Always Been Yours

Destiny Falls #2

by Alexa Rivers

Falling in love with your best friend is hard enough. Being the woman he needs as a single dad is even harder.

After a decade of pining for a small town cop who isn’t mine, a clandestine drunken marriage with a stranger, and a terrifying incident I’d do anything to forget, the past is finally catching up to me.

Someone is plotting against me, and I need Nate now more than ever. But as disarming as his rugged smile can be, I can’t seem to let my guard down. Not enough to tell him the truth. Because if he knew…he’d turn his back on me forever.

With time running out, I’m quickly learning nothing can keep my secrets buried. And if the person coming after me isn’t stopped, it won’t just be my heart on the line.

I could lose my life.

Genres: Romance, Friends To Lovers, Contemporary, Small Town Romance, Second Chance, Mystery

328 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 27, 2023

About the author

Alexa Rivers writes about genuine characters living messy, imperfect lives and earning hard-won happily ever afters. Most of her books are set in small towns, and she lives in one of these herself. She shares a house with a neurotic dog and a husband who thinks he’s hilarious.

When she’s not writing, she enjoys traveling, baking, eating too much chocolate, cuddling fluffy animals, drinking excessive amounts of tea, and absorbing herself in fictional worlds.

Reviews

[Capt. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really hate the overly pining even after YEARS type of FMCs. And I felt like Nate got what he wanted in a relatively easy fashion. Once he realizes things about Grace, he got her IMMEDIATELY. Grace didn’t even made him work for it… I dunno… it just wasn’t my cup of tea I guess.

[Sienasummerrreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

This follows Grace who has been in love with her best friend Nate for many years. She has had to watch Nate love and be with someone else. But he is now divorced and a single father.
But she needs her best friend more than ever as he is the town cop and someone is out to get her. This brings them closer but is it too late? will her past catch up with her?

This was a good read. I loved the story and the suspense you felt while reading it. It did keep me guessing, who could be behind wanting to harm or stress the FMC out. The spice was good and we got a couple of scenes just a few are also fade to black.
I do have a few things I want to mention. I got sent this as an ARC and told you can read it as an interconnected standalone. But reading the first 10 chapters, Kennedy is brought up multiple times mentioning the “incident” and honestly you just want to know what happened to Kennedy and realise she was the first book in the series. So I do suggest reading book one first. Also, about 70% of the FMC fell ill after the lunch incident, I knew who the culprit was from that point as everything started to add up. The stalker popping back into the picture was strange for me after so many years. When Nate popped the question it was too quick for me even though they have known each other for a lifetime. The adopted storyline I enjoyed but I wanted that person just to use their words to communicate who they were earlier on.

Overall this was a good read.

If you love:

🔹Romance Suspense
🔹Best Friends
🔹Writer & Cop
🔹Someone Out To Get Her
🔹Single Dad
🔹Twisty Plot

Genre/Type: Small Town Romance 18+
APK: Kindle ARC
Release Date: 27th June 2023
Pages: 328
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟
Spice: 🌶️
Series or Stand Alone: Second Book In The Destiny Falls Series But Can Be Read As A Stand Alone.
Tropes or Themes: Best Friend, Single Dad, Small Town, Writer, Police Officer, Suspenseful, Adopted Sibling, Harming Incident, Knife, Blood, Lack Of Communication, Some Fade To Black & Medical Content
Check Triggers ⚠️

All Round Romance Reader 
Sienasummerrreads 💕📚
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[Patrick Mothershaw-Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

[Donna McEachran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my heart. It totally broke for Grace in the prologue. I absolutely love Tess and can't wait to see who the next book will be about

[Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just wasted a day of my life.
it wasn't AWFUL but it wasn't Good either, it was so underwhelming and at some point you're just going to skim over the conversations because honestly wtf? half the time it's just random fillers that don't need to be there, and the pace was so bad. SO BAD YALL. he sees her with an Ex once and boom "I love her" bitch you've known her for 20 years???? you've NEVER??? seen her with another man?!?!? never????? my god fr. the plot had no plot, and it was obvious half the terminology for police work was NOT looked up beforehand, no police officers talk like that lol but anyway.
it wasn't a read I would go out of my way to devote too, just... a book to read when you can't find any other book to read and you're desperate for a fix,

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grace and Nate’s story in Always, Been Yours by Alexa Rivers, book two in the Destiny Falls series, is an enjoyable single dad, best friends-to-lovers, small town story. Nate and Grace have been best friends forever. Grace has settled for loving him in secret, while remaining his best friend; at the same time, keeping a handful of other secrets to herself. After leaving Destiny Falls for a few years, Grace has returned and is now a romance author; working out of the bed and breakfast she owns. Nate, a single dad, and the police chief, begins to see his best friend in a new light when he learns he doesn’t know everything about her like he once thought. Especially when something dangerous from Grace’s past comes to their little town and Nate has to work to protect the woman he loves and figure out who is out to harm her. This portion of the story is suspenseful, filled with breadcrumbs and false leads that leave the reveal at the end a totally unexpected twist.

Ms. Rivers wrote a wonderful story with a bit of something for everyone: best friends to lovers, small town, single dad, suspense, thriller, mystery, misunderstandings; and of course a dog and sweet book-loving kid. This romantic page turner has engaging characters, suspense, danger and so much love.
I highly recommend Always, Been Yours to other readers and look forward to more in stories in this series.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this story.

[Sarah Oliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enthralling and beautiful read.

This was a beautiful friends to lovers, single dad romance, and the addition of suspense and intrigue made for an enthralling read. I was drawn in to Grace’s character and the heartache of her unrequited love from the very first page, and so enjoyed watching Nate’s feelings grow and change as the story progressed. As always, Alexa Rivers filled the book with interesting characters, and I can’t wait to see who will star in book 3 of the ‘Destiny Falls’ series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Hannah Montana · Rating 1 out of 5]

Is stalking the only plot point available? Is there some shortage on other plot points that I’m not aware of?

The best friend was stalked in the previous book, Grace was stalked in the other town she lived in, now she’s being stalked by someone else in this new town?

And then on top of that it was boring, so the stalking is not doing anything to make the book more interesting.

[Stacey · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was actually the first book I read in the Destiny Falls series and I didn't like it.
I read Book 1 and a couple other books by Alexa Rivers and it helped make how I feel about this book clearer. I even reread it and I figured it out.
Simply: I didn't like Nate. Grace was a coward. Alice's plot only made a little sense and some of her actions were never explained (like did she avoid the camera to steal Grace's wedding ring?).
My second reading made me realize why I didn't like the plot.
It's so much wasted time. Sorry, but no matter how much Nate goes on about how he wouldn't give up anything for Tess... I call BS.
The basic plot is that Nate and Grace have been BFFS forever. Both are now in their mid 30s. And Grace has been secretly pining for him for SIXTEEN YEARS! Girl.
My heart broke for Grace at the beginning, where a teenage Grace finally decides to ask Nate to the dance and shows up just after he's lost his virginity to Maddy (who I assume is his girlfriend and so why wouldn't Grace know about a girlfriend?)... and Maddy is a brat and tells Grace she's with Nate now and takes the candy Grace brought to give to Nate. But Maddy turns out to be a good guy after all (another thing I didn't like... it read like Maddy trapped Nate into marriage by getting pregnant and was mad at him for not loving her when she KNEW he "loved" Grace, but at the end... Maddy and Grace will be friends. Blech. Rivers seems to do that with characters in her books. I didn't like Maddy at all.).

