Between Now and Forever Summary, Characters and Themes
Between Now and Forever by Adriana Locke is a small-town romance that explores love after loss, the strength of chosen family, and the bravery required to start over.
Set in the quiet town of Alden, Ohio, the story follows Gabrielle Solomon, a resilient single mother navigating the challenges of raising two sons after her ex-husband’s death.
As she attempts to rebuild her life, she unexpectedly finds comfort and emotional depth in her connection with Jay Stetson—a reclusive neighbor with wounds of his own.
The novel unpacks emotional trauma, healing, and rediscovering joy through community, parenthood, and second chances.
Summary
Gabrielle Solomon returns to her hometown of Alden, Ohio, seeking stability for her sons, Dylan and Carter, after the death of her ex-husband.
Life in the city has left her emotionally drained, and Alden offers the familiarity and support she hopes will help them all heal.
Reunited with her cousin Cricket and a circle of warm, dependable women, Gabrielle begins to settle into her new life while juggling the pressures of single motherhood and the emotional fallout of grief.
Her teenage son Dylan, still reeling from his father’s passing, becomes moody and distant, while young Carter remains upbeat and curious, grounding the family with his innocent perspective.
Her new home introduces her to Jay Stetson, a reserved carpenter and her unexpected next-door neighbor.
Their first encounter—embarrassing and comical—involves a towel mishap and a tumble off the porch, setting a tone of light tension and attraction.
Jay, who spends his time building and retreating into solitude, carries a heavy emotional burden.
He lost his daughter, Mia, and has since chosen to shut most people out.
Despite this, Jay is quietly drawn to Gabrielle, though he resists the pull with stern boundaries.
As Gabrielle makes small repairs to her home and tries to bond with her sons, Jay becomes an enigmatic presence in her life.
His tendency to help from the shadows—like fixing a railing without fanfare—contrasts with his deliberate emotional distance.
Gabrielle’s struggles with Dylan’s grief, Carter’s needs, and her desire for adult companionship grow more pronounced, especially when Jay keeps appearing in moments of vulnerability.
Through awkward exchanges, mutual glances, and fleeting moments of honesty, their connection deepens.
Gabrielle finds herself increasingly torn between respecting Jay’s boundaries and acknowledging her longing for affection and understanding.
Jay’s inner turmoil surfaces as he tries to reconcile his attraction to Gabrielle with the guilt and fear he carries.
His interactions with Carter hint at a tenderness he no longer believes he deserves to share.
When Jay finally opens up to Gabrielle about Mia’s death, it breaks a barrier between them.
The pain he reveals fosters compassion and connection, and Gabrielle begins to see not just a neighbor, but a man capable of deep love.
A turning point occurs when they share a moment of emotional intimacy, affirming the bond that’s been growing between them.
However, their budding relationship causes turbulence with Dylan, who feels threatened and confused.
He lashes out, forcing Gabrielle to navigate the complex balance between her needs and her children’s emotional well-being.
Dylan eventually starts therapy, which helps him understand and accept the changes in their lives.
Jay steps up—not only as a partner to Gabrielle but as a supportive presence for her sons.
He begins to join them at community events, slowly integrating himself into their routines.
As the seasons shift, so does their dynamic.
They begin to resemble a family, laughing together at dinners, supporting one another during hard moments, and enjoying the small joys of Alden.
Yet old fears return for Gabrielle, who worries about losing the happiness she’s just beginning to grasp.
A minor disagreement triggers those insecurities, but Jay reassures her—not by retreating, but by remaining present and honest.
Eventually, Jay tells Gabrielle that he loves her and wants to build a life with her.
With Dylan’s blessing and Carter’s joy, the two of them move forward as a family.
In the epilogue, the family is shown thriving—rooted in love, stability, and a future finally free of the shadows of the past.
Their story closes on a note of ordinary peace, the kind that only comes from choosing love over fear.
Characters
Gabrielle Solomon
Gabrielle emerges as a woman of strength, vulnerability, and fierce maternal devotion. Returning to Alden after the death of her ex-husband, she carries the emotional weight of grief, divorce, and the exhausting responsibility of single motherhood.
Her character is defined not by tragedy, but by her resilience in the face of it. Gabrielle is deeply human—funny, awkward, and painfully self-aware.
She tries to rebuild not just a home but a sense of identity outside of being a mother and widow. Her emotional evolution in Between Now and Forever is rooted in her desire to be seen as a woman again, not just a parent or a survivor.
Through her evolving relationship with Jay, we see her wrestle with the fear of being hurt again, the guilt of moving on, and the courageous pursuit of joy. She is someone who fiercely protects her children, especially when Dylan struggles, and yet, she is also willing to challenge Jay’s emotional distance, asking for transparency and connection.
