping and opening his heart after his rough past, but all I see is Dylan hating him and Gabrielle saying shit all about it.
The only characters who didn’t piss me off were Carter and Gabrielle’s girl friends 🥲

Everyone needed therapy but nobody saw a therapist 😡 to top it off, the book had such an unsatisfying/quick ending that felt unresolved 😭

A clear miss for me, but if you’re keen on the tropes maybe give this book a go (there’s lots of positive reviews so I’m definitely in the minority here ahh)

I loved this story! The story was different from what I've read but felt so realistic. It was funny and fun to read. The story was easy to follow, and had you falling in love with the MMC, even when he struggled. It also had great friendships for the women in the town. I often find myself wanting to skip ahead to the main character interactions, but in this book they felt like less filler and were just as entertaining!

The ability that Adriana Locke possesses to bring raw and real emotions to life through her words is, well, there are no words for it. This book, with its cast of wonderful characters (Carter is my favorite), will bring you joy, heartbreak, and will inspire you to live and love.

Between Now and Forever
Pub Date: Dec 17
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"You're the first woman that's made my heart race in a long time. That's why you're so dangerous."

Gabrielle: 38 years old divorced mom of 2 boys Carter (7) and Dylan (14), they recently lost their father so she decided to move back to their home town for a fresh and new start All her life she has felt like she is on survival mode but now she's yearning to feel alive again.

Jay: is her neighbour, the man next door. He's a carpenter, super handsome, 🤩 and cute. However, he's grumpy and has swore off women. Its has been 3 years since he's been in a relationship and he was content that way until he met Gabrielle and from the first moment he met her she stole his breath away.
He's gonna help her fix her house but maybe they're gonna help each other and fix their hearts instead 😉.

Ohhh what an amazing book! Adriana just writes the best romances. It's romantic, emotional, heartwarming, and full of hope.
The book disccues themes of grief, parenthood, adolescens, and loss.
I loved Gabby& Jay they were so sweet and tender to each other.
The book is fast-paced with short chapters which was perfect.
I cannot recommend this book enough, you all have to read it.

Thanks to @netgalley and the publisher (Montlake) for granting me an ARC of #BetweenNowandForever in exchange for my honest review.

Xoxo😘

I unfortunately couldn’t really relate to the story and the characters. It did not “click” for me. I can’t really put my thumb on it, but I guess partially the pacing was off for me.

Between Now and Forever by Adriana Locke is a sweet and lighthearted neighbors-to-lovers romance with plenty of fun and swoon-worthy moments. The way Gabrielle and Jay meet—her tumbling off a porch in nothing but a towel—is hilarious and sets the tone for their quirky, charming relationship.

Gabrielle, a single mom of two, is fierce and lovable, while Jay, the grumpy-but-goodhearted neighbor, has an irresistible mix of gruffness and vulnerability. I enjoyed watching them navigate the ups and downs of their growing connection. Jay’s internal struggle with his past adds some emotional depth, though the story mostly stays light and breezy.

While the romance was fun and entertaining, I found myself wanting something more to really make it stand out. It’s a solid, feel-good read, but I was missing that extra spark or emotional depth to take it to the next level.

Overall, it’s a cute, easy read for anyone who loves a feel-good romance with a bit of humor.

Adriana Locke used to be one of my auto-read authors but I've started to find her stories fluffy and predictable. I got excited when I saw this on NetGalley and snagged it up, hoping for the best. It was cute but had that same fluffy, overly sweet kind of feel to it. I didn't hate it but it wasn't my favorite.

Enjoyable read!
I enjoyed these fresh characters and an introduction to the small town of Alden. Jay, Gabrielle, Carter and Dylan each had their own unique first meetings, banter and heartfelt conversations. My heart broke for these people who had experienced traumatic loss and were all still finding ways to cope with it.

Leave it to Adriana Locke to break my heart and put it back together again. I cried for the boy who was too young to understand heartbreak. I cried for the teenager consumed by his. I cried for the single mom yearning to live again and for the man next door who never saw his second chance coming. Until she fell off her porch and he found her naked in a bush. And I swooned over how these four became a family. The spice level isn’t super high on this one but what it lacks in steam it makes up for in humor and relatable characters you’ll wish you knew in real life. Another fantastic read by a favorite author!

I think this is my absolute favorite book of Adriana Locke's so far! I say that a lot though. I loved this storyline that pulled at my heart strings. My emotions were all over the place. The characters are have complicated situations to overcome. The friend group made me laugh out loud. It was heartwarming. I didn't want to put the book down. After finishing, I closed the book with a contented sigh and a huge smile on my face. LOVED IT.