Now, I get it. At 16, my first love broke my heart. I have the many, many angsty poems to prove it... but I moved on and that's what I didn't like about Grace. It sounded like Maddy and Nate were off and on before they got married and they've been divorced for five years, but she chose to never tell him how she felt. SIXTEEN YEARS! And she seems fine with just pining for him. Sure, she married and divorced Ryan, but they divorced because she was still in love with Nate and made no effort to move on. Also, Ryan deserves his own happy ending and I hope it isn't with the woman (his best friend's pregnant wife) who he's been in love with "forever." Just move on, Grace!
And it seems Nate only notices Grace because Ryan shows up and he suddenly realizes he doesn't know his best friend... and that she's pretty. It just really bothered me.
I would have loved a story where Grace chose to move on.
Then whole "who is stalking Grace" plot made no sense to me. Rivers, as she did in book #1, sets up a bunch of red herrings and... I didn't like it. Alice being so friendly and helpful, but then secretly turning out to be the bad guy... just didn't like it.
And Tess was the adorable "perfect" little girl that everyone loved. Wise beyond her years. Meh.
I think I'll read Liam and Kennedy's story. I liked that one much better.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book two in The Destiny Fall series and it is Nate and Grace’s story and omg it definitely a must read. Nate and Grace are best friends and even though Grace had always been in love with Nate but she couldn’t tell him because it could ruin there friendship and it was too important to her so she kept quiet. Present day and Grace is a successful writer and spends a lot of time at home so when things of hers start to go missing Grace is concerned so she decided to get a dog so that she felt safer. Nate decided to go and see Grace after work only when he gets there a unfamiliar car is in the driveway and then he finds out that Grace was once married but now divorced and he didn’t know because he had let her down and not been there for her when she needed him. Danger is just around the corner watching and waiting for the right time to strike. When Nate and Grace decide to give into how they are feeling and start the relationship that had been a long time coming things go really well and it’s not long before they realise that they are both in love with each other and probably always have been but it just took Nate longer to see what was right in front of him but will they get the chance of the happiness and future that they both deserve or will it be taken away from them and can they eliminate the threat before it is too late. Wow I absolutely loved this book so much with all its twists and turns along the way and I couldn’t put it down because it was so addictive and had a storyline that pulled you in right from the first page and just wouldn’t let you go and I can’t wait to read the next book in this amazing series.

[Korkoi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Their Long Road to A Destined Forever -
Grace had been in love with Nate since high school, but neither one of them pursued it. They even married other people and got divorced during a ten year period, but kept their feeling to themselves. That is until someone started reeking havoc on Grace’s life and Nate became her protector. Spending time together brought them closer, which finally gave them courage to explore a relationship.

However, they finally acknowledged their love for each other, after Nate’s ex-wife divulged a secret that Grace and Nate’s twin brother had kept for years. Unfortunately, Grace nearly lost her life, as the investigation in the problems that she suffering didn’t include the last person she expected to want to cause her harm. Luckily, Grace not only survived, but she also discovered a long hidden family secret and got the forever life with Nate she had always dreamed of living.

All I can say at this point is Wow! I was hooked on the story from the beginning and found myself itching to turn the pages, whilst trying to guess who the culprit was and also rooting for the characters to get their happily ever after. Even though I knew I was going to enjoy reading this book, I was happy that Alexa Rivers gave me more than I expected and left me thirsting for more. This is a definite must read book.

I received an advanced copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Rebmay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book kept me up until the wee hours of the morning since I couldn’t put it down until I had finished. Grace and Nate have been best friends for years. Her feelings go deeper than friendship, but she has become an expert in hiding them from Nate, or perhaps he just hasn’t been observant as a cop should be. It is not the only secret she is keeping from her best friend. She has been his friend through his marriage and divorce, dating other women and watched him being a father to his daughter. When one of her secret is inadvertently revealed, Nate has a sudden realization, a realization that has him looking at his relationship with Grace in a much different way. He has always been afraid to think beyond their friendship, to want more for fear of being rejected. Now he can’t stop thinking of taking their relationship to new levels. Now he is noticing her figure, her touches seem to set off sparks and he is jealous of her time away from him. He also begins to notice that something is making her uneasy enough to get a Rottweiler puppy, a guard dog in training. All his protective instincts immediately come into play.

