Finding Happily Ever After

Ever After #7

by Elena Aitken

He's looking for a fresh start. She's not even looking. Neither of them believed in love at first sight. Until now.

Aiden Adams has worked hard to put the lies and drama of his past behind him, and he’s determined to start over in a new town, with a new job at the high school, far away from his past.
 
Strong, sexy, brave, and the new local hero, Rookie Firefighter, Natalie Adams has it all, including a secret. But she’s determined not to let that stop her from moving on and living her best life.
 
When Natalie’s called in to teach Aiden’s class first aid, lust at first sight very quickly becomes more and soon, they each hope the other is the fresh start they’ve both been longing for. But you can’t push down the past forever. When the truths they’ve both tried to hide come to light, will Natalie and Aiden be able to see past their hurt, put their pride aside and fight for the love they both deserve?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Amazon, Small Town Romance

ebook

Published May 1, 2021

About the author

Elena Aitken is a USA Today Bestselling Author of more than forty romance and women’s fiction novels. Living a stone’s throw from the Rocky Mountains with her teenager twins, their two cats and a goofy rescue dog, Elena escapes into the mountains whenever life allows. She can often be found with her toes in the lake and a glass of wine in her hand, dreaming up her next book and working on her own happily ever after with her very own mountain man.

Read a free novella — https://dl.bookfunnel.com/vxuimdz0j8

Reviews

[Becky Claxon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hated seeing how bad Natalie was affected by what some stupid boy did to her in high school. Unfortunately she still held on to it as an adult. It was crazy that she was a great fire person, but afraid to step in a high school to teach some high school kids first aid. I was glad the experience was positive and that she met Aiden who she was interested in and he was interested her. Poor Aiden had a horrible experience with his ex wife. She was someone I don’t think many people could be around for long! Natalie and Aiden had a slow start getting to know each other but we’re definitely attracted. Miscommunication between the two create problems. I loved catching up with characters from past books. I encourage you to read the book. I was given a copy and voluntarily wrote a review.

[Angela M. Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just adore this series. The town, the people and all the beautiful places make this a phenomenal place to escape to. The worlds Elena Aitken creates are beyond anything I've seen. She always puts her heart and soul into every story. Every book she writes is rich with detail. Elena Aitken captivates her reader's minds and their heart and soul. Elena Aitken puts you in the character's heads and it feels as if you are not just reading a book but actually there.

In Finding Happily Ever After we get to know Aiden and Natalie. Both are running from their past. Natalie is the town hero and firefighter. Aiden is a new teacher. Natalie is asked to teach First Aid at the local high school and the idea of entering high school scares her.

From page one I was mesmerized and captivated by the words. Natalie and Aiden are perfect together. Their chemistry is immense. I loved their journey together. I loved seeing them overcome their struggles. I laughed, cried and had heartwarming moments. The plot was rich with details and the characters were relatable. The entire story was realistic. The secondary characters were perfectly written. The descriptions perfect. I did not want this story to end. I couldn't stopreading Finding Happily Ever After. I felt as if I was truly in Glacier Falls and not reading a book. Phenomenal and enduring.

[Yvonne Cruz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This latest addition to a much loved series gives us two individuals that have been hurt in the past. A past that has molded their present.
Aiden Adams is the new and jmuch loved English HS teacher. Natalie Adams is the rookie firefighter that has become the town’s hero. She loves her job but her HS experiences almost crushes her when she’s assigned to teach the First Aid /CPR class in the town’s HS. That is enough to stress her out, that is , until she meets the teacher, Aiden Adams.
Watching these two develop a relationship, was sweet. But at one moment it seems that their past will destroy their present and future. Will they be able to mend their relationship, trust each and find their HEA?
In addition to the main story, we also get a hint of two potential relationships and future books for Travis and Steph and Nick and Charlotte. I can’t wait for their books.
I was entrusted a copy of this book. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm very much enjoying this series. We meet new characters and visit with friends from past books.
Natalie is called on to teach first aid at the local high school which brings back horrible memories for her. They almost cripple her. A new teacher at the school is the new teacher for the outdoor class she has to teach at and they are instantly attracted to each other. They both have secrets and they have to work them out as they come up. I loved how the students took to her class and wanted to learn more. She was good at her job as a firefighter and teaching too. Good story

I got this story from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review

[Theresa Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about Natalie and Aiden. Natalie is in previous books and is a rookie firefighter. Aiden is a school teacher and new this series. I highly recommend reading the previous books in this series just so you can enjoy the other stories but it's not required as this story can stand alone. There's also previous characters brought into this book which is good to see what is going on in their lives.

