A review by ashlightgrayson
Always Only You by Chloe Liese

emotional funny hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I was very happy with the representation in this book. Ren is a huge cinnamon roll and Frankie is rough around the edges, but a good person underneath it all. I think Frankie's personality was well connected to her background and her characterization made sense throughout the story. She has had to deal with her autism throughout her life making her socially awkward.  She's not rude or unapproachable on purpose, it just takes her more effort to read social situations because she is autistic. She also has early onset rheumatoid arthritis which has made her feel like a burden to others. This has made her develop a strong sense of independence and made it difficult for her to feel comfortable accepting help. I've worked with patients who have rheumatoid arthritis and the symptoms depicted with Frankie is reasonably accurate, especially the morning stiffness. Usually patients that get on a medication that is efficacious for them have remission of most if not all of their symptoms. However, patients that don't have complete remission usually get trialed on other medications as well as analgesic medications and physical therapy to faciliate function. We never really go into detail about Frankie's exact medical status, so I can't comment on the accuracy of her residual rheumatoid symptoms and her use of a cane. I should also probably note, I'm not a physician, these are just observations I made based on my experience with patients who have this condition in a medical office setting. 

Ren is a very sweet and friendly love interest. His family is huge, loud, and nosy, and he's grown up keeping the peace with his siblings which probably contributes to his friendly demeanor. He's very non-judgmental and charming which helps him balance out Frankie's personality. They have a great connection and I loved seeing their friendship grow closer and eventually become a romantic relationship. Ren sees Frankie for who she is underneath the rough persona and Ren gives her a safe space to be herself that allows her to open up more. Moreover, I liked that Frankie and Ren had strong connections to their cultural backgrounds. I have a strong connection to my cultural background, so it was easy for me to relate to that aspect of their characters. Frankie and Ren's use of their family's native languages was fun to see because it reminded me of my own family. Ren and Frankie sharing aspects of their respective cultures was a way for them to be emotionally intimate with one another and I loved those parts of the story most. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading other books in this series by this author.
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