As their story continues, strange occurrences begin to happen around Grace. Does she have a stalker? Is it someone she knows or a stranger? Can Nate keep her safe? Will Nate and Grace get a chance at a happily ever after now that they both seem to want one together? This book made me laugh, groan and gasp as I read it. It is definitely a great read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ms. Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sixteen years ago, Grace Smith goes to her best friend Nate Braddock’s house to finally tell him that she has had a crush on him for the last two years. She wants to ask him to be her date for the Senior Dance. She goes to his bedroom and opens the door to find Maddy McLaren lying on his bed wearing one of his rugby shirts while Nate is in the shower. Maddy tells Grace that Nate is hers now and that they have been intimate. She says Grace should leave before embarrassing herself in front of Nate.

Now, Grace is a writer living in Destiny Falls. She also runs a small bed and breakfast. She rents out the two cottages on her property and works out of the main house with her assistant Alice. She notices a few of her things missing but tries to not get upset. A violent stalker recently drugged and kidnapped her friend Kennedy from Grace’s property so she is trying to not be paranoid.

Nate has an 8 year old daughter, Tess, with Maddy. They are divorced and Maddy has Tess every other week. He and Grace and still best friends and Grace is still silently in love with him. He is a local police officer.

What secrets has Grace been hiding from Nate? Who is Ryan Gentry? Is the new tenant, Ezra Mendel, a stalker? Do Nate and Grace have a chance to be together?.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Maz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book to in Destiny Falls series. It was a Single Dad Best Friend's To Lovers, Unrequited Love Tropes.
This was about Nate and Grace.
Grace has always loved her best friend but she thought he didn't feel the same so when he moved on she held her broken heart and tried to be the best friend she is. She tried to move on herself but it was for all the wrong reason.
Mate ended up marrying the girl he was on and off with since high school. They have a daughter but there really wasn't any love and marriage ended. Of course it wouldn't work out because the silly man has always been in love with Grace he just didn't know it. Until he meets a man from her past and all his Alpha traits and jealousy rears it head, he realises he has feelings for her.
Oh Nate, I really wanted to tap that head of yours to see sense.
When Grace's life was in danger, Nate couldn't stop his protectiveness and get her closer to him. He will not let her get hurt.
Who is after Grace? Why are they doing this? The suspense kept me on the edge until the end!!! I had my suspicions and I was right!! Woohoo. I love solving crime mystery.
This book was dramatic, suspense, deception, betrayal, family, friends, family banter, love, chemistry, emotions and just some spice.
Read and find out who is after Grace and why. Very fun book to read.

[Maelle C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always Been Yours is a small-town romance, slow-burn friends to lovers.
Grace and Nate have been best friends for many years, and Grace has always been in love with him, but has decided to keep that love a secret while remaining his best friend.

After discovering a secret Grace has been keeping for years, Nate begins to look at her differently...
The evolution of Nate and Grace's relationship is really well-written and realistic, making it easy to put yourself in Grace's shoes and understand how she feels.

While we see Nate and Grace's relationship evolve, we also get a whole mystery surrounding Grace; indeed, we soon discover that she has a stalker.
And thanks to this, the pace is kept very lively throughout the book; there's no slowing down, even when Nate and Grace finally get together.

The plot twist is really great, I really didn't see it coming and I didn't understand who Grace's stalker was until the last moment.

I'm not a fan of slow-burns, but this book had me completely hooked thanks to the realism of the relationship and also the action and the search for the stalker.

I recommend this book to everyone, it will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always Been Yours is a beautifully done slow-burn, best-friends-to-lovers. Grace and Nate have been best friends since high school, and although Grace has always wanted to be more than friends, Nate has been utterly clueless. Grace buried her feelings to continue their friendship. This fools nobody in this small town. (I have read the two preceding stories in this series, so I had been aware of the attraction between Grace and Nate being apparent to everyone in this town.)

