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3.23 AVERAGE
3.23 AVERAGE
If I Fall is a heart-wrenching, realistic story of four friends who realize life doesn’t always turn out the way you expect. Torn apart by secrets and internal struggles, who will catch them when they all hit rock bottom?
If I Fall opens with four college students—JJ, Layla, Jonas, and Connie—dreaming about their future. They have it all figured out, as college students do. JJ will become a fitness instructor, Layla will be a psychiatrist, Connie will be a journalist, and Jonas will become an attorney. And, of course, they’ll all live happily ever after.
Flash forward fifteen years, and life hasn’t turned out exactly how they planned. Despite still being good friends, they’re all keeping secrets from each other, and these secrets are threatening to weigh them down. Jonas is bucking for a partner position, and in the meantime, he’s starting to bow under the stress of his job and his resentment towards his boss is growing to unhealthy heights. JJ has become a womanizer, alone and seeking the love he lost in college. Layla’s convinced her mother has dementia, but she’s afraid to get her diagnosed, because for now, she can live in denial, but once it’s official, the problem becomes all too real. Connie is a stay-at-home mother running a blog and trying her best to support her husband, Jonas.
Everything comes to a head as their worlds fall apart, and though they swore to be there for each other, they’re all hiding a secret that has the potential to destroy their worlds. A dark presence from JJ’s past, one he’s refused to tell anyone about, has come to call. Layla realizes she can’t care for her mother and have a life of her own. Jonas begins to resent all the pressure he’s under and goes on a self-destructive bent. And Connie is realizing that maybe her marriage is beyond saving.
All four find themselves falling, hitting rock bottom, and in their most desperate moments, they contemplate the truth about life and whether it’s even worth living.
The Good:
- Ella Harper creates fabulous, relatable characters. As the book is character-driven, this is important. They ranged the emotional gambit, and every one of them felt realistic and fleshed-out. More importantly, I cared about them, because their situations were ones that people I’ve known have faced, and the way they approached them felt genuine and authentic.
- There’s a very strong theme of falling and having someone to catch you that carried throughout the book, and that was really well done. It was thought-provoking and, at times, gut-wrenching. By the end, it was clear what a devastating effect secrets can have, even when they’re well-intended. Sometimes soldiering on isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
- I couldn’t put it down. I went without sleep to finish this book, because by midway through, I was fully invested. I could see things spiraling, and of course I wanted a happy ending, and darn it, I was going to see it through at that point.
- If I Fall touches on a lot of very painful life events, but it doesn’t go easy on it. It shows the struggles for what they are, all the messy, brutalness of it. At the same time, there are plenty of funny moments. It’s not all doom and gloom. At the heart of the characters, like people, they want to be happy and lead good lives, regardless of the circumstances they find themselves in.
The Bad:
- The book opens with a prologue. It’s intentionally kept mysterious, but there’s no indication of how it fits in with the story. Names are intentionally not used. It’s not mentioned or brought up again until almost 90% of the way through the book. I didn’t even know where it sat in the timeline. I found that extremely frustrating. It all made sense and tied up nicely in the end, of course, but I found the lead-in with that more of a detriment than anything.
- At some points, especially towards the middle of the book, the struggles became repetitive. It was a will she/won’t she situation, especially with Connie, to the point where I just wanted to shake her and tell her to make a decision and move on with it. This is a double-edged sword, because it’s realistic, and the way the character approached her struggles was realistic, but at the same time, it was annoying to read.
- Jonas. Just everything about his character by mid-story was ugh. I guess you can’t like everyone in life, so this is also a double-edged sword. The character is realistic. But that doesn’t make him likeable. But since he’s a point of view character, it makes it hard getting through his chapters when you just can’t stand the guy.
- The end wrapped up far too quickly and too neatly. I don’t want to give any spoilers away, but I will say that it felt extremely rushed. The end end was fine, and I was content with the actual ending, but the denouement left much to be desired. I’ll just leave it at that.
