Thanks so much to Adriana Locke, Montlake, and Netgalley for this ALC! I loved listening to Rachel Vivette and Oliver Clarke narrate single-mom Gabrielle and her neighbor, Jay’s story.
 
Gabrielle is new to the neighborhood with her two young sons. After a very embarrassing meet-cute (meet-embarrasing?) with her neighbor in which Gabrielle falls into a bush in a towel, is frightened by a snake, and grumpy Jay comes to her rescue (but he’s “not a hero”). Consistent with Adriana Locke books, we have a great MMC who may initially seem stubborn on the outside but is actually gooey inside, and a smart, strong FMC. Jay is so tentative to help and start something with Gabrielle, but he’s drawn to her (and her kids) so I went from wanting to shake him like “don’t miss your opportunity!!!” to being very happy with how everything turned out. The audiobook kept me very entertained during all my chores and activities over the past week so I highly recommend it!

This was a five star book for me. I loved how relatable Gabrielle's sons were -especially the moody 16 year old freaking out about his ping rate! As a mom of a 16 year old, I felt so seen! The audio was phenomenal by Rachel Vivette and Oliver Clarke.

Between Now and Forever is a small town, grumpy/sunshine romance. Single mom, Gabrielle moves her two boys into the house next door to Jay, a house that needs some work, leading to their very hilarious meet cute. Jay is very definition of grumpy and closed off refusing to get close to Gabrielle or her moody teenage son or her adorable younger son. Both are broken souls that just maybe can heal together.

Another beautiful, heart-warming story by Adriana Locke. The progression of Gabrielle and Jay's relationship felt so authentic and organic and I just love how real their story felt. The audiobook production was so well done. The narrators did a fantastic job of truly bringing this story to life.

4.5 stars

Between Now and Forever is a small town, neighbors to lovers romance.

Oh my goodness I devoured this book in one sitting! Jay won me over, and his love for Gabrielle’s family was so heartwarming. I felt Gabrielle’s struggles. My heart ached for her family. The tension between Jay and Gabrielle was intense. A well written story that gives you so many emotions throughout the book with the cutest happy ever after.

Oliver Clarke and Rachel Vivette did a really great job portraying the characters in this story. The narration was entertaining and enjoyable.

Between Now And Forever is a sweet single mom romance. It started off strong with so many funny moments which truly grabbed me and hooked me to the story. The chemistry between Gabbie & Jay was palpable right from the start. I loved that it was a super fast read, straight to the point and delivered what it had to. As usual Adriana's always knows how to give us beautiful stories.

I really liked both MC's, they both had struggles to face and overcome which they did by the end. I do wish they would've communicated a little better for their age though, I did feel they came off a bit immature in some parts. In a way, I could understand that it was due to all their baggage. I did feel like the last part of the book was a little rushed, I would've liked a bit more relationship building there.

The narration by Rachel Vivette & Oliver Clarke was great. I thought they played the characters really well. The emotions were felt through their voices, the pain, the chemistry. They truly brought the story to life.

I enjoy Adriana Locke’s style of writing. Her characters are easy to relate to and I quickly found myself invested in neighbour’s Gabrielle Solomon and Jay Stetson’s story.

Their relationship was rocky and her teenage son Dylan certainly added the pressure as their relationship progressed Thankfully her younger son Carter added some comedic relief to the story.

I did struggle at times to connect with new to me narrators, Rachel Vivette and Oliver Clarke, not sure why but it wasn’t enough to detract me from the story that the author wove.

Their voices were pleasant and they brought passion, drama, romance and humour to their performances.

Jay has been badly hurt in the past and doesn’t give his trust easily and Gabby had a hard time breaking down his walls.

Will Jay be prepared to let Gabby and her boys in or will he close himself off from the love and happiness he could have?

I received a copy from the publisher through Netgalley.

Gabrielle and Jay were next door neighbors. She was a single mom, and she was trying to start over after the passing of her ex-husband. Jay, meanwhile, had an instant attraction to her, but he was grumpy and had reservations about dating because of his past.