Divorced-dad Nate believed he and Grace knew everything about each other until he discovered one of Grace's secrets, and now he sees her in a very different light. But Grace may be in danger, and Nate must do everything he can to protect her while figuring out his feelings.

After a heartbreaking Prologue, this book is filled with mutual pining, tons of tension between Grace and Nate, lots of suspense, and fantastic steaminess! The long-term friendship between Grace and Nate is natural and apparent throughout the entire book, as is their devotion to each other. I loved this couple, and this book is another fabulous entry in the Destiny Falls series. Highly recommended!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Desiree Henley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received Alexa Rivers book as an ARC read. To say this book was such a good read is an understatement. This book was spectacular! I loved the story of Nate and Grace. I so want more of them. This book is part of a series but you can read it as a separate novel. I loved the small town feel in this book and how close the people were with each other. It made me laugh knowing how fast news gets around in a small town (I live in a small mountainous town). I enjoyed the slow burn between Nate and Grace and how their relationship transformed over the years of their friendship. I enjoyed how Rivers showcased different family types/styles and the challenges people face when it shifts. It spoke to my heart. There is also an underlying storyline that makes this book more than just a small town romance. It felt almost like a Jeff Lindsey novel. It gave me chills as I was trying to solve the mystery. I will say I got the gender but not the person. I wish there would have been a little more focus on that part of the book towards the end but I loved the ending. It gave me all the feels and even made me teary-eyed. You will not be disappointed.

[lowkeyreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always Been Yours is a captivating small-town romance that beautifully explores the journey from friends to lovers. Grace and Nate have shared a deep friendship for years, and Grace has quietly harboured her love for him, keeping it hidden while treasuring their bond.

When Nate uncovers a long-held secret Grace has kept hidden, their relationship takes a sudden shift. Alexa Rivers skillfully portrays the evolution of Nate and Grace's connection, crafting a realistic and relatable narrative that allows readers to step into Grace's shoes and empathize with her feelings.

While their relationship develops, the story takes an unexpected turn with the revelation of Grace's stalker. This mystery element adds a thrilling and fast-paced dimension to the book, ensuring there is never a dull moment. Alexa Rivers expertly balances the romance and the suspense, keeping readers engaged and on the edge of their seats.

The plot twist in this book is masterfully executed, catching readers off guard and maintaining the suspense until the very end. I was pleasantly surprised by the unexpected turn of events and the identity of Grace's stalker, which added an additional layer of intrigue to the story.

[Noëmie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I receive this book from the author and I was thrilled and glad to be in her ARC team for this.

This book so great, it was really something good and I enjoyed it.

Grace is in love with her best friend since they know one another. From college to their adults life, they always shared somethine special between them, but life came through it. Nate got married, and had a girl. To avoid having a broken heart by staying close to him Grace leave her small town for a while. She return home many years later.
During this time apart, Grace lived a life that she kept from Nate, and he's almost devastated when he discover all the secrets.

This story has twists and turns, and I loved the way the writter lead the readers to a way but at the end it was the other. The mystery part that I wasn't expected made me think of Sutter Lake Series by Catherine Cowles. There were a lots of detail and I appreciated all of it.I love when the story isn't expected.

Grace and Nate's story was beautiful. I had such a great time with this book. Thank you again Alexa fof this opportunity, I can't wait to read the next book of this series.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this! The suspense was really well done, and completely unexpected in the best way! I didn’t have any hints until close to the end. I also really loved the world building in this. The family dynamic was strong, and the hints at the previous book and future books were enough to entice me to continue with the series without making me feel like I missed something by not reading the first book.

