Ever Always by Diana Gardin

Hunter Waters has loved only one woman for his entire life.

Unfortunately she's his brother's girlfriend, Ever Allen. Hunter isn't the kind of guy to betray family, but when his brother Sam has to leave town and asks Hunter to look after her, the feelings he's fought for years can no longer be buried.

Ever can't think of a time when both Waters brothers hadn't been watching her back. Sam's boldness had charmed her, but now Hunter's quiet, steady strength makes her feel safe for the first time in her crazy, messed-up life. But how can she choose between the only two people in the world to have cared about her? How can she live with loving one brother if it means breaking the other's heart? 

This novella started off on a BANG. Literally. From therein, though, I was not overly impressed by the characters. I found that Ever, who started off devotedly in love with Sam was almost too easily swayed in his absence. I get it, that was sort of the whole point but she came off as weak to begin with (let's be honest, she really let Sam just take off without much of a fight) and didn't get all that much better through this short story. Hunter wasn't too much better. Yes, he's loved Ever from the get-go and "let Sam have her" but I felt that he really jumped in at the most opportune time and made things happen in Sam's absence. Although the novella alludes to Sam's original intention to get out of Duck Creek was just was masked by his heroics to protect Ever, I can't help but feel a bit bad for him. Of course, there are three sides to this story...

As happy as I am for Ever and that things work out awesome for her in life, I felt like everything was resolved much too easily (really, I think there was a page or so that just resolved all the issues that the book started off with). I also have to mention that Ever's name does (as cool as it is) starts the story off on a confusing note!! As such, I wasn't particularly taken by this story as I didn't fall absolutely in love with the characters nor was a super-impressed by the plot but, hey, one can only expect so much development from a novella!