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loverofromance 's review for:
Fall
by Kristen Callihan
First Impressions
I have discovered that this series has been such a highlight for me over the year. I have just adored these books and they are hands down my favorite books from this author. There is such a fun feel to them. Even though they are labeled contemporary, I definitely feel they are borderline romantic comedy and this book just had me laughing so hard all the way through. There are so many fun antics within this one. You never know what to expect with this series because each book is so different from the other, and yep Fall is definitely very different from the first two books and I really love how dynamic this author has been with this series, it keeps us readers on our toes. In this one though we see a story that blends some serious issues with some light humor that brings such balance to the story. I truly loved the focus on mental illness though and felt like it was represented so well within this story. I also love seeing the close-knit ties within this found family of the band members. Its such a delight to see how strong of ties they have with each other.
The Summary
In this story we have a book that begins with our hero and heroine having their meet-cute at a grocery store, fighting over some mint ice cream. It seems like great minds think alike and that definitely holds true for these two. They both have a craving and some quick-witted bantering and a shocking kiss turns into something they never expected. Stella is about to lose her home until she is offered a deal, to house sit and take care of some pets for someone in high profile, and she knows that this is definitely a silver lining for her. But what she doesn’t imagine is that the sexy man from the grocery store happens to be her neighbor. Stella and Jax go from flirting with each other to developing a deep-founded friendship where they connect in the most unexpected of ways. Neither Jax nor Stella ever imagined that they would find love within these circumstances and are not fighting too hard within their newfound relationship. They both, however, are dealing with demons in the past, and they can only fully embrace this relationship by shedding those demons and accepting themselves as they are.
“I don’t need you to fix me, Stella. I need you for everything else. I need your smiles, your laughter. I need you to be my best friend, my lover, my all. I need to take care of you, touch your skin, make you dinner, give you pleasure whenever you’re in need.”I lean in, emotion clogging my throat. “You are the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I’d happily spend the rest of my life trying to be the best thing that has ever happened to you too.”
What I Liked
There was so much I fell in love with here. So many various elements that really brought this story together so well. I highly fell in love with this book from the very first scene and it was such a fantastic setup for the story in seeing these two find each other in such a normal relatable way. I mean grocery store meet-cute is such a classic form of flirting. I honestly couldn’t stop laughing in this scene. I really enjoyed seeing their different personalities seem to blend so well together. You don’t really expect these two to make such a good match with each other but they truly do. I also enjoyed seeing the truths of sexual safety practices and how easily STDs can be transferred and how vital it is to be safe in sexual encounters and I felt like the author really portrayed this factor so well. The romance that we see built between Jax and Stella was so beautiful. I just couldn’t get enough of seeing these two find each other in such a way and CONNECT. It’s truly remarkable in seeing how this author developed their story. It offered so many depths that are unexpected. I also respected how the value of mental health is such a focus in this book. And seeing how your mental well-being is so vital in order to have a healthy relationship. My heart just went out to Jax and Stella in this book because they have both been hurt so badly in different ways but it’s in these moments that they unite in such a vital way. This book had me smiling all over the place and I truly give ALL the credit to the author in being able to capture such a story that worked so well
“We can’t protect the ones we love; we can only let them know we’ll be there to pick them up when they fall.”
What I Struggled With
To be honest there really isn’t that much that I struggled with, although I do feel like this book was dragged out in some moments, and could have been cut out and didn’t need to be such a long book. Because it’s almost 500 pages. So I mean MUCH longer in length than any of the other installments.
The Narration
I absolutely adored this narration, it’s duo narrated and done SO well. Both Nelson and Maxine were a great blend together as the various POVs in the story were rotated out. And they really captivated on the personalities so well here. Definitely going to look for more books with these two narrating together because they did such a superb job in showcasing this story.
“I don’t know where this will go, or if I’ll be any good at it, but I want to be on this road with you.”
Overall View
I am overwhelmed by the power of this story, it’s a romance of fighting your demons, and finding love in the unexpected. It’s a story that will lift your heart, add hidden depths you won’t see coming, and an emotional roller coaster that blends the joy of life with the heartaches of the soul. TRULY A JEWEL OF DELIGHTS
“It’s an endurance race. You endure. You keep moving forward. But some days, Stella…Some days I get so fucking tired.”“Then rest,” I whisper. “Rest with me. Let me be where you lay your head for a while.”