All in all, I’d give it a solid four stars. It starts a little slow, which is to be expected for a character-driven novel, as you get used to the characters and start to get attached. But as I said, I couldn’t put it down once it built up. The struggle was so realistic, and I easily empathized with them all. In the end, the themes are things we all face: how do we cope when life doesn’t turn out the way we had expected, and who will pull us up when we hit rock bottom? If I Fall would definitely make my 2018 must-read list.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
If I Fall opens with four college students—JJ, Layla, Jonas, and Connie—dreaming about their future. They have it all figured out, as college students do. JJ will become a fitness instructor, Layla will be a psychiatrist, Connie will be a journalist, and Jonas will become an attorney. And, of course, they’ll all live happily ever after.
Flash forward fifteen years, and life hasn’t turned out exactly how they planned. Despite still being good friends, they’re all keeping secrets from each other, and these secrets are threatening to weigh them down. Jonas is bucking for a partner position, and in the meantime, he’s starting to bow under the stress of his job and his resentment towards his boss is growing to unhealthy heights. JJ has become a womanizer, alone and seeking the love he lost in college. Layla’s convinced her mother has dementia, but she’s afraid to get her diagnosed, because for now, she can live in denial, but once it’s official, the problem becomes all too real. Connie is a stay-at-home mother running a blog and trying her best to support her husband, Jonas.
Everything comes to a head as their worlds fall apart, and though they swore to be there for each other, they’re all hiding a secret that has the potential to destroy their worlds. A dark presence from JJ’s past, one he’s refused to tell anyone about, has come to call. Layla realizes she can’t care for her mother and have a life of her own. Jonas begins to resent all the pressure he’s under and goes on a self-destructive bent. And Connie is realizing that maybe her marriage is beyond saving.
All four find themselves falling, hitting rock bottom, and in their most desperate moments, they contemplate the truth about life and whether it’s even worth living.
The Good:
- Ella Harper creates fabulous, relatable characters. As the book is character-driven, this is important. They ranged the emotional gambit, and every one of them felt realistic and fleshed-out. More importantly, I cared about them, because their situations were ones that people I’ve known have faced, and the way they approached them felt genuine and authentic.
- There’s a very strong theme of falling and having someone to catch you that carried throughout the book, and that was really well done. It was thought-provoking and, at times, gut-wrenching. By the end, it was clear what a devastating effect secrets can have, even when they’re well-intended. Sometimes soldiering on isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
- I couldn’t put it down. I went without sleep to finish this book, because by midway through, I was fully invested. I could see things spiraling, and of course I wanted a happy ending, and darn it, I was going to see it through at that point.
- If I Fall touches on a lot of very painful life events, but it doesn’t go easy on it. It shows the struggles for what they are, all the messy, brutalness of it. At the same time, there are plenty of funny moments. It’s not all doom and gloom. At the heart of the characters, like people, they want to be happy and lead good lives, regardless of the circumstances they find themselves in.
The Bad:
- The book opens with a prologue. It’s intentionally kept mysterious, but there’s no indication of how it fits in with the story. Names are intentionally not used. It’s not mentioned or brought up again until almost 90% of the way through the book. I didn’t even know where it sat in the timeline. I found that extremely frustrating. It all made sense and tied up nicely in the end, of course, but I found the lead-in with that more of a detriment than anything.
- At some points, especially towards the middle of the book, the struggles became repetitive. It was a will she/won’t she situation, especially with Connie, to the point where I just wanted to shake her and tell her to make a decision and move on with it. This is a double-edged sword, because it’s realistic, and the way the character approached her struggles was realistic, but at the same time, it was annoying to read.
- Jonas. Just everything about his character by mid-story was ugh. I guess you can’t like everyone in life, so this is also a double-edged sword. The character is realistic. But that doesn’t make him likeable. But since he’s a point of view character, it makes it hard getting through his chapters when you just can’t stand the guy.
- The end wrapped up far too quickly and too neatly. I don’t want to give any spoilers away, but I will say that it felt extremely rushed. The end end was fine, and I was content with the actual ending, but the denouement left much to be desired. I’ll just leave it at that.