There's a bit of angst, but I love the ending which is not a cliffhanger but does leave us wondering what will be in the next book in the series. I received an advance copy of this book through Book Funnel and the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aiden Adams has had a lot of drama in his past. He takes a new teaching position across the country to start over. He encounters a rookie firefighter, Natalie Adams, when he has to take over another teacher’s class because of an injury. Natalie feels in instant connection to Aiden during the First Aid Class. She has kept her secrets hidden for the past 28 years. Both, Aiden and Natalie, have to accept their pasts to move on to a future. Putting their pride behind them and accept fighting for a future, their emotional journey is fun and exciting with their new friends and co-workers! Great addition to this series! All it takes is a “life changing” cup of coffee!

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finding Happily Ever After by Elena Aitken, book seven in her Ever After series, is an amazing story featuring rookie firefighter Natalie Adams and newcomer, teacher Aiden Adams. Natalie is amazing. She’s strong, sexy, brave, and you can add hero to her resume after she delivered a baby. Natalie has a secret or two which she is determined to not keep her from enjoying her life in her new town. Aiden was in need of a fresh start so he moved to a new town, took a new teaching job at the high school, and was finally far away from his crazy past. Being the rookie, Natalie is assigned to teach first aid to a class at the high school. Luckily for her, Aiden is the teacher and these two connect quickly. With a strong magnetic attraction and sizzling chemistry, Natalie and Aiden are soon spending much of their free time together. Secrets from one’s past don’t always stay hidden. Before they can ruin this budding relationship Natalie and Aiden will need to confront their hurts, their pasts, be honest, and fight for the love they both deserve.

Ms. Aitken wrote a wonderful and amazing story, filled with sizzling chemistry, fun dialogue, and endearing characters that is not to be missed. I totally enjoyed and highly recommend Finding Happily Ever After to other readers and look forward to the next book in the series.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Sarah Stein · Rating 2 out of 5]

So, I liked the story revolving around Aiden and Natalie. They have chemistry, and seem to be the perfect couple. Natalie held herself for the right man. Aiden found the right woman when he met Natalie. The reason I rated this book the way I did was because I literally bypassed half of the second story, which focused on Stephanie. Honestly, I couldn’t get into and I guess that’s probably my fault because I looked forward to more of Natalie and Aiden versus the other couple.

[Linda Dossett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elena Aitken brings all her previous characters into each story, and this saved this book. I truly struggled with Natalie and Aiden, they were adults behaving as teens. I lost patience in a few places but the surrounding characters kept the book interesting and moving forward.

[suze joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

The world is full of regrets but should they rule who you are today. Can you find a happily ever after or it it an illusion?

[Bella · Rating 5 out of 5]

A glorious, romantic and surprising read with two more wonderfully suited characters. I just love this series, all the wonderful characters and the unique plot lines the author so cleverly weaves together for us.

[Jennie Fortna · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC for honest review with no compensation 4.5 stars

Finding Happily Ever After is book 7 in the Ever After series by Elena Aitken. So nice to see people from the prior books and the interaction between them all.

This story is about Natalie and Aiden, two newcomers to town with the hopes of leaving their past behind to start new and fresh…

Natalie Adams, a rookie firefighter and local hero is recruited to teach a first aid class at the local high school and the teacher is Aiden Adams. Sparks start flying immediately and they both hope this is the fresh start they need…but when the past comes back will these to fight for each other and their HEA or will it just keep them apart? Only time will tell…

[Gale · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, Finding Happily Ever After is a standalone but it is part of a series and many characters pop up, and are an important part, of this story. I always love when a series brings characters back that we’ve met before. For me, I enjoy how they interact with current characters…and this one was a hoot.

