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FALLING HOME

by Ana Simons

A second chance, friends to lovers contemporary romance.

"When I hold her tight, it feels like falling home. To the place where you belong, where your memories lie, and your heart is. "

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My Review - 4.5 stars

"An unusual and very compelling tale of second chances."

Falling Home is a wonderfully written contemporary romance, that takes you on an emotional and heart warming journey. One where Brian and Olivia need to let go of the past in order to allow love into their forever. It's set in England and, apart from a couple of misplaced words, was very realistically done. 

(Diapers should have been nappies, 3rd Grade is Year 3 but that's not bad given the books length AND there were so many more correctly used words and phrases.)

Not only is Ana Simons a new to me author, but I read this without even looking at the blurb, so I had absolutely no idea what to expect. What I found was a story of an undeniable love, a tale of not giving up hope, an account of learning to trust that when you fall, the other person will be there to catch you. This was very much a book that brings something new to the table and one that was refreshingly different, but good different.

One of the things that marks this out was that it is written entirely from the hero's POV. I've only read a couple of other contemporary romances that have used this process and one of my dislikes was how arrogant and 'cardboard' the male MC felt. That was very much NOT my experience in Falling Home. Brian felt so very human in his normally and confusion. There was no arrogance, only a genuinely nice man who was willing to fight for his love.

Olivia was more difficult to get a feel for, though overall I really liked her. I have to say that at one point I *almost* wondered why Brian bothered with her. Olivia almost seemed determined to continually sabotage and run away from him. However this needs to be balance with her just having left a toxic relationship. I do think I'd have felt even more sympathy for her if I'd heard her 'voice', but then I also loved the flow we got from just experiencing Brian's.

There are a handful of steamy scenes, though neither too graphic nor crude. Unless you strenuously object to any love scenes in a book then there really isn't anything in this to offend, other than the odd minor swear word. I'd happily recommend it to those that enjoy a captivating and well written contemporary romance. It is a story that draws you in and holds you, that combines simplicity and complexity so that you simply don't want to put the book down. Brian and Livia's story really is quite wonderful and special.

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Synopsis

Brian had everything. A successful career, a loving family, and a beautiful fiancée. The perfect life. That is, until he learned of the ultimate betrayal by a man he considered a second father, a man to whom he owed much of his professional success.

Still reeling from a broken engagement and disillusioned with relationships, crossing paths with Olivia Burke stirs up memories he had long ago put away. As questions about his personal quest for justice overwhelm him, so do thoughts of Olivia - the girl who once was his kindred spirit, his entire world. 

Their unexpected re-encounter triggers old feelings and sends his life into a tailspin. Facing his own vulnerabilities is only the beginning. The uphill battle to regain her trust, when she's suffered her own share of heartbreak, is the challenge that follows.

But it's been ten years. Will they get one last chance to make things right? Or will Brian learn that sometimes justice comes at too high a price?

AMAZON - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CW1TFFM

*2nd edition. First published as Free Falling. This edition contains editorial revisions.*

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING:

"Full of heartache, angst and emotion. Few spots through the story I was laughing out loud, others I was fighting tears. Basically you get all the feels. Beautiful story, fantastic characters, and phenomenal writing."

"I absolutely loved it. The twists and turns, myriad of emotions, phenomenal character development--real-life situations. It was hard to put it down."

"Not your average romance story. It goes beyond the boundaries of the genre, exploring and offering a true insight into the complexities of human relationships."

"Brian and Olivia are crazy....and crazy in love! Told from Brian's point of view, which I loved, you see this couple fight, fall and figure out they are meant to be."

"This story is extremely well written and the characters are so realistic that you can see your life or someone you know in each and every page."

EDITORIAL REVIEWS:

"Funny, romantic, sexy, infuriating, wonderful." Dandelions Inspired Book Blog

"A storyline that intrigued me, touched my heart and irritated the hell out of me, made me laugh out loudand cheer for the lead couple to make it!" Cajun Spice Book Blog

​"Engaging and authentic. Ana Simons keeps both her readers and her characters on edge as to what will happen next." Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

"Ana's ability to convey strong emotions and vivid imagery through her writing is absolutely captivating. This book is filled to the brim with humor and heart. A winning combination." Ysa Arcangel, author of the Moments to Remember series

"A very emotional, compelling, and strikingly visual novel." May Freighter, author of Russian Roulette

"What I love about the novel is not only the fresh POV (...) but the unexpected emotional ups and downs experienced by the reader." Kate Smith, author of the Hamilton Series

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Ratings

5 stars - This is a book I will not forget and would definitely read again.

4 stars - I really enjoyed this book, I might not read it again but I would definitely recommend it to others.

3 stars - This story was good but either forgettable or just very typical of its genre.

2 stars - Whilst the book was readable I either didn't enjoy parts of the plot or just could not connect to the main characters.

1 star - This is a book I simply could not finish for reasons listed in the review.