Only When It's Us

Bergman Brothers, Book 1

By: Chloe Liese

Narrated by: CJ Bloom, Nelson Hobbs

Revised and Expanded 2021 Edition

Prepare for an emotional roller coaster brimming with laughter, tears, and slow-burn sexiness in this new adult romance that tackles the vulnerability of love with humor and heart.

Ryder: Ever since she sat next to me in class and gave me death eyes, Willa Sutter's been on my shit list. Why she hates me, I don't know. What I do know is that Willa is the kind of chaos I don't need in my tidy life. She's the next generation of women's soccer. Wild hair, wilder eyes. Bee-stung lips that should be illegal. And a temper that makes the devil seem friendly. She's a thorn in my side, a menacing, cantankerous pain-in-the-ass who's turned our business mathematics course into a goddamn gladiator arena. I'll leave this war zone unscathed, coming out on top.... And if I have my way with that crazy-haired, ball-busting hellion, that will be in more than one sense of the word.

Willa: Rather than give me the lecture notes I missed like every other instructor I've had, my asshole professor tells me to get them from the silent, surly, flannel-wearing mountain man sitting next to me in class. Well, I tried. And what did I get from Ryder Bergman? Ignored. What a complete lumbersexual Neanderthal. Mangy beard and mangier hair. Frayed ball cap that hides his eyes. And a stubborn refusal to acknowledge my existence.

I've battled men before, but with Ryder, it's war. I'll get those notes and crack that Sasquatch nut if it's the last thing I do, then I'll have him at my mercy. Victory will have never tasted so sweet.

©2020, 2021 Chloe Liese (P)2021 Tantor

Insightfully Delightful

I love that this story takes into consideration, a disability perspective. This is a beautiful love story with insight into the nuances of a relationship with one able person and one person with a handicap and how they support each other through their relationship journey. So good!!

Only When

This book hits all the feels. The love that grows between Willa and Ryder, her Lumberjack. It hit a little close to home for me, with Willa's mom and her illness. as well as Ryder dealing with his own type of loss and grieving that. I don't want to give anything away, yet you will want tissues because I bawled my eyes out, it wasn't helped by my own personal experiences that mirrored too closely Willa's and Ryder's. Ahem, speaking mirrors, you will want ear buds in for that scene.

CJ Bloom and Nelson Hobbs did a fantastic job of presenting the emotions of loss, grief, acceptance as well as the open door intimate scenes. Their timing was perfect, without belaboring the emotions or over presenting them. as I feel some narrators do. Now I am off to listen to the 2nd book in the series, with the same narrators, thank goodness!

circles

this book wants to be a slow burn 10 hour listen but every other conversation is just a chopped up version of the last one. there are VERY HARD topics that are hit on and they are done AMAZINGLY. but outside of those topics and even those scenes are a bit repetitive i was able to predict almost the exact wording the fmc was going to say. the book probably shouldd have been a 5 hour listen

A love/hate relationship

I have a love/hate relationship with this book. I love a good relationship blossoming story that delves into controversies by both protagonists and this book nailed that. However, I was a bit put off by the constant “in your face”, random sexual innuendos. I get it, their in their super early 20s and hell I was the same way when I was that age but every chapter was at least 2-3 “I need to cum” “I’m bulging” blah blah blah and it just kinda felt forced.

Another thing that was grinding my gears was the major lack of communication. Yes, that is the whole point of the book but once again, it felt forced. There were blatant times that some situations could have been resolved by someone just speaking their mind and telling the truth. But that makes this book and I understand why information was withheld in certain situations.

Overall, it’s a sweet, easy to listen book that gives a lot of emotions - which I truly enjoy.

I do recommend this book for someone who is a fan of Abby Jimenez (I think this book pays a few tributes with the playlists), Ashley Poston and Emily Henry.

7/10

Deep characters and authentic love

Chloe Liese’s writing ability, vocabulary and skill is far above the rest of the writers in the genre. Prit lines are never contrived, conflict or chemistry is never forced. She focuses on developing characters you want to root for, and Ryder and Willa are no exception. They are deep, flawed, beautiful, amazing, wonderful, lovable people who are deserving of love and find it in one another. It’s very simple, but the story is a beautiful journey and an enjoyable listen.

This book spoke to my soul.

This book spoke to my soul. This was a heartwarming and heartbreaking story of two broken souls who find their way to each other and help each other heal. Chloe Liese has a relatable writing style that makes you feel right at home. The plot is interesting and the execution is compelling. The characters in this book really shine. I love the diversity and distinctness they have. I fell in love with all of the Bergmans and I can't wait to jump into their stories eventually. There was some excellent and significant character development for both main characters. The romance was a delight. This had a frenemies-to-lovers trope that really delivered. Ryder was the ultimate book boyfriend and I adored him to pieces. The sensitive issues in the story were handled with tact and grace. I really couldn't have asked for more. This book is top-notch and I will have the best time reading the rest of this series!

Angry Love Gone Soft

The narrators were perfect and I really enjoyed this. Grabbed my attention with the first few sentences. Talk about stubborn sassy firecracker meets the quiet man hiding in the woods. I really enjoyed the point of views between the two and the struggles they faced in their past and present. Near the last few chapters I felt like it dragged on a bit knowing what to expect between the two younger adults it didn't really phase me all that much. Both had a very good understanding backgrounds. Laughed, got angry with the character and even surprised at a few choice words. On to the next one.

A super fun listen!

A 3.5/4-star read. I enjoyed this but miscommunication is difficult for me because I get so frustrated. However, I loved the deaf representation and the growth of our MCs. The only thing that really drove me crazy was Willa being Willa and I think her being annoying held the book back for me. The performance for this book is fantastic and both narrators blew the story away!

Absolutely loved it

Loved this so much. Great heartfelt story, genuine laughs, and a molten slow burn. Great narration too!
Can’t wait to listen to the rest in this series and others by the author.

Only when it’s us

I love this title really so much it was very interesting I love it so so much