Viggo Bergman, hopeless romantic, is thoroughly weary of waiting for his happily ever after. But between opening a romance bookstore, running a romance book club, coaching kids’ soccer, and adopting a household of pets—just maybe, he’s overcommitted himself?—Viggo’s chaotic life has made finding his forever love seem downright improbable.
Enter Tallulah Clarke, chilly cynic with a massive case of writer’s block. Tallulah needs help with her thriller’s romantic subplot. Viggo needs another pair of hands to keep his store afloat. So they agree to swap skills and cohabitate for convenience—his romance expertise to revive her book, her organizational prowess to salvage his store. They hardly get along, and they couldn’t be more different, but who says roommate-coworkers need to be friends?
As they share a home and life, Tallulah and Viggo discover a connection that challenges everything they believe about love, and reveals the plot twist they never saw coming: happily ever after is here already, right under their roof.
Release Date: Apr 2, 2024
Series: The Bergman Brothers
Book: 7
Heat Level: Hot
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley
Price: $10.99
The Bergman series continues with the romance-book-loving hero, Viggo.
This one was a bit tough for me because the author opted for an unlikeable heroine: Tallulah Clarke. Viggo has always been interested in her, but Tallulah is so closed off and the ultimate cynic. She and Viggo are at complete odds. Yet these two find themselves needing each other in an odd way that gives them both a chance to do what they’ve struggled with: rely on others.
This book was good because it took two completely different types of people who faced similar issues but for entirely different reasons. Viggo has always had his family but has struggled to commit to things and often can get side-tracked due to his struggles with ADHD. Tallulah came from a rough family life that shocked the very foundations of trusting others and believing that people would be there for her. While Viggo and Tallulah are opposites in their opinions on love, they’ve both struggled in different ways and continue to struggle. Where Tallulah has pursued a future as a writer, her writing misses romance, and Viggo is an expert on that but not so much at handling the wildness of his life. That’s where Tallulah comes in.
This book summoned forth emotions in me that I was surprised by. I really cared about Viggo getting his happily ever after and finding someone who would treat him right. I really didn’t think that would be Tallulah with her cynicism towards romance. But she wasn’t immune to the magic Viggo was capable of. On the flip side, Viggo is adorable, and he needs someone like Tallulah to push him past his hang-ups. Because shockingly, for being such a romance lover, he definitely has a few issues.
From an overall story perspective, this one meets all the qualities of a slow burn. Things take a bit to heat up on the page, but once they do, Liese delivers. There are plenty of shenanigans, which can only be found in a Bergman Brothers book, along with plenty of family moments with some favorites from previous books in the series. All-in-all, this one is a nice wrap-up to the series. I will say, Liese saved the best for last. Only and Forever works as a standalone. Though, I recommend to fully enjoy this series you should read the other books.
~ Landra
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