Ultimately, Gabrielle represents the heart of the story: someone determined to carve a life from the ashes of loss, filled with love, laughter, and vulnerability.
Jay Stetson
Jay is the archetypal brooding recluse with layers far deeper than his stoic exterior suggests. Initially, he comes across as distant and emotionally unavailable, but his inner world is shaped by profound grief—the death of his young daughter, Mia.
This trauma informs his every hesitation, his retreat into solitude, and his belief that he no longer deserves happiness. Jay’s character is one of slow unspooling; as he interacts with Gabrielle and her sons, especially Carter, we see his guard begin to slip.
His instincts to protect and repair—literal and emotional—hint at a nurturing spirit long buried beneath pain. He struggles with self-forgiveness and fears the messiness of human connection, yet he is drawn to Gabrielle’s fire and resilience.
His journey is one of reclamation: of self-worth, of family, and of a future he thought he’d lost. By the end, Jay chooses vulnerability over fear, becoming not only a partner to Gabrielle but also a father figure willing to show up for her children.
His transformation is tender, realistic, and emotionally satisfying.
Dylan Solomon
Dylan represents the often-overlooked grief of children navigating loss and change. At 14, he’s old enough to understand the gravity of his father’s death and the upheaval of their move but too young to process it in healthy ways without guidance.
Initially, Dylan is withdrawn, angry, and resistant—not only toward Jay, who he sees as an interloper, but also toward Gabrielle, whom he blames for disrupting their life. His rebellion is not rooted in malice but in confusion, sadness, and the disorienting experience of growing up in emotional chaos.
Over the course of Between Now and Forever, Dylan’s emotional arc becomes one of the most compelling. Through therapy, time, and the stability Jay begins to represent, he softens.
He learns to articulate his feelings, accept his mother’s desire for happiness, and even find peace in the possibility of a new family dynamic. His slow acceptance of Jay is both hard-earned and realistic, capturing the fragile emotional world of adolescents in crisis.
Carter Solomon
Carter, Gabrielle’s younger son, is the embodiment of innocence, hope, and the unfiltered joy children can bring even to the most difficult transitions. At seven, he doesn’t carry the emotional scars his older brother does, and he serves as a bridge between Gabrielle and Jay.
His natural affection, curiosity, and sweet demeanor crack Jay’s emotional walls early in the story. Carter’s ease in accepting Jay into their lives acts as a mirror to the kind of love Gabrielle fears might be too difficult to build.
His lighthearted presence brings moments of levity to the narrative and reminds both Gabrielle and Jay of what unconditional love and acceptance can look like. Carter may be young, but he plays a critical role in shaping the evolving dynamic between his family members.
Cricket
Cricket is Gabrielle’s cousin and emotional anchor in Alden. She’s sassy, supportive, and brimming with the kind of loyalty and humor that helps Gabrielle stay grounded.
Cricket represents the importance of female friendship and chosen family in times of transition. She offers not just comic relief but practical and emotional support, encouraging Gabrielle to put herself out there again and reminding her of her worth.
Cricket’s presence throughout Between Now and Forever helps balance the heavier emotional elements with moments of comfort, belonging, and authenticity. She’s the kind of secondary character who doesn’t just fill space but deepens the protagonist’s arc by being a steady, loving presence.
Lark
Lark, Jay’s close friend, serves as the quiet moral compass and emotional barometer for Jay. While he isn’t central to the plot, his conversations with Jay are pivotal in nudging him toward self-reflection and honesty.
Lark is empathetic and wise, often offering insight without judgment. He helps Jay see that punishment doesn’t equate to penance and that love doesn’t have to come at the cost of guilt.
Lark’s grounded nature makes him an important figure in Jay’s transformation and in the emotional integrity of the narrative.
These character arcs come together to form a story about healing, second chances, and the quiet, courageous work of rebuilding a family from broken pieces. Each character is etched with emotional realism, making Between Now and Forever a heartfelt exploration of love that is earned through understanding, not simply given.
Themes
Healing from Grief
Grief serves as a quiet but ever-present force throughout Between Now and Forever, shaping the emotional landscape of both Gabrielle and Jay. Gabrielle returns to Alden after the death of her ex-husband, not just to start over but to patch together the fragments of a life marred by disappointment, failed love, and the burden of single motherhood.
Her grief is multifaceted—it includes mourning the man she once loved, the life they never fulfilled, and the innocence her sons have lost. For Jay, grief is even more personal and paralyzing.
The loss of his daughter Mia has left him hollow and guarded, a man who now fears intimacy and happiness as if they might betray the memory of what he lost. Their stories of grief run parallel at first, each trapped in their own quiet suffering.
As the novel progresses, their mutual understanding begins to create a space where healing feels not only possible but deserved. Jay’s garage becomes both literal and metaphorical—a place where broken things are restored and where he can begin the slow process of repairing his heart.