Adriana is an auto read author for me and I enjoyed this book a lot! I did at times feel like there were some side plots (her friends’ love lives) that could have been fleshed out more. I loved seeing Gabby’s relationship with her boys grow and evolve throughout the book. Jay working through his past to be able to be the person that he knew he needed to be for himself and for Gabby and her boys. Overall, I did enjoy this book, just not my favorite of Adriana’s.

Adriana Locke has once again created a great story that will definitely be on my shelf! This is a single mom, meets well flashes the grumpy next door neighbor. This novel covers some fairly hard topics and will relate to a lot of of people!

Both Gabby and Jay have trauma that they are working through, including Gabby having faced a difficult loss. The chemistry of these two is not instant and felt very natural to me.

One of the sweetest romances I’ve read this year, and I’ve read a lot! I felt like this book was realistic and related more to real life than some novels. It also has non 20 something FMC and MMC which I think helps it be more relatable.

Thank you to Adriana, Montlake and NetGalley for the ARC opportunity!

Just what I needed and expected from this author, a book I knew I would love that was sweet, spicy, and not any over the top drama. This was a small town romance, neighbor to lovers, and grumpy hero turned cinnamon roll/sunshine all rolled into one. There was def some good sexual tension thrown into the mix. Loved all the characters and I hope we see more of them! I'm looking at you Della with your kick ass job. If we could all be that confident!

This book was a rollercoaster of emotions! Cricket, Sammy, and Della were the group of girlfriends I wish I had, a perfect mix of personalities. I hope we get more of their stories in future books! Carter reminds me so much of my own 7 year old, he made me laugh out loud so many times! 😅 The dynamic between Gabrielle and Jay is just so fun and playful, and the spice is off the charts 🌶️🥵 Walking through the struggles Dylan was facing, as well as Jay and Gabrielle were heart wrenching, but it was all worth that HEA! ❤️❤️❤️ Another great book by Adriana Locke!

I loved this story! One thing I love about Adriana's writing is how she creates her characters. Jay and Gabrielle have backgrounds that could cause them from not wanting to put themselves out there, but they still try anyway (and it works out!). She just has a way with creating these stories that are raw and real. Dylan, being a teenager, would be opposed to his mom moving on (even despite having been divorced from his dad) while Carter, being younger, would be drawn to a male father type figure. I always know once I pick up an Adriana Locke book, I know that I will be hooked from page 1 and fall in love with the story. I am so thankfully to Netgalley to allow me to read this story early. I cannot wait for everyone to meet these characters when the book comes out in December.

A single mom Grabriella who is starting over after her husband passes away and trying to live for her kids. Their is no time line for grief, but it show how a single mom is trying to move on and start dating. Navigating kids and introducing the guy and and how well they cope with the situation. Jay and who is trying not fall in love again because what his ex did and doesnt want to experience again.

there are funny moments thru the book and you will laugh without notice and their meet cute is one of the most hilarious. the book just felt rush and it didnt took its time to process the whole relationship.

Out of all the Adriana Locke Novels and Audiobooks I've read I don't ever think I cried as much as when I cried for this one! Between Jay and Gabby the History of Love and Loss with so much grief it just makes you truly think what one makes of their life and their families! Dylan and Conner were so cute, well Conner was Dylan was more of a Jerk Face hehe! Another Book for Adriana that is a win for me!

Thank You Netgalley, Adriana Locke and Montlake for the early ARC! Publication Day is Dec 16, 2024 .

I adore Adriana Locke and read pretty much everything she writes. I know when I pick up one of her books I’m going to enjoy myself for a few hours!

Between Now and Forever was a quick, fun read! This book does deal with grief and how relationships are impacted after something traumatic happens. I liked that it showed how each of the kids dealt with the loss and differently. I loved seeing how Dylan and Jay’s relationship evolved. Carter was my absolute favorite with all of his shenanigans. He had me laughing out loud several times (especially with his baseball skills). Gabby and Jay were sweet and I loved the banter. I also enjoyed the scenes with the side characters and hope we see more of them in the future!

Overall, I recommend this book if you’re looking for a small town romance, with a single mother and grumpy neighbor.

This book is told in Gabby and Jay's alternating POV. Gabby is a single mom who moves back to her (small) hometown to raise her boys. While this is usually a go-to author for me, I just was not a fan of this book. The overall tone didn't feel like this author's voice and I really didn't feel the connection between the characters. I will note that the kids were actually included throughout the storyline - sometimes an author will introduce them but not have them involved, so that was nice to see.

Adriana has done it again!! She pulls at your heart!! Gabrielle is a single mom to two boys, who lost their dad. Jay is their new neighbor who doesn’t want anything to do with anyone. Little by little, Jay can’t help but fall in love with Gabrielle and her boys!