Ever After Always (Bergman Brothers #3) by Chloe Liese

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

Ever After Always (Bergman Brothers Sister #3) by Chloe Liese

Aiden

I’ve spent twelve years loving Freya Bergman and twelve lifetimes won’t be enough to give her everything she deserves. She’s my passionate, tender-hearted wife, my best friend, and all I want is to make her happy. But the one thing that will make her happiest is the one thing I’m not sure I can give her: a baby.

With the pressure of providing and planning for a family, my anxiety’s at an all-time high, and I find myself pulling away, terrified to tell my wife how I’m struggling. But when Freya kicks me out, I realize that pulling back has turned into pushing too far. Now it’s the fight of a lifetime to save our marriage.

Freya

I love my cautious, hard-working husband. He’s my partner and best friend, the person I know I can count on most. Until one day I realize the man I married is nowhere to be found. Now Aiden is quiet and withdrawn, and as the months wear on, the pain of our growing distance becomes too much. 

As if weathering marriage counseling wasn’t enough, we’re thrown together for an island getaway to celebrate my parents’ many years of perfect marriage while ours is on the brink of collapse. Despite my meddling siblings and a week in each other’s constant company, this trip somehow gets us working through the trouble in paradise. I just can’t help worrying, when we leave paradise and return to the real world, will trouble find us again?

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I love Chloe Liese as an author. All of her books are so realistic and have actual real life, relatable people as character! LGBT, POC, autism, disabilities, you name, they are represented in her book and represented well! This book is no different. My review for the 2nd book in the series is here.

Aiden and Freya are 10 years into marriage and are reaching that point where communication has completely gone out the window and Aiden’s priority has become his job. Aiden has severe anxiety disorder and while he thought he has always kept it under control, it has bled into his personal life and impacted his relationship with his wife. Freya, feeling neglected and no longer a priority closes herself off.

I am obviously not married, but I like how this book actually represents what is after the Happily Ever After and is probably relatable for many married couples.

I love how ownership and responsibility for actions were actually discussed and very much a prominent part of the story. I absolutely HATE when authors sweep things under the rug or sugar coat it without their characters taking blame. I, however, did not like the final ‘conflict’ in the book. I thought it was a massive backtrack on Freya’s part and the entirety of it wasn’t surprising. Like half way through the book, I knew who Tom was (Once you read it, it will make sense.) I felt like the last little fight was thrown in there to get to the conclusion, on Freya’s part at least. I didn’t mind Aidens.

Okay, now that my bit about my dislike is over, I do recommend, not only this book, but this series! For anyone who made it one of their goals for this year to read books with diverse main characters, here it is! This book (and series) is available on Kindle Unlimited.