Review: If Only You by Chloe Liese

 

If Only You (The Bergman Brothers #6) by Chloe Liese

Publication Date: February 20th 2024 by Berkley Reprint & Tantor Audio

Pages: 384

Narrators: CJ Bloom and Nelson Hobbs

Audio Book Length: 11hrs

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Sebastian Gautier, a professional hockey player, needs to shed his bad boy reputation since he’s on thin ice with his team, and rapidly losing sponsors. Ziggy Bergman is the youngest on the National Soccer team, and is tired of being seen as the naïve, squeaky-clean girl. She wants to be recognized as the smart, capable woman she is. A recent run in with Seb, Ziggy’s brother’s best friend, has her thinking that they could help each other out by faking a friendship. By association Ziggy could polish Zeb’s reputation make it seem like he’s cleaning up his act a bit, and Ziggy might be taken more seriously and treated less like a little girl when seen with an edgy male.

Ziggy and Seb were very opposite: where one was weak, the other helped with a fresh, different perspective, assisting each other to grow in positive ways.  Of course, being so close the fake friendship soon turns into a real one. Each feels the pull of attraction sparking between them as they get closer.  

If Only You was a fun fake-friends-to-more romance! I enjoyed the clever banter and bits of humor that made me giggle more than a few times. I really appreciated that there was no third act drama and I enjoyed the neurodivergent and chronic illness representation that Ms. Liese included here, as she does with many of her romances, portraying characters with real-life problems, making them more relatable. I absolutely love the new covers Berkley has released for the whole series, but I especially love the one for If Only You with its vibrant, spring vibes!

I alternately read an e-copy and listened to an audio of If Only You and I recommend either version. CJ Bloom and Nelson Hobbs bring Ziggy and Sebastian to life with their wonderful performances. They definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the story. I listened at my usual 1.5x normal speed.

4 Stars

Book Description:

The TikTok sensation, now with new exclusive content!

A longtime good girl and unapologetic bad boy score the love of their life when they least expect to in this swoony, slow-burn sports romance.

Ziggy Bergman is tired of being underestimated. Sure, she’s the youngest player on the National Soccer team and the baby of the family, but that doesn’t mean she still deserves to be treated like a kid. It’s time for her angelic image to get a makeover. What better way to do that than hanging out with trouble incarnate and her brother’s best friend, Sebastian Gauthier?

Sebastian has hit rock bottom. His hockey career and sponsorships are in jeopardy of ending if something doesn’t give. Seb’s not willing to actually change his destructive ways, but he’s happy to pretend he’s a reformed reprobate by faking a friendship for publicity with sweet, shy Ziggy Bergman.

When faking starts to feel real, Ziggy and Seb discover an unexpected friendship they’re happy to hold on to. At least, until their once-fake friendship becomes the most loving, empowering relationship they’ve ever known, and the end goal—for both of them—changes.