There's nothing I love more than a small town romance! Add in lust at first sight, and I'm hooked! From the second that Jay came to DIY disaster Gabrielle's rescue, I was kicking my feet in excitement about this amazing neighbors to lovers romance. I adore the way that Jay was respectful of Gabby's sons and although he wasn't sure if he was ready to be fully in their lives, he was set on helping the family out in whatever way he could. There was a special beauty to the story where we saw Gabby and Jay help each other to heal from their respective heartbreaks. The small town cast of characters was icing on the cake, I am hoping we get to here more of their stories soon *wink*.

These were new to me narrators and they did such a good job! I'm a new fan! The production was also really great. I love a single mom book and this was just so sweet. The first meet cute was hilarious, accidentally flashing your neighbor while trying to catch a peek at him lol totally swoon worthy book!

Audiobook:
Jay & Gabrielle' story fed my soul in all the right ways! Gabrielle's just moved back home. After living years in Boston, she's back with her two sons, Dylan and Carter after their father and her ex husband passes away. She is trying to pick up the pieces of her life and be the strong mom her kids need having just moved to start fresh. What she didn’t account for was her hot neighbor who is emotionally unavailable given his past. Jay & Gabrielle's meet cute is so freaking funny. As they spend more time together, the tension & friendship build only adding to the mutual attraction. However, while Gabrielle's youngest imprints himself immediately into Jay's life, Dylan who is 14 definitely has the hesitation, especially after dealing with his dad's death.

Oliver Clarke & Rachel Vivette were wonderful in narrating and bring these characters to life. I laughed out loud so much, especially with little adorable Carter (7).

Adriana delivers a beautiful story with characters that have such depth and growth. Highly recommend!!

4.5 stars

I knew I wanted to read this book from the title and cover alone. Listening to Rachel Vivette and Oliver Clarke bring Gabby and Jay to life was the icing on the cake.

This story was both beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. Gabby and Jay both looking to be loved by someone who feels that they are enough. Gabby and Jay both dealing with loss and trying to find a way forward.

Gabby's son's definitely added another level to this story. Dylan's standoff attitude towards Jay was real for a child who may feel like people he loves leave.

Chemistry.... these two definitely had it even though Jay tried to deny his attraction for Gabby. But when his restraint was broken things really started to heat up.

I really enjoyed these two characters as a whole. They were flirty, fun, sweet and absolutely perfect together. I loved that the boys accepted Jay and they all found their HEA.

When choosing an audio book the narrator's ability to keep you engaged is key. I was drawn in by their storytelling and would gladly listen to them again.

Between Now and Forever by Adriana Locke is an enthralling tale that delves into themes of love, grief, friendship, and familial bonds. The story centers around Gabrielle, an endearingly quirky single mother, whose life takes an unexpected tumble – erm, turn when she becomes intrigued by her irresistibly charming neighbor, Jay. Initially reserved and emotionally withdrawn, Jay finds himself gradually captivated by Gabrielle and her spirited, rebellious children, leading him to confront his own guarded heart …

The chemistry between Gabrielle and Jay unfolds beautifully through a slow-burn romance filled with tension and emotional depth. Gabrielle’s quirky charm and fierce devotion to her children add a refreshing layer to the narrative, while Jay’s rugged demeanor and hidden fears present a fascinating contrast, resulting in a truly heartwarming love story.

Experiencing this as an audiobook was exceptional; the narrators infused life into the characters’ chemistry, making their emotional journey feel incredibly real. A heartfelt romance in the true Adriana Locke style that we’ve come to love.

This is my favorite Adriana Locke story so far!

Gabby is a single mom and widower left with 2 boys and relocates them back to here hometown to start fresh after the death of her ex-husband and father to her children. As one would imagine, their grief is still raw, especially for the boys who are struggling with all the change, but Gabby makes the choice that is best for them as she chooses a simpler life for her kids and surrounds herself with family and friends to help find new purpose in life as they embark on their next chapter.