Nate and Grace are childhood best friends. In the prologue, we see that Grace was hoping for more than friends. Now that it’s years later, we have divorced, single dad Nate and best selling author Grace who are still best friends. But when secrets are revealed, Nate starts to wonder if there’s more. I really loved Nate and Grace together! They were a strong couple.

The best part of this book was the storytelling, I breezed through it because I simply didn’t realize how quickly I was able to get through it and I kept wanting to know more.

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Dee Mac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, that ending was unexpected, but excellent!
Nate and Grace have been friends for years and Grace has loved him for almost the entire time. It was so heartbreaking to see her in the background and watching him not notice her. UNTIL NOW! 😁hehe.
There’s so much happening, more than just a romance. There’s suspense, danger, drama, secrets, hidden love, slow realisation and a wonderful HEA for two beautiful characters. Loved this second book of the series and looking forward to more soon. Wow, that ending was unexpected, but excellent!
Nate and Grace have been friends for years and Grace has loved him for almost the entire time. It was so heartbreaking to see her in the background and watching him not notice her. UNTIL NOW! 😁hehe.
There’s so much happening, more than just a romance. There’s suspense, danger, drama, secrets, hidden love, slow realisation and a wonderful HEA for two beautiful characters. Loved this second book of the series and looking forward to more soon.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best Friends for LIFE! This is about Grace and Nate. This is set in New Zealand / Destiny Falls. Please read the prologue, which explains a lot, and you will understand why Grace is how she is. She and Nate have been best friends since high school, but on the night that Grace invited Nate to the school dance and brought over a bag of lemon drops, she discovered that he was with Maddy. So she ended up going with his twin brother. The story is excellent, and there are some shockers that Nate never knew of her, but now that he is divorced and a single father, he discovers that Gracie was always the one for him because he was miserable when she wasn’t around, but who is the first the declare their feelings? Also, there is drama, just like with the Kennedy and Liam in the first book, someone is out to get Gracie, and you will never guess who it is!!! I love the drama and how it ended up for all in the book; now, who will be next Max, Connor, or Summer with Asher?.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[BeniBeni · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐4,2
Ha estado bastante bien, la única pega que le puedo poner es que no me ha gustado que Nate tardara tanto tiempo en saber lo que sentía por Grace. Siendo completamente honesta, he de admitir que me ha sentado hasta mal que inicialmente Nate se acostara con Melody (madre de su hija) cuando pensaba pedirle salir a Grace, y me ha sentado aun peor que se casara con la pedorra esa. Que las cosas como son, al final de libro, la ex esposa no cae mal, pero a mi no me termina de agradar. En lo que respecta a la trama de quien es el acosador de Grace, he de decir que desde casi el principio he sospechado de Alice, y no puedo decir que estaba sorprendida cuando efectivamente era Alice, aunque me parece un poco feo y excesivo de su parte que apuñalara a Grace solo por que perdió un concurso de literatura
Pero en general está bastante bien, Always been Yours es un libro que fácilmente recomendaría a cualquiera, no solo porque no es muy largo, sino también por ser bastante entretenido.

[Charlotte KillahMisaReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always Been Yours is a heartwarming, second‑chance romance set in a charming small beach town. The story follows Vivi and Grady, childhood best friends whose connection was deeper than they ever admitted — even after years apart. Now Grady is back in town as a divorced single dad, and working alongside Vivi rekindles old feelings they thought were long buried.


What makes this story so satisfying is the genuine emotional growth between the leads. Their relationship evolves naturally from nostalgia to real love, and the way Vivi bonds with Grady’s daughters adds warmth and depth to the narrative. Fans of childhood friends‑to‑lovers, small town romance, and found family vibes will adore this one

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — Tender, swoony, and emotionally grounded, this book leaves you smiling long after the last page

◘ Romance
◘ Friends To Lovers
◘ Contemporary
◘ Small Town Romance
◘ Second Chance
◘ Mystery

