From the moment we met Mark in book 1 and it was mentioned he was still heartbroken over his high school first love, I could.not.wait.for his story. First love, second chance is my absolute kryptonite. When you think of Alicia and book tropes, I hope you always think second chance.

And within minutes of It’s Always Us, I was hooked. It’s different y’all. I can’t talk about it because I would spoil it, but the way this second chance is handled is a bit of a new (to me?) spin on a favorite trope.

We are in it for the long haul here with Mark and Lex. It felt like one new obstacle after another for these two, but Mark hanging on and not wasting his second chance is.so.good.

I enjoyed this entire series, but even if I hadn’t, getting to Mark’s story would have been worth it.

Thank you, @stacywilliams.writes and @netgalley for this ARC that I was so dang excited to get, and to @pagesandpaperrings for putting this series on my TBR!

It's Always Us, by Stacy Williams, is a true second chance romance. This book begins with Alex, who is about to get married. Her old high-school boyfriend, Mark finds out about it and this book takes off from there. These characters really work together and I enjoyed the secondary characters as well. I hope we get a few books about some of them as well, especially Slade and Hank! This is the first book I have read by Stacy Williams, but it won't be my last. Thank you NetGalley and Stacy Williams for an advanced copy.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!!

What a good book! I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I loved the main characters! They had great chemistry and worked so well together. I loved how the book just flowed. My first by this author but will not be my last!!!

This sports romance was very well done! I really enjoyed the writing style and the banter was so entertaining!

Don't be like me! I read this book without reading the other two in the series first, and that was a mistake. After seeing many friends rate it 5 stars, I picked it up before the others and I struggled with it for that reason.

I'm in the minority, but I also don't love the second chance romance trope. This book was hard to get into for me but the last half picked up and made me like it better. The book has more serious subject matter that has to do with the foster care system and maybe I was also in the mood for a lighthearted read.

This will be for you if you are looking for an angsty, closed door, football romance with found family and all the feels!

Shamelessly devoured “It’s always us” by Stacy Williams as I continue in my jock lover lit era. “It’s always us “ is a breath of fresh air , as a young mother of two small children the sometimes painfully long slow burn can be hard to get through when reading sessions are and few Between. I thoughrolly enjoyed the change of pace as Williams got down to business and didn’t hold any emotional punches . Williams takes the classic redemption troupe to a new level!

Such a beautiful love story! I loved the tale of Lex and Mark. I was so curious to figure out what happens to them that broke them apart and couldn’t wait to see how and if they found their way back to each other. With out giving away spoilers I was not disappointed ;)

My ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I picked this one up because the author is local to me and I have the first two books in the series but haven’t read them yet. This was well written and moves along at a good pace and had some turns I didn’t see coming. Can’t wait to read the first two now. I felt it worked just fine as a standalone book as well if starting here like me.

I don’t even know how to begin this review. I picked up It’s Always Us without any prior experience with Stacy Williams’ work, knowing only that it was a second-chance romance. It’s my first time reading anything by this author, and I walked in blind, hoping for a heartwarming love story. What I got was a whirlwind of emotions.

The novel centers around Mark and Lex, former high school sweethearts who, eight years after their split, still find themselves thinking about each other. When Mark decides to take a shot at rekindling their relationship, the two are given a second chance at love. The story follows their journey of rediscovering each other, working through the baggage from their past, and dealing with lingering traumas.

This book was an emotional rollercoaster. Honestly, there was a point early on when I almost considered not finishing it. A plot twist revealed one of my least favorite tropes, which nearly made me stop reading. But I stuck with it, and I’m glad I did. I gasped out loud multiple times as the story took turns I didn’t see coming and by the end, I was satisfied with how Mark and Lex’s journey played out.

Though I had my doubts at first, I ended up enjoying the resolution, and I was happy with where the characters ended up. I’m giving this book a solid 3.5 stars—it’s an entertaining read, even with its unexpected twists.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a simple, fun, easy and quick read. The perfect type of book for your holiday, beach, pool kind of read. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

http://thesecretbookreview.co.uk

It's Always Us is the perfect ending the Abandoned Brothers series. Mark finally got his story and it did not disappoint. This book wrapped up the series with such perfection and we got to see Sean and Shane again ❤️

Mark and Lex have some of the best character growth I've ever read. We see these characters battle their demons together. While Mark is the most outwardly emotional one, Lex has always done everything to put him first (even if it didn't seem that way)

Stacy Williams has created a found family in this series that is beyond anything you could want in a book. There are some surprises along the way (I physically couldn't put this book down at parts) I cannot wait to see what comes next but would like to personally request a Slade book and anything that let's us see more of Trig and Krissy

A sweet second chance romance book with an underlying sports theme.

Alex walked away from Mark eight years ago, in the beginning of the book you don’t know why, or what led her to this decision and I think it impacted my connection with her character.

On the flip side I felt instantly connected to Mark, although why did he wait until a few days before her wedding to get his girl?!

Super sweet to read their reconnection, and how the sparks still fly between them after so many years. Heartwarming and simply romantic.

The pace of this novel was kinda slow. I think the plot would have worked a little better if the reader had a little more information in the beginning of the novel about the past history of the characters. Also, i think the story could have been finished with less chapters. I did enjoy the characters.

This story will most defiantly pull at the heart strings. Its a good one! It is the last book in the series! I went back and read the first two before starting this one. It can be read as a stand alone but the first two are just as great! The story is about soul mates and football. Add in a marriage, family, and some babies as well. I love that it is dual POV. You can feel the love between Mark and Alex from the start. These guys were together in high school but Alex didn't want to hold Mark back so she let him go. Neither Mark and Alex have ever let go of the love they had for each other. They have ups and downs along the way but what is prominent through the whole story is the love they have for each other. Great read!

Mark & Lex

Tropes:
Soulmates
Second Chance
Found Family

Thoughts: This series is everything. Not only is this book and series in my top reads of the year it’s also on my favorites of all time list!

In book one Shane and Maggie make a life altering sacrifice for Maggie’s younger siblings.

In book two Sean and Andie learn to navigate both of their worlds while expanding their capacity to love.

And in book three we see Mark finally get his girl. This book is unlike anything else out there. It’s a rollercoaster of a ride and truly one of the sweetest love stories I’ve ever read. Their second chance journey back to each other will leave you believing in the power of a love that lasts. 🩷

P.S. The guys that work at the garage are absolute PERFECTION! And YES we get to see Shane and Sean and their families again!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️♾️
(Dual POV and Fade to Black