Jay is a single man who moved to town a couple of years ago and is a bit of a recluse but when Gabby and the boys move in next door, his world gets turned upside down. Their meet cute was EPIC and the way that they are drawn toward each other gets stronger as time goes by. Their attraction to each other is like a live wire and as much as Jay tries to fight it, he eventually gives in and their love is filled with fire and passion. But navigating the delicate situation of introducing a new man to two grieving kids is difficult, and Jay has his own past traumas that he is battling, making Gabby's situation a touch triggering for Jay. Throughout the story, all four of them have to endure facing their own grief and trauma and deciding to do what is best during this delicate season in their lives is difficult. But seeing them all come out on the other side and finding happiness made it even more rewarding. I loved this story and the way the Adriana writes about grief and the difficulties of embracing the next chapter in life is incredibly universal and easy to relate to.

The narration was beautiful on this one. Oliver Clarke and Rachel Vivette were wonderful. I have heard Oliver before but its been a while, and the performance did not disappoint but Rachel is new to me and she was fantastic. Their performances felt palpable and full of emotion adding depth to this story that has heavy elements of trauma and grief. I hope I get to encounter another story with either of these two soon!

4⭐️ 2.5🌶️ 4🎧

Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Narrators: Rachel Vivette + Oliver Clarke
Narration type: dual
Writing perspective: first person, dual POV
Standard length: 7:23
Listening speed: 2x
Listened via: NetGalley
ALC provided by: Adriana Locke

Tropes: small town, single mom, grumpy x sunshine, neighbors to lovers, blue collar hero
Relationship dynamic: MF

📖 Gabrielle and Jay were adorably and perfectly imperfect. Gabrielle is a single mom to Dylan (14) and Carter (7) - previously divorced and helping her kids through the death of their father. She moves back to her small hometown and meets Jay, her new neighbor, in quite the dramatic fashion — a towel, a railing, a snake, and a bush may have been involved. Jay has a tough past that has made getting close to people a challenge, but Gabrielle and her kids quickly start worming their way in… even Dylan who tries his hardest to push him away. This story was funny, sweet, and such a nice read!

🎧 This was my first time listening to both Rachel Vivette and Oliver Clarke and they were both great! Rachel seemed like a solid fit for Gabrielle - she really showed the range of her emotions: frazzled, caring, loving, embarrassed, confident, and more! Oliver was perfect as Jay the grumpy, loner neighbor. His voice is medium to deep in pitch with just a bit of rasp and so fitting for a hottie blue collar guy!

Between Now and Forever is such a sweet, heartwarming story that I would recommend this to anyone. Adriana delivers a beautiful story with characters that have such depth and growth. Gabrielle has moved back to town after her ex’s death. They may have been divorced but they were best friends and he was the father to their two kids so she is dealing with a lot of different emotions. Her boys, Dylan and Carter are struggling with what has happened and all the change, Dylan more so than Carter. Jay is her neighbor and they have the most awkward meet cute that had me laughing so hard!

Jay and Gabrielle were really cute together. They both had to break down each other’s walls and open themselves up to finding love again. Carter was so cute and I absolutely loved every scene with him. He brought a lot of fun to this story. Dylan was the biggest complication in their relationship. He was very against the relationship. Will Jay and Gabrielle be able to work through this and help Dylan or will this tear them apart?

Oliver Clarke & Rachel Vivette are new to me narrators but I could barely even tell while listening because they performed with so much heart and really captured the characters and their voices. They made it really easy to listen to and was easy to follow along.

This was so so sweet! This was perfect in every way! Everyone should listen to this book!! It’s the perfect first audiobook!

Oooh! This was a sweet and swoony read! I was here for it! I listened to this one and enjoyed how these narrators brought the characters to life. Jay is grumpy. But he has his reasons. Gabby is trying to get her and her boys’ lives back in order. They’ve had a rough patch and she’s trying to do things on her own. Gabby is attracted to Jay and Jay wants nothing to do with the new neighbors, but soon their chemistry cannot be denied any longer. I was here for it! I enjoyed the way the reader learns of Jay’s past and how Gabby pushes him to be a better man. I couldn’t read this book fast enough! Be sure not to miss this read!