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 2 in the Destiny Falls series is a small-town friends-to-lovers story about Nate and Grace. Grace has been in love with Nate since high school but never told him that she wanted to be more than BFFs. Nate is a single dad who relies on Grace for help with his daughter, an emotional support person (without realizing it) as well as his best friend. When Nate walks in on Grace and another man cooking dinner, his status quo is thrown into question, and he has to acknowledge how he really feels about Grace. There was some drama and angst as Nate comes to grips with what he wants, and Grace is unsure of Nate's feelings. Throw in some suspense for Grace and her safety with someone wanting to cause her harm and you have the premise of this intriguing story. For a romance writer, Grace needed to use her words more with Nate. Some misunderstandings could certainly have been avoided, over all a good read and I can't wait to finish the series.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always Been Yours

This is a true love story, sixteen years in the making! Nate and Grace have been best friends since high school but neither was willing to take the leap into a romantic relationship. For one thing, Nate has been married before, divorced and has a daughter. Throw in the fact that Grace has also been married and divorced and you have a complicated enough situation. However, when Grace’s life is put in danger, real feelings surface. While several suspects emerge, it’s fun to play amateur detective in order to figure it out. And how very refreshing it is to get reacquainted with the Braddock family from book one in the series. This book is excellently written and one that’s difficult to put down once you’ve begun reading it!

I received an ARC directly from the author through Book Funnel and am leaving my honest review.

[Susan Hamann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alexa Rivers writes books that make you feel like you personally know the characters - that you could. They are regular people who love, feel hurt or embarrassment, and get frightened.

Grace has loved Nate for a really long time. They are best friends but he doesn't realize that she has larger feelings for him, although everyone around them knows. Just as he's starting to realize that maybe he hasn't had his eyes fully open, Grace is dealing with minor issues, like missing everyday items, and then it gets scarier. So as her love feelings start to be reciprocated, her day-to-day life is turned upside down and her stalker gets much bolder.

There are lots of clues, but hmm, I didn't put them together correctly. This book was sexy and fun to read. The suspense is very well done too.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Silvia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story! Grace and Nate have been best friends since their youth, but Grace has been in love with him from nearly the beginning. My heart broke for Grace in the scene where she finally gets the courage to tell Nate how she feels, only to be blindsided.
I was absolutely surprised to learn about Grace’s secret, but completely understood why and how it came to be. Finding comfort is essential for a broken heart.
I loved Nate and he was such an amazing father to Tess. His scenes with her definitely pulled on my heartstrings.
There was plenty of mystery, drama, and suspense in this book. And twists, too! I’m absolutely loving this series and can’t wait for the next one! I just can’t decide if I want Summer and Asher or Max and Bailey first!
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest opinion.

[Rainbowlovesbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alexa has written a beautiful, heart wrenching story which will have you invested and turning the pages until its finished.if you enjoy small town, unrequited love, single dad, family, friends to lovers, best friends, mild spice, pure love, angst, dual pov writing and HEAs then you'll love this.

We meet Grace and Nate who have been friends for years. However many of them has been while suffering from unrequited love as Grace has been in love with Nate for years.
A secret from Grace's past brings to light that Nate doesn't know her as much as he thinks, and he can't handle the fact.
Can the two become more than friends? Will it succeed?
You will be on a roller coaster of emotions with this book and you won't be able to put it down.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Amanda Marlowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grace has come back to Destiny Falls knowing she hasn't got over her crush on her best friend, Nate. She tried to forget him and fall out of love, but it was never going to happen!
She feels as though she's being watched but thinks she might be imagining it, after what happened to Kennedy (Come Back to You) she's been ultra careful.
Things are going though, her favourite lipstick, a really nice blouse. Odd.
Nate is pleased his best friend is back home, she gets on really well with his eight year old daughter, Tess, both having books in common.
Then he finds he doesn't know her as well as he thinks! It shocks him, and he starts looking at her differently.
The stalker is upping their game. Who can it be?

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Another great read from Alexa, hope the next one is about Max!