Only When It's Us (The Bergman Brothers #1) by Chloe Liese
only when it's us
official blurb
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.
5 out of 5
🔥🔥🔥🔥 out of 5 steam level
★★★★★
REQUIRED READING FOR ROMANCE LOVERS
Omg I am not going to be able to move on from this book anytime soon. I'm obsessed. Buy me a flannel shirt and throw me a soccer ball bc I am implanting myself into the lives of Willa and Ryder and I'm never leaving. Seriously. Never. Leaving.
I guess I should start from the beginning. This is a steamy romcom and I would feel confident saying that but it's also a drama. So let's say steamy romcomdrom.
What makes the book unique is the characters not "completing" each other. You know what I mean... Tom cruise made it famous but it's lived on well past Jerry Maguire. The characters are living through a lot of intensity and they grow and address it with therapy and taking chances on themselves. With opening up to their friends and family and just trying to keep trying. But they don't start dating and suddenly their lives are good. I really liked this aspect and didn't realize I was missing it in a lot of other reads!
There were SO many lines I loved in this book. I'll leave you some teasers here that I think capture the book well:
Refastening my grip on her hair, I dig in my jeans for a hankie. Yes, a hankie. Cloth over Kleenex gives Mother Nature a hug.
I thought I was past grieving what I lost, but maybe grief isn’t linear. Maybe I can accept what I’ve lost and still mourn it. Maybe I always will.
I laughed and cried while reading it. I stayed up WAY too late (thank you insomnia) and read it in two sittings. And I am telling you- I want back in!!! The good news is I get to hang out with Willa and Ryder again bc there will be a second book featuring another Bergman brother out at some point. (Cue me pre-ordering it STAT).
This was my first Chloe Liese book but CLEARLY will not be my last. I loved it! Hence the required reading status. Oh and did I mention you can read it for free with Kindle unlimited?! I mean... You're welcome.
Okay one last praise for the book. The banter was very Gilmore Girls - ish. The Willa thoughts had me LOLing and feeling like we were part of the Ya Ya Sisterhood of Gilmore Girls fandom.
Did I say I was done praising the book? Because I lied. Oh come on, it's not that big of a deal, right? We still have trust? This book featured a lot of soccer. One of my favorite sports! (Seriously, it's not abnormal for me to really irritate people around me with my profound belief that the USWNT could beat the USMNT in a scrimmage...) And I loved reading a book that feature this sport in all of it's amazing goodness.
I think you'll like this book: well I guess first you have to like steamy romcoms, but also if you grew up reading The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (bridget...soccer... just saying). Also if you liked The Winston Brothers series (bearded men!)
Tropes: Enemies to lovers, slow burn, college romance, sports romance.
Content warnings: (If you don't like these, skip the next line!)
cancer, loss of a loved one.
while reading you should
Eat: Tacos, or Swedish meatballs
Do: go out and juggle the soccer ball
Listen to:
Things I'll Never Say by Avril Lavigne
When You Move by Parachute
Song Beneath the Song by Maria Mena
These Times by Safetysuit
Won't Go Home Without You by Maroon 5
Never Stop by Safetysuit
DuxSignature smallercopy