All in all, I’d give it a solid four stars. It starts a little slow, which is to be expected for a character-driven novel, as you get used to the characters and start to get attached. But as I said, I couldn’t put it down once it built up. The struggle was so realistic, and I easily empathized with them all. In the end, the themes are things we all face: how do we cope when life doesn’t turn out the way we had expected, and who will pull us up when we hit rock bottom? If I Fall would definitely make my 2018 must-read list.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I finished this book a couple of days ago and didn't write the review straight away, and when I came to write it I had to flick back through the book to refresh my memory - that pretty much sums the impact that 'If I Fall' had on me!
The book starts off with several characters, which took me several chapters to get my head round. I'd much rather the characters are introduced more gradually to allow you time to work out what on earth is going on, rather than having to refresh the plot every time you pick up the book to read a new chapter.
On the whole I think this is supposed to be a heart-warming book about friendships and relationships, showing that although we all experience the trials and tribulations of everyday life, at the end of the day there is always someone to catch us as we fall. All very sickeningly sweet, but unfortunately I don't think the idea was executed very well. The plot was dull, and I didn't feel truly invested in any of the characters, with none of them particularly likable. Each of the characters has their own issues and obstacles in finding their happiness, and it was cleverly told in terms of the way the characters' stories all linked together. However, the ending was very rushed and it felt like the author had a word limit, found they were quickly approaching it, and then attempted to tie up all of the loose ends.
The writing was of a high quality, but the plot was not executed as well as I'd hoped.
Thanks to NetGalley for this copy.
The book starts off with several characters, which took me several chapters to get my head round. I'd much rather the characters are introduced more gradually to allow you time to work out what on earth is going on, rather than having to refresh the plot every time you pick up the book to read a new chapter.
On the whole I think this is supposed to be a heart-warming book about friendships and relationships, showing that although we all experience the trials and tribulations of everyday life, at the end of the day there is always someone to catch us as we fall. All very sickeningly sweet, but unfortunately I don't think the idea was executed very well. The plot was dull, and I didn't feel truly invested in any of the characters, with none of them particularly likable. Each of the characters has their own issues and obstacles in finding their happiness, and it was cleverly told in terms of the way the characters' stories all linked together. However, the ending was very rushed and it felt like the author had a word limit, found they were quickly approaching it, and then attempted to tie up all of the loose ends.
The writing was of a high quality, but the plot was not executed as well as I'd hoped.
Thanks to NetGalley for this copy.
A book that starts with a suicide note is always going to grab your attention, and If I Fall is no different.
4 friends, 4 interlocking lives. Connie, Jonas, JJ and Layla were best friends at University. JJ and Connie were an item, but after an abrupt ending to their romantic relationship, they both moved on and Jonas, who had always had a thing for Connie, got his girl. Fast forward 15 years or so and the four are still in touch. Connie & Jonas are married with two daughters. Layla has become a psychotherapist and is dealing with her aged Mum who is exhibiting signs of early-onset dementia, and JJ is a good-time-guy, a healthy living personal trainer who quite often likes to take his work home with him…especially if they leave without a fuss in the morning.
Through the different narratives, we learn about these four very different people and the web of deceit that is woven through their lives. It shows how the irrepressible confidence and ambition of youth can slowly dissipate without anyone really noticing. One day you have the world at your feet, the next you're wondering where the time went. They've all got their problems which are growing by the day, and we are left to wonder which one of them it is that is going to fall, and when they do, if anyone will catch them.
In 'If I fall' Ella Harper has concocted a really interesting set of characters with intricate and difficult relationships with each other and the outside world. You build a relationship with each of the characters, although some are easier to like than others. The futility of lying to yourself is exposed - it never lasts forever. Added to the detailed character building, there are a couple of jaw dropping and raw moments which are always good to come across unexpectedly. The narrative flow felt a little stilted at times when switching back and forth between characters but that's often the case with multiple viewpoints and it didn't stop me easily following what was going on.