Gabrielle, by offering him compassion without conditions, becomes a catalyst for this process. The story shows that grief never truly disappears but can be transformed through connection, vulnerability, and time.
The novel doesn’t promise instant resolution. But it asserts that life after loss—while altered—can still be meaningful and beautiful.
Second Chances at Love
The romance between Gabrielle and Jay is anchored in the theme of second chances, not as a return to innocence but as a mature, deliberate act of hope. Both characters are deeply wounded and have every reason to avoid vulnerability.
Gabrielle, newly single and exhausted by years of emotional labor, questions whether she even wants love again or if she simply craves companionship. Jay, a man who has internalized guilt and emotional isolation, believes he no longer deserves happiness.
Their connection unfolds slowly, layered with hesitation, emotional missteps, and the heavy presence of the past. What makes their relationship compelling is that it is not driven by instant gratification or superficial attraction.
Instead, it grows from small acts of kindness, awkward but meaningful conversations, and the messy but honest work of showing up for one another. The story shows that Jay pulls away, Gabrielle demands clarity, and both must confront the fear that opening their hearts again could lead to further pain.
Yet, it is this realism that gives their romance weight. The eventual declaration of love is not just emotional; it is a triumph over fear, grief, and emotional stagnation.
The epilogue reinforces that second chances are not only possible but sustainable. They work when built on shared values, mutual respect, and emotional transparency.
Motherhood and Emotional Labor
Gabrielle’s journey as a mother is portrayed with authenticity and emotional depth. From the outset, her identity is closely tied to her role as a caregiver.
The novel makes it clear that parenting is both her strength and her greatest burden. She is not only responsible for managing her children’s emotional well-being after the death of their father but also for navigating her own heartbreak in silence.
Dylan, her teenage son, represents the complexities of adolescence compounded by grief. Gabrielle’s interactions with him are laced with tension, guilt, and fierce protectiveness.
Her younger son Carter adds lightness, but even their sweet moments underscore her exhaustion. The novel highlights the unseen labor women perform—not just the physical tasks of homemaking and childcare but the constant emotional monitoring that is rarely appreciated.
Gabrielle’s internal conflict—wanting to rediscover her identity as a woman while remaining a stable pillar for her children—feels painfully real. Her eventual ability to accept Jay’s help, both practically and emotionally, is a critical step in her arc.
It’s not about giving up independence, but understanding that support does not equal weakness. The novel treats motherhood with reverence while highlighting the ways it can consume and isolate, especially in the absence of emotional partnership.
Masculinity and Emotional Suppression
Jay represents a version of masculinity that is emotionally repressed yet deeply capable of care and tenderness. His grief over the death of his daughter has become a belief that emotional distance is a form of strength and penance.
The novel gradually challenges this belief by placing Jay in situations where his natural instincts—to fix Gabrielle’s railing, to protect her children, to listen without judgment—reveal the nurturing core he tries to suppress. Jay’s arc is as much about learning to forgive himself as it is about embracing emotional vulnerability.
His reluctance to open up is not portrayed as noble but as harmful—to himself and to the possibility of love. By showing readers his internal conflicts, the novel critiques traditional notions of stoicism and silent suffering.
Jay is not “fixed” by Gabrielle, but her presence challenges him to re-evaluate the walls he has built and the narrative he has constructed around guilt. The transformation is slow and believable.
He does not leap into declarations or grand gestures but begins with small acts of emotional presence—bonding with Carter, making peace with Dylan, and choosing honesty over withdrawal. His admission of love is a pivotal moment of self-reclamation.
The novel ultimately suggests that masculinity need not be defined by silence or absence. It is shown as stronger when rooted in emotional truth.
Community and Found Family
Alden, Ohio is more than just a backdrop—it functions as a character in its own right. It embodies the themes of community, support, and rediscovery.
Gabrielle’s return to her hometown is not a retreat but a reconnection to roots that offer stability, warmth, and a sense of belonging. The friendships she rekindles—with Cricket, Della, and Scottie—are not merely decorative but vital to her recovery.
These women offer both comic relief and emotional grounding. They remind Gabrielle she is more than a mother or a widow—she is a woman worthy of laughter, companionship, and desire.
The community events, casual diner conversations, and shared histories reinforce the idea that healing is not a solitary act. For Jay, the town serves as a mirror, forcing him to confront the life he’s kept at a distance.
As he slowly integrates into Gabrielle’s world, he begins to participate in communal rituals—football games, dinners, and family outings—that erode his isolation. Alden represents the possibility of reinvention through the rediscovery of ordinary joys.
In a world that often prioritizes individualism, the novel argues for the power of collective care. It reminds readers that sometimes it takes a village not only to raise a child but to mend a broken adult.