Natalie Collins is new to town (and the series) and is a rookie firefighter. She has, what is in my opinion, a ‘meet-cute’ with Aiden Adams – a high school English teacher, also new to town. I have to say both these characters have back stories that broke my heart, for very different reasons. They have a great start to becoming close, soon after their first meeting, but of course it isn’t so easy.

It’s pretty funny that everyone in town thinks they are perfect for one another but they do their “dance”. I loved both Natalie and Aiden. They were caring and loving and funny and they fell hard for one another. I really enjoyed their story.

Interwoven in their story is a bit of a revisit with some previous characters – which is so fun – and a set up of another book of this group of friends/family/newcomers. Natalie’s and Aiden’s story made me smile and root for them the whole way thru. I recommend.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Remember how tough high school could be? The kids spreading rumors & making your life miserable? If you were lucky, your friends believed & defended you instead of aiding the spread of falsehoods. Natalie had the worst experience. Not only did the guy lie about what happened on their date, her friends all abandoned her & believed him. As a rookie fire fighter, Natalie is trusted & looked up to. When she is tasked with taking over a high school group & teaching them first aid & wilderness skills, Natalie is petrified of stepping into the school.

Aiden is a new teacher at the school & new in town. When the educator assigned to oversee the wilderness group is hurt, Aiden inherits the job. He’s interested in Natalie from the beginning but has trouble getting her to believe he is interested. Aiden has his own secrets & at the worst possible moment, they surface. Can he get Natalie to listen or will her experiences color anything he says?

I really love the characters Ms. Aitken developed. They could be your best friend, your neighbor or the guy down the street. Their experiences are times you can sympathize with. I enjoy the way she can pull you into the story & keep you interested to the end.

[Tara Horn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series, and Finding Happily Ever After is just as engrossing as the previous books. This is Natalie’s and Aiden’s story; she’s an innocent firefighter with little experience about men and he’s the hunky high school teacher who’s married to his job. But that’s all about to change when he is told he is taking over a P.E. class for the rest of the term because the usual teacher has had an accident. He’s not too happy about it until he sets his eyes on Natalie who’s been asked to teach a first aid class to some of the students. Characters from the other books make appearances which I love, as I like to see how they are getting on after some of them already finding their happy endings. But these things are never plain sailing and Natalie and Aiden encounter some bumps along the way, but can they overcome them? We also catch up with Stephanie Starz and her friend Nick with his baby Amelia, I cant wait to see what Elena has lined up for them and I really hope that the next book is Stephanie and Travis’ story as we have had glimpses of something bubbling away in the past two books.

This book is a great read and I’m not giving any spoilers away so you’re just going to have to read it yourself. Enjoy.

[Susan Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet, gentle story. Both Aiden, a school teacher, and Natalie, a fire officer, are quite new to Glacier Falls, but they meet when Natalie has to go to the high school to give a first-aid lesson to Aiden’s class. The class is a great success, and there is instant attraction between the two of them. They both have issues from their pasts that they need to work out, and they should have talked about it before they began a relationship. When their past issues collide with their present it creates an explosion of disappointment, which for a while they struggle to overcome. When they do, it is clear to everyone that they are soulmates, destined to be together. The Bonus chapter needs to be incorporated into the book, it makes a very sweet and happy ending.

Whilst their relationship is progressing we find out a bit more about other Glacier Falls residents, and there will clearly be at least two more stories in this series. With the characters involved they will be very different stories!

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, I have a dilemma with this book. I love this series, am a big fan of the author, but this couple left me feeling flat. Aiden and Natalie are nice people and I guess are good together, but they tend to act immature when the going got tough. Both let past baggage weigh them down too much.
But also, as the series progresses, the number of secondary characters on page grows to a point where one of them is dealing with a more important issue than the MCs…but it’s not fully explored. Yeah, that vague, but no spoilers! Or, I’m distracted by characters who’s stories have yet to be told, but even they are more interested (or annoying, in one case) than our leading love birds.
So while the story itself is a 3, the writing boosts it up to a 3.75, which I rounded to a 4. I wish there was more leeway in ratings, but there it is. Not bad, but definitely not my favorite of the series.

