Between Now And Forever – Escape by Books

Between Now and Forever by Adriana Locke

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Adriana Locke has done it again. This small-town romance between neighbors is sweet, funny, emotional, and has a generous amount of flirtatious banter and spicy moments.

I honestly closed this book and said “Ohh that was so sweet”. It was one of those books that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside when you’re done.

Like always her characters are relatable, and fun, and you would be happy to be one of them. Gabrielle is the single mom returning to her hometown for a fresh start for her and her boys. She’s a little quirky, cheeky, brave, and a little broken and she’s hoping returning to Alden will help mend their broken pieces.

Jay is the new neighbor and he’s grumpy, quiet, withdrawn, and broken in his own way. He moved to Alden after having his heart broken and his world pulled out from underneath him. Since then he’s kept himself slightly isolated and his heart tightly guarded.

They make a great couple once they can get past their issues. Their first meeting is terribly awkward and funny and those moments continue to pop up. It’s also all the little moments in between that make them magical.

With the additional characters that make up this story, it’s a fantastic world to be drawn into. I have to say that Adriana captured Gabby’s boys perfectly. There was a moment when I swear I could hear my own teen speaking to me.

I really loved this book and look forward to reading more from Adriana.
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It’s been a tough year for Gabby and he boys and moving to the small town in Ohio that she grew up in has her hoping for a fresh start for them all. With her cousin Cricket close by she is looking forward to having someone else to lean on at times. Even though Christopher was her ex she and he had been close right up until his sudden death and losing them hurt them all deeply.
‘Waking up the last two mornings in the small, sleepy town where I grew up has been a balm to my soul. Pine trees scent the air. The sun is brighter—warmer—on my face each morning. Having family and neighbors stopping by to say hello has been wonderful. It’s everything I hoped it would be. Everything I needed it to be.’

Despite the list of DIY projects to be done around the house, she feels contentment settling in. Spotting her neighbor through the window brings a new little spark of joy to moving to Alden. Unfortunately, their first meeting reveals much more than she expected.
‘It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this tiny thrill of attraction. I’ve been too busy with life, the kids, and responsibilities to be present in my own world. But I’m here, and the flannel-wearing stud is right there. Would it be that terrible to give in and just enjoy being a woman looking at a fine male specimen for a minute? Can’t I have just this one thing?’

Jay tries to keep to himself and for the four years he’s lived in Alden he’s kept his friend circle pretty small and is polite to the town’s residents not wanting to get involved. He moved to escape and forget about his broken heart and he decided then and there he wasn’t willing to risk it again.
‘There would be no going back with Gabrielle Solomon. If I touched her, that would be it for me. I don’t know how I know that, but I do. It’s a fact. And with that comes a lot of heavy shit—opening a huge vulnerability that I’m determined to stay closed. Alaska, here I come, I guess.’

Meeting Gabrielle though wakes up the part of him that he’s happily kept sleeping since then. Now he can’t stop thinking about her and eating to be around her. Even her two boys start to pull him in and no matter how much he tells himself to pull back he can’t manage to back away.
‘How will I survive, living by these people? One interaction with Carter and I’m afraid I’m going to crack. One interaction with Dylan and I want to whip him into shape. Every interaction with Gabrielle makes me want to have another.’

Jay has got to be the most confusing and infuriating man she’s met in a while he’s also got her all twisted up. After the year they’ve had she finds herself wanting to live again and not just for herself but for her boys also and she can’t let Jay’s conflicting actions derail that.
‘That was before our neighbor was an infuriating, confusing, gorgeous man that I’d like to forget exists at this point.’

Somehow Jay needs to forget about Gabby and her boys which is not going to be easy whenever he looks outside and sees her or her boys. When he has to face the fact that Gabby is an incredible woman and him he doesn’t make a move someone else will he knows he’s screwed.
‘Seeing her with that asshole at the bar set off a jealousy that I didn’t expect. Thinking of her with someone else now . . . I can’t.’

No matter how much he’s fought it there is no way that he can have a taste and not want more. He has no idea what this will mean for them but he’s not willing to miss out on a chance with Gabby despite the risk it is to his own heart.
“If we do this,” he says, sober as a judge, “it’s not a one-night stand.” “Then what is it?” He takes a step forward. I take one back. “I don’t know,” he says, swallowing. Beads of sweat dot his forehead. “But I know that if I know what it’s like to be inside you, it’s not something I’m going to be able to forget.” I have a feeling I’m going to feel the same way. “Meaning?” He moves toward me again. I take another step back. “That means if we fuck, there are no more assholes in the bar. Not until we figure things out between us.”

Being with Jay feels both freeing and scary. It’s not just her life and heart she‘s putting on the line. Her boys have already had a tough time lately and she doesn’t want to make it any worse. But missing out on finding something special with Jay is a risk she might just be willing to take.
‘He’s good and thoughtful. Smart and funny, in a grumpy kind of way. He’s a hard worker and a good role model for my boys. And he’s so handsome, so sexy, I can barely keep my hands to myself. But what I like most about Jay is how he makes me feel. Interesting. Beautiful. Important. And, although he hasn’t said it, maybe even loved.’

Happy Reading.
Enjoy your next escape 🙂

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