Gabrielle is just trying to pick up the pieces of her life and be the strong mom he kids need having just moved to start fresh. What she didn’t account for was her hot neighbor who is emotionally unavailable given his past. But that doesn’t stop her kid from breaking down his walls or him from constantly showing up to fix whatever home repair disaster she’s landed herself in this time.

The more time they spend together the more Jay feels he’s doomed to repeat the past. Especially when one of her kids makes it abundantly clear that his presence in their life is unwelcome.

I am a sucker for Adriana’s audiobooks so I had high hopes for this one and I wasn’t let down. I’m generally not the world’s biggest fan of single parent romance but I really enjoyed this different take. Having older kids presented an entirely new perspective we don’t often see which in this case meant kids who have very complex feelings they are still trying to figure out. I really enjoyed how this changed Jay’s dynamic with them and in a way made their eventual bond more meaningful.

There’s a lot of emotion and angst in this one as these two are dealing with a lot of emotional trauma and Gabrielle is trying to do it while trying to convince her sons she’s on their team while one of them fights her tooth and nail at every moment. It’s definitely not a romanticized story of single mom life post loss but it really made it that more poignant and enjoyable. Those highs were so much better after the big lows.

I highly recommend this for anyone looking for a single mom small town romance that packs an angsty punch but will give you the most satisfying hea butterflies.

Funny, sweet, smalltown neighbors to lovers story

Another smalltown hit by Adriana Locke. This was an emotional, funny story with mature characters finding a 2nd chance at love. Bonus, it includes the most awkward ‘meet cute’ and I loved it.

Gabriella buys a fixer upper after she finds herself a single mom. Her ex, that she split with amicably and remained friends with, passes away unexpectedly. She’s just trying to get by and create a new normal for her and her sons. Carter, age 7, shows how resilient children can really be and is truly the comic relief in this story. He’s funny, observant, outspoken and compassionate. He’s the kid that’s hard not to love. Dylan, age 14, is still struggling with the move and his father’s death. He’s moody, angry and continues to make things hard for his mother. He’s typical teenager dealing with loss the only way he can and pushing everyone away.
Jay is the quiet, brooding neighbor that keeps coming to Gabby’s DIY home repair rescue. He’s the typical grumpy neighbor until you start to learn where his aloofness comes from and your heart breaks for him. His interactions with her sons are worth the read alone and one of my favorite parts of the story.

Narrated by Rachel Vivette and Oliver Clarke. Both narrators are new to me, and I really enjoyed them. It’s an emotional, sweet, heartfelt story and both were terrific in bringing those feelings out.

Ever since Gabrielle Solomon moved back to Alden with her two sons, she's been ready to take on the task of fixing up her home. What she didn't expect was her hot neighbor, Jay Stetson to swoop in and help her after falling over a porch railing and saving her from a snake in the bushes. All they can be is neighbors and friends and nothing more.

This was so cute! I loved that Gabrielle was so full of energy and took everything in stride. With how her ex had past away Gabrielle and her sons needed a change of scenery. I loved how Gabrielle was very expressive and confident in herself. I loved her DIY enthusiasm too. When Gabrielle firsts meet her neighbor, Jay there's immediate sparks. Their first encounter was funny and unforgettable. I loved Jay. He was such a grump. I loved the effort he made with Gabrielle's sons. He gave so much support to them.

As for the audiobook narration, it was fantastic! Performed in dual by Rachel Vivette and Oliver Clarke. These two were perfect as Gabrielle and Jay. Rachel is a new to me narrator. I loved her! She has a great male voice. Rachel captured Gabrielle's enthusiasm and sunny disposition. I loved Oliver's gruff tone. He captured Jay's grumpiness and charm so well. His range in tones is amazing! Together Rachel and Oliver brought this story and characters to life. If you're looking for a neighbors to lovers story with grumpy/sunshine check this one out!