[Joken · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Aiden and Natalie met they didn’t know how similar their lives were. Aiden had been lied to and betrayed by someone he loved. Natalie had been lied about and treated terrible by people she thought were her friends. Both shattered by people and events. When Natalie, who is a fire fighter, goes to the local high school to teach first aid to the class Aiden just inherited. They have to navigate both of their prior lives to get to where they want to be. It was kind of hard with all the side people from prior books to remember how some of the intertwined friend of Ever After Ranch went together. It all came together and I can’t wait until the next book! Definitely worth the read!!!

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book as an arc. Thank you Elena Aitken.
This was such a happy love story. Natalie is a fire fighter. Who is teaching a first aid class at the high school. She had a very bad high school experience. The teacher that was supposed to teach the class got injured. Aiden took over the class he’s a teacher at the school. He had an ex wife that was a nightmare. They hit it off right away. Ended up falling in love. Was great to have some of the characters from the other stories in this book.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been enjoying this series, and Aiden and Natalie's story continues that enjoyment. They each have secrets in their past they're trying to move past but will those secrets be the end of their HEA? Drama and chemistry galore in this book as they work through their issues. I also enjoyed the continued presence of Stephanie and the growing heat between her and Travis. Then there are hints to something between Nick and Charlotte... looking forward to their stories.

[Judyrudy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finding Happily Ever After is the seventh book in Elena Aitken’s Ever After series. When Natalie and Aiden first meet up, they don’t realize how similar their past are. But, will secrets from their pasts prevent a happily ever after? This was another great story in this series. Loved catching up with past characters. I look forward to the next book in the series. I received an advance copy which I chose to read and review. This is my honest opinion.

[Nubia Souza · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book for free in one of those "Stuff your Kindle" promos, so I really didn't know that this was part of a collection. I was lost with the amount of characters that apparently I was supposed to know who they were already. There was no introduction, so they all felt super shallow to me. Which is a pity, because I really enjoyed Aiden and Nat's story. But the amount of side characters unknown to me popping up in the middle of their story was too distracting.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

After her big heroics in the last book, it’s time for Natalie to get her HEA!

There’s an instant spark between Nat and Aidan but past experiences make them weary of making it happen. This book had some angst and drama but is mostly light and hopeful.

The best part of this series is friendships and how much this town accepts everyone. These two newcomers fit right in!

[Joy Whiteside · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book grabbed me and would not let me put it down until the last page was read. It moves along at a pace making for an enjoyable read, has characters that you will fall in love with and a story that keeps you interested and reading till the end. This book needs to be on your TBR list, there is no doubt about it.

[Ric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Feel good and romantic to the boot!
New characters and their story adds to the existing beloved town of Glacier Falls. Natalie and Aiden were so lovable and at the same time I wanted to shake them by the shoulders. Always a pleasure to get an update on previous story lines. Please read this gem.

Ricin2

[Kirstie Ibrahim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a beautiful sweet story. An easy read with great characters. Both Aiden and Natalie are new to town and both ready for love, which comes unexpectedly. I like that we still get updates on the rest of the characters too. I can't wait for Steph's story and for Nicks.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of this book from the author as part of her review team.
I have read all of the books in this series and most of the books by this author.

We met Natalie in the last book Keeping Happily Ever After, but she gets her own love story in Finding Happily Ever After. Aiden is a teacher at the local high school which is where Natalie finds herself teaching a First Aid class.

This story weaves in more of the drama with Stephanie Starrs and her hidden feelings for Travis.

There were a couple of times I got lost with the woven story lines, but as with all of the books in this series - it was well worth the read!

[Coral Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Natalie is a competent firefighter but has let a had high school experience continue to affect her decisions. Aiden is two years out of a bad marriage when he meets Natalie. A cute read with a simple misunderstanding.

[Mary Jane McLeod · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm really enjoying this series and getting to know the characters of Glacier Falls. I loved Natalie and Aiden’s story. These two are just what the other needs. A captivating read that I read straight through. I look forward to the next book.

[Alex T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really loved the character and the story line.A standalone contemporary romance with mild heat.Natalie and Aidens story is full of love,emotions and chemistry.