Ah, like all Adriana Locke books, this was full of hilarious, sweet, and swoony moments. This was also angsty and emotional. Jay really struggled to let Gabrielle in, but I was glad when he finally did.

Her two sons were very different in their feelings for Jay. I loved seeing his interactions with both of them though. He was very patient and understanding with them.

Overall, this was a cute and angsty small town single mom romance.

Narration notes:
Narrated by: Rachel Vivette and Oliver Clarke
Narration Style: Dual

The audiobook was great. Both narrators are new to me, but I thought they did a great job bringing their respective character and the story to life.

This is a great romantic comedy between Gabrielle, a single mom of two, and Jay, the grumpy man next door. The story is beautifully written, fun, sexy, emotional, and engaging. Gabrielle is such a wonderful character, strong, smart, and determined. Jay is handsome, enigmatic, and supportive. I liked the banter, the tension, and the slow burn romance. I loved Gabrielle's kids, Dylan and Carter. The relationship and connection between Dylan, Carter, and Jay is fantastic. It was amazing to follow them in this second chance family. This story is beautiful and heartwarming. Rachel Vivette and Oliver Clarke did a great job bringing this story to life. I enjoyed it.

This is a captivating love story that explores love, loss, friendship and family.
Gabrielle, a quirky and independent single mother, finds herself drawn to her hot as sin neighbor, Jay.
Despite his initial resistance and emotionally guarded heart, Jay's protective instincts and growing attraction to Gabrielle, and also her intrusive and defiant children, gradually soften his hardened heart and puts him right where she wants... Under her spell.

The slow-burn romance is filled with tension and angst, as well as witty banter and playful bickering between these two. Gabrielle's quirky personality and unwavering dedication to her kids, brings an unique and refreshing dynamic to the story. Jay's gruff exterior and hidden vulnerabilities also creates a compelling contrast, leading to a truly heartwarming and satisfying romance.

I have to say that their point of conflict was a bit OTT and out of nowhere for my liking.
But it ended on a good note.

If you enjoy a slow-burn, small town romance, with a grumpy hero and a great heroine, Between Now and Forever is your thing.

A poignant story about two people trying to move on after tragic events in their lives have them starting over. Jay and Gabrielle are on a collision course with each other, but whether they can find a way through the muck remains to be seen. With one precocious child and a surly teenager, as well as friends who meddle, they have a lot of help (and some resistance) to find their happiness.

Jay hasn’t opened his heart since his last relationship. He doesn’t want to go through the pain again, but he can’t seem to stay away from Gabrielle. Even though he tries time and again to push her away. Gabrielle is moving on after her ex, and her son’s father, passed away unexpectedly. She is drawn to Jay but won’t be walked all over either.

Just when things start getting good between them, something happens (I kind of see why he did what he did) that just might end them before they truly began. I also think she should have apologized a little more than what she did, but I digress. This book had me laughing one minute and crying the next. A must read. You will not be disappointed.

Oliver and Rachel both did a fantastic job of bringing these characters to life. They put emotion, pain, laughter and despair into their performances that it felt like I was living the moment with them. This was the first book I have heard performed by either narrator, but I would definitely listen to more.

I received an ARC and this is my honest, voluntary review..

Oh my goodness! I devoured this book! Adriana Locke truly never misses. I have not read a book by her that I didn't get completely lost in. Between Now and Forever was no different. This book follows Jay and Gabrielle, who find love amidst personal loss and past heartbreaks. After her ex-husband passes away, Gabrielle returns to her hometown and becomes neighbors with Jay. Their funny meet-cute (she literally falls into his life) sparks a slow-burning romance. Initially, Jay is super grumpy and tries to stay away from Gabrielle. Gradually, he warms up to her and her sons, especially as he bonds with Carter, the youngest of the two.

