Reviews with content warning for Chronic illness - Always Only You

Reviews tagging 'Chronic illness'

Always Only You by Chloe Liese

95 reviews

proudtobeabookaholic's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Ren Bergman, hockey player for Los Angeles Kings, fell for Frankie Zeferino the moment they met. But as long as Frankie handles the team's social media he can't act, he has to wait. At the same time Frankie finds it hard to ignore the always smiling Ren, despite being the opposite herself. With her diagnosis she's learnt that most people view her as a problem, rather than a person, and she's not about to risk her heart again.

Hockey/workplace romance, grumpy/sunshine and a female protagonist who doesn't let her diagnosis stop her - that's a hit forme! Frankie (whose name is really Francesca) is called "Frank the Crank", walks with a cane because of rheumatism and is autistic. She hides both her autism and her softer side at work. It's nice to read about a person who has a physical disability, as well as a neuroatypical condition; I don't think I've come across that in a book before. The author is apparently autistic herself and I think it shows.

Ren (whose full name is Søren) is a true gentleman who likes to recite Shakespeare - no wonder Frankie falls head over heels! He also has an autistic sister, Ziggy. As a Swede it feels kind of special that the Bergman family is Swedish-American, but I fail to hear the Swedish expressions when I listen. Great to see Ryder and Willa from the first book, though!

Ren and Frankie feel like the perfect match, despite their differences. Liese has really done well with creating the right chemistry between them. They’re adorable together, with their cute nicknames. The narrators do an excellent job and I was quite disappointed when the book ended!

Content Warnings

fromjuliereads's review against another edition

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funny hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

Way too many HP references. And I'm not the biggest fan when the 3rd act breakup is in the 3rd to last chapter... leaves so little time for the reunion...
I like that there were references to Shakespeare, especially the names and curses that they used from like Shakespearean times - those were really funny! But the quoting of Shakespeare lines had me cringeing and rolling my eyes a bit.
I liked the characters well enough and the rep but honestly I skim read a chunk of the book. I'm 100% glad this book exists and I don't think it's a bad romance or book - just not for me personally.

Content Warnings

beckyyreadss's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I wanted to read this book because I enjoyed the Wilmot Sisters series and enjoyed the first book in the Bergman Brothers series. I enjoyed this book but the third act breakup and the miscommunication trope ruin this for me.

This book has two points of view. The first is Ren Bergman and from the moment he met her, he knew Frankie Zeferino was someone worth waiting for. Deadpan delivery, secret heart of hold, and a rare one-dimpled smile that makes his knees weak, Frankie has been forbidden since the day they became coworkers, meaning waiting has been the name of the game – besides, hockey, that is. He is a player on the team, she’s on staff, and as long as they work together, dating is off-limits. But patience has always been her virtue. Frankie won’t be here forever – she's heading for bigger, better things. Ren just hope that when she leaves the team and he tells her how she feels, she won’t want to leave Ren behind, too. The second point of view is Frankie Zeferino, and she has had a problem at work since the day Ren Bergman joined the team: a six-foot three hunk of happy with a sunshine smile. She is a grumbly grump, and his ridiculously good nature drives Frankie nuts, but even she can’t entirely ignore the hot ginger with the icy eyes, the perfect playoff beard, and a body built for sin that he’s annoyingly modest about. Before Frankie got wise, she would have tripped over herself to get a guy like Ren, but with her diagnosis, she’s learned what she is to most people in her life – a problem, not a person. Now, opening her heart to anyone, no matter how sweet, is the last thing she’s prepared to do.

I enjoyed the enjoy and I still love this family. I was sort of hoping that Frankie’s cold heart would melt, and it sort of did, but she took a while to grow on me. Ren, I instantly adored, the second he enters the book. We had met him previously and I was so excited to see him again. Again, I love the representative in the book. The representation with chronic illnesses and autism especially with how Ziggy just felt lost and alone, but Frankie knew what she needed. I really enjoyed the introduction to the brothers and the family. I loved the parents; I love that they are used to being in a house with 5 boys and 2 girls that they are like right enough or I'll kick you out. I cannot wait to see more of them. I love that Aiden went to Ren to say he was in the doghouse because he was the only brother that wouldn’t kick the shit out of him and Ryder, and the others would have.

The thing that stopped it being a five-star read for me was the third act conflict that got resolved in the next chapter. Like I understand that Frankie was frustrated for being ill and Ren giving up things for Frankie and she didn’t want that, but Ren was genuinely so worried for her and caught her like did she really expect him to leave her side? Then it was all resolved by her going to therapy like it was just brushed over, like after a few weeks of talking to my therapist, I wanted the conversations with the therapist in great detail, not just brushed over. Then it was resolved within a chapter from Frankie like sorry, k cool and missed you and that’s it. All over and happy ever after. I just wanted more. How did the team react when they got together? Do they still go to team function together? How did Frankie get on at Law School?

Just from the little glimpses that we got of these brothers; I cannot wait to see more of them. I am so glad that this has been planned that every single family member to be happy especially Ziggy. I adored her and wanted her to be happy with whatever she does.

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sarahfrances52's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

This is the best of the Bergman Brothers books so far! I saw so much of myself in Ren, so it was fun watching him fall in love. I loved how sweet and patient he was with Frankie, especially in the end when they had their misunderstanding. I’m definitely going to keep reading this series. And I’ll probably keep reading it out of order haha

Content Warnings

patelyne's review against another edition

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4.0

The second of the Bergman Brothers series, this one focuses on hockey player Ren, and Frankie who is the social media coordinator for the team.

Ren is a social media darling, who swears in Shakespeare and would never dream of causing a scandal. He’s also been pining for Frankie for years, quietly because of boundaries and fraternization rules.

After years of feeling smothered by well meaning family due to health concerns (rheumatoid arthritis and autism rep) Frankie moved across` the country to work for the team and become fiercely independent in the process. But now it’s time to move up, as she’s been accepted to law school as the first step of becoming a sports agent.

Will Ren finally make a move, since soon it won’t be forbidden anymore?

I really liked this one, even if Ren seemed too pure to fit the typical hockey player mold (not to mention a shocking lack of superstitiousness) it was nice to see the Bergmans pull another one into their fold, and to see how valuable her knowledge and experiences being autistic were with their recently diagnosed family member.

The golden retriever (him) and Black Cat (her) energy balanced really well, and actual dog character Pazza was so sweet

I loved the epilogue, and getting to see how they were together further down the line. The moment after Shakespeare in the park was perfect.

Content Warnings

levilore_'s review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I really enjoyed this book and once again I loved the characters. I felt like the book was well paced. I just prefer stories with more drama, but I absolutely loved Ren and Frankie.

Content Warnings

thehannahclaire's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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wildatheart1339's review against another edition

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4.75

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citlalialvrod's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Content Warnings

abby_can_read's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

📱
While I liked this book, I struggled at times to stay interesting. I found Frankie to be annoying at times because she was "not like the other girls" and the only thing I really remember where Frankie's Hedwig panties.

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