I really enjoyed getting to know Connie, Jonas, JJ and Layla and I think that fans of Lianne Moriarty & Amanda Prowse will really enjoy this book.
*thankyou to Netgalley, the Author & the Publisher for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
4 friends, 4 interlocking lives. Connie, Jonas, JJ and Layla were best friends at University. JJ and Connie were an item, but after an abrupt ending to their romantic relationship, they both moved on and Jonas, who had always had a thing for Connie, got his girl. Fast forward 15 years or so and the four are still in touch. Connie & Jonas are married with two daughters. Layla has become a psychotherapist and is dealing with her aged Mum who is exhibiting signs of early-onset dementia, and JJ is a good-time-guy, a healthy living personal trainer who quite often likes to take his work home with him…especially if they leave without a fuss in the morning.
Through the different narratives, we learn about these four very different people and the web of deceit that is woven through their lives. It shows how the irrepressible confidence and ambition of youth can slowly dissipate without anyone really noticing. One day you have the world at your feet, the next you're wondering where the time went. They've all got their problems which are growing by the day, and we are left to wonder which one of them it is that is going to fall, and when they do, if anyone will catch them.
In 'If I fall' Ella Harper has concocted a really interesting set of characters with intricate and difficult relationships with each other and the outside world. You build a relationship with each of the characters, although some are easier to like than others. The futility of lying to yourself is exposed - it never lasts forever. Added to the detailed character building, there are a couple of jaw dropping and raw moments which are always good to come across unexpectedly. The narrative flow felt a little stilted at times when switching back and forth between characters but that's often the case with multiple viewpoints and it didn't stop me easily following what was going on.
I really enjoyed getting to know Connie, Jonas, JJ and Layla and I think that fans of Lianne Moriarty & Amanda Prowse will really enjoy this book.
*thankyou to Netgalley, the Author & the Publisher for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
In Ella Harper’s new novel If I Fall we are presented with four characters and we are asked t look at how much they have changed over 15 years. Obviously that change is going to be massive. Are you the same person you were fifteen years ago? Presumably not. Like our four main characters – JJ, Connie, Jonas and Layla – chances are you have grown up. Your goals, ambitions, worries and lifestyles have changed. What is interesting about If I Fall is that the friendship that this group of people are clinging on to is built on lies and deceit.
Modern day problems have taken over their lives and the carefree nature of their youth has gone. It is addictive watching the lives unfold and I often found myself telling the characters not to make the wrong decisions which they inevitably did.
Ella Harper has written a winning story that will keep you glued to your book until the very last page. It is full of intrigue and drama and If I Fall definitely deserves a place on your to be read pile. Put it there now!
If I Fall by Ella Harper is available now.
For more information regarding Ella Harper (@Ella_Harper) please visit www.ellaharper.co.uk.
For more information regarding Canelo (@Canelo_co) please visit www.canelo.co.
Modern day problems have taken over their lives and the carefree nature of their youth has gone. It is addictive watching the lives unfold and I often found myself telling the characters not to make the wrong decisions which they inevitably did.
Ella Harper has written a winning story that will keep you glued to your book until the very last page. It is full of intrigue and drama and If I Fall definitely deserves a place on your to be read pile. Put it there now!
If I Fall by Ella Harper is available now.
For more information regarding Ella Harper (@Ella_Harper) please visit www.ellaharper.co.uk.
For more information regarding Canelo (@Canelo_co) please visit www.canelo.co.
Thank you to NetGalley, and the lovely people over at Canelo for my copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review. Also, thank you for letting me take part on the blog tour.
All of the issues in this book are real issues. Very real issues. Suicide is a horrible subject at any time, but to write about things leading to that point is just… Well, it’s made me very grateful that I have a good man, a beautiful son, incredible friends, and sometimes an incredible family. For somebody to be at that point is an awful thing to think of, and this book has made it even more real. The emotion, the feelings of nothing