I loved Jay and Gabrielle together. Their journey was complicated and had ups and downs; however, they were undeniably attracted to each other. Jay showed Gabrielle that although she could do things on her own, it was ok to lean on him for help. I was invested in the development of Jay's relationship with Gabrielle's sons. Carter was innocent and sweet and added a bit of humor to the story, while Dylan, the teenager, struggled to work out his feelings after losing their dad. Between Now and Forever explores parenting challenges, healing from past wounds, and embracing second chances. This well-written story is beautiful, emotional, and heartwarming.

Narration:
Rachel Vivette and Oliver Clarke, both new to me as narrators, delivered captivating performances in the audiobook. They really brought Gabrielle and Jay to life. Oliver portrayed Jay's pain and desire for solitude, while Rachel expressed Gabrielle's resilience, bright spirit, warmth, and journey to find love again. Their performances pulled me into the story and made me care deeply about the characters. Rachel and Oliver's emotional narration enhanced my listening experience.

I was provided an ALC of this book via the author and Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This is a complete standalone and doesn't connect with any of Adriana's prior series. If you are a fan of hers you know she is well known for her interconnected family series. She also has some excellent standalones, and this one is amazing! I wouldn't be surprised if we get spinoffs from this one for the friends in the future.

This follows single mom Gabrielle, who has just moved back to her hometown from Boston. Her new neighbor is a grumpy carpenter, but he is nice to look at. They have an interesting first meeting, and he does not want to get involved. Since Gabrielle likes to do DIY projects and her house needs some TLC, and Jay just happens to fix houses for a living, he finds himself offering to help her out more often than he probably should. They quickly develop and attraction to one another, and he quickly becomes invested in the lives of her two boys.

Both Jay and Gabrielle have some hang ups when it comes to relationships, and neither one of them want to hurt the two boys who are still grieving the loss of their dad and trying to settle in their new town. Jay and Gabrielle fall for each other fairly quickly, but we get alot of sweet moments between the two of them and alot of good conversations about hard topics like relationships, family, grief, and more in the short time they get to know each other. Gabrielle also has some great friends in her corner who are hilarious and she is a wonderful mom who like all moms is asking if she is doing the right thing or did she just screw up royally. I really enjoyed Jay's interactions with Dylan and Carter, the sons, they were genuine and realistic. This is on the shorter side, so if you are looking for a grumpy sunshine romcom that you can get through pretty quickly this is a great one to pick up.

The narrators were excellent. They both did great handling the various characters within their chapters and I really enjoyed how they brought Gabrielle and Jay to life. There are some really emotional scenes and some great comedic scenes and I thought they both did a good job with the emotional side of the narration.

Audiobook Review

Adriana Locke’s books always have the perfect amount of goofiness and emotion. Jay’s and Gabrielle’s (different) situations made them see life differently but in their grief they also found each other and a life that was better when they were together.
New to me narrators, Rachel Vivette and Oliver Clarke, were absolutely amazing.

This was a sweet single mom, neighbor to lovers romance. I enjoyed Jay and Gabrielle's story. The audio was narrated by Oliver Clarke and Rachel Vivette and did an amazing job.

The joy I experienced while reading this book was unmatched. I laughed-out-loud, swooned, felt sadness, and could really empathize with Gabrielle as the mom of a broody teenager. I loved so many things about this story from Gabrielle's neighbors who were the perfect group of women to help give her the support she needed after moving home to her meet-cute (er, meet-towel) with Jay. Jay was the perfect swoony neighbor who despite trying to act like he was put out about helping her and her kids, he did every chance he got.

I loved the flow of their love story and how things developed as they overcame the trauma of their pasts to make way for a beautiful future.

The audiobook performances by Rachel Vivette and Oliver Clarke were exceptional and I thought they did an incredible job at bringing this story to life, which made me love Gabrielle and Jay even more.

4.25 stars. In true Adriana Locke fashion, I fell hard for the strong, capable, blue collar man next door, and the single mom and her two boys who relocate back to her hometown after their dad passes away.

Thank you so much to the publisher for the ALC of this story.