Our FMC, Gabrielle/Gabby Solomon and her two boys have just moved from Boston to the small town in Ohio where she grew up after the sudden death of her ex-husband, Christopher. They divorced amicably three years prior, and she's struggling with how to help 14 year old Dylan and 7 year old Carter, cope with his sudden loss. Our MMC, Jay Stetson, moved to Alden for a fresh start, away from the pain of a relationship gone wrong. As a result, he's sworn off single moms and tries to fight the attraction he feels toward his new next door neighbor, Gabby, especially when she accidentally "reveals" too much after being scared by a snake.
Gabby's ready to move on with her life, but she struggles with her personal choices and her sons' reactions. This story, like most of Adriana Locke's stories is stacked full of emotional twists. I loved Jay's character and his innate ability to relate to the struggles Gabby was facing with her kids, as well as the turmoil Dylan was feeling about his dad, the move, and his new school. When situations hit a climax, everyone's emotions get churned through like a tornado, and our author does a great job ensuring all somehow land on their feet with their hearts in tact!

Loved from start to finish and loved how jay falls for her and tries to fight his feelings and with his past trauma he is afraid to fall for someone but he can’t help it.

This story is emotional and sweet, and all the things a good romance book should be. I loved these characters. I really enjoyed this, the single mum and damaged hero. It was a great read I highly recommend it.

Jay and Gabrielle! GAHH I love these two! Jay and Gabrielle both have rough pasts which has prevented them from giving love a chance until now.. I thought Adrianna did a great job with the complexity of grief when children are involved. The scenes with Jay and the boys were some of my favorites. ALSO Gabrielle naming babies as a side gig cracked me up! I could never do that because I didn't have a name for my son until I was in labor LOL. This is my second book from Adriana and she is definitely an auto-buy author for me!

Read if you love:
- single mom
- small town
- neighbors
- grumpy x sunshine

Everything I love about a small-town, grumpy-sunshine, single mom romance. If you’re looking for a book that will make you feel all the feels, this one delivers.

Gabrielle moves back to her hometown after losing her husband. Her fiercely independent streak leads to some memorable moments—like falling off her porch in nothing but a towel, in front her her new neighbor. Jay has had his heart broken before, and the last thing he wants is to get involved. But he can’t resist stepping in to help Gabrielle and her two sons when they need him. A nosy town and close friends who can’t stop noticing their chemistry doesn't help.

I listened to the audiobook and couldn’t stop! The narrators did a fantastic job bringing the story to life and I felt like I was listening to the characters.

As always Adriana Locke writes another favorite! A book you can sit down and loose yourself in. The neighbors to lovers is such an underrated trope for me, and I love a grumpy hero loving on the single mom next door who is fierce as fierce can be. Their friendship is one that will win you over from the beginning. With the perfect set of narrators for this story.

Adriana Locke's latest release is "Between Now and Forever." The Queen of the Small Town Setting has done it again! The book had everything I love to read: it was funny, it was sexy, and had some swoon-worthy scenes between a single mom and a gorgeous grumpy neighbor!

Gabrielle falls hard, literally, and makes an unforgettable first impression on her sexy neighbor Jay! From the start, the funny and sweet meet-cute had me hooked!

Gabrielle is a single mother of two boys who has returned to her hometown. She is divorced, but her ex-husband, who was still her best friend, unexpectedly passes. Jay is a grumpy neighbor who keeps to himself, and despite his determination to stay away, he can't help but be attracted to Gabrielle and bonds with her youngest son, Carter.

I enjoyed the slow buildup with Jay and Gabrielle. Their journey was not without its challenges, but there was no denying their attraction! Gabrielle learned that it was okay to ask Jay for help and rely on him. I also loved seeing how his relationship with her two sons evolved, particularly with Dylan.

Adriana did a great job exploring challenges parents have to deal with especially when one parent has passed. The story was well written and it is not only beautiful, but emotional and heartwarming.

Rachel Vicente and Oliver Clarke gave a wonderful narration. They did an excellent job delivering the performances in the audiobook. Together, they brought these characters to life. Their performances drew me into the story and made me feel for the characters. Rachel and Oliver's emotional narration definitely enhanced my listening experience!

Thank you to Adriana Locke, Brilliance Publishing (Brilliance Audio), and Valentine PR for the advanced reader and listener copies. All opinions are my own.

What to Expect:
🔥 Slow Burn
🏘️ Small Town
😠/😎Grumpy~Sunshine
💞 Neighbors to Lovers
🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Single Mother
💘 Second Chance at Love
🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Found Family