The audio of this one was fun and easy to get into, and then emotional as can get the further the storh developed. I loved everything about this dual narration and highly recommend you read via audio if you can!

Things I loved about this story:
- both main characters have grief to process
- their connection was so real
- Jay connected with both boys in their own ways, and it was so easy
- the meetcute
- the found family and small town friendships that were meaningful and instant
- the main characters are both on the older side (38 for her, over 40 for him?)

What a fantastic story! Filled with love, emotion, chemistry and real family situations. This one will pull on your heartstrings…widowed mom doing her best, neighbors, small town and a man who’s also dealing with loss.

Gabrielle and Jay come into each other’s life at the perfect time. Their initial meeting is fanatic!! They have an undeniable attraction, become each other’s sounding board and want to do the best thing for the kids.

As with every relationship there are ups and downs…but these two are determined to make it work. The kids add so much to the story…the ending is fantastic!

Rachel Vivette and Oliver Clarke deliver a fanatic performance filled with emotion! They gave the characters perfect voice and emotion. I love audiobooks and how narrators take the authors words and create a whole new experience to enjoying the story!

I love a good grumpy/sunshine romance, and this one delivered perfectly!

Gabrielle is the new neighbour of Jay Stetson. She’s independent, a devoted mum to her two sons, and determined to fix things on her own. However, her attraction to her neighbour gets the better of her, so much so that she ends up falling over in nothing but a towel, right in front of him. While Jay is quick to swoop in and help, his personal struggles keep him from letting Gabrielle get too close.

Despite his attempts to keep his distance, Jay can’t resist stepping in to help with the house’s maintenance, and their chemistry continues to grow stronger every day. Their dynamic is heartwarming and full of tension, and I was here for it!

I would have loved to see more bonding between Jay and Gabrielle's sons, especially with Dylan, who clearly had issues with Jay being around his mum. It would have definitely added a bit more depth and context towards the end. That said, this is a straightforward, easy-to-follow romance that keeps things simple and engaging.

I almost binged the audiobook in one sitting! Rachel Vivette and Oliver Clarke do a superb job portraying all the characters, bringing the story to life beautifully.

I thought how Jay and Gabby meet was hilarious! I loved all of their interactions with one another. I loved how Gabby had found friends, old and new, within the women along her new road and the banter between them, but also the support they have for one another. There are so many heartfelt moments between Gabby’s oldest son, who is struggling after the death of his dad. I enjoyed how Gabby and her sons warmed their way into Jay’s heart. I do think that the female voice narrator’s voice wasn’t distinguishing enough, and it was hard to know which female character was who, that being said, I still think she did an amazing job, along with the male narrator. I enjoyed the plot, characters and the bits of spice!

Between now and forever is a standalone romance that is focused on Gabrielle and jay's romantic entanglement. Their story is full of grief, love and healing.

****I listened to this audio. The Narrators are Rachel Vivette and Oliver Clark. Both are brand new to me and I found myself lost in their voices. The emotions while they read to me were felt deep into my heart. I felt that connection to the character that I look for when I listen to a book.. I loved their performances and will be looking for more books by these two narrators.

Oh Adriana, what you do to my fragile heart...... Your stories of relationships really put my soul through the ringer. Gabrielle is a single mom who is raising 2 boys. She moves back home to raise her boys. Jay is the next door neighbor who stays to himself. When Gabrielle falls off her porch, jay comes to the rescue. What he doesn't expect is to fall hard for the single mom. Jay has his own trauma of abandonment to deal with and becomes very standoffish with Gabrielle. Gabrielle also has 2 kids that come into the mix that cause some serious issues. Both are strongly attracted to each other but can they get over their pasts without self sabotaging their future?

I love Adrianas writing and this book was no exception. The story had real life situations that I connected deeply with. When you mix kids in with dating, the situation can get rough and it is a battlefield sometimes. Blended family's need that extra care and patience and Jay had that in spades. I loved how he handled the boys and his love for them was immense. I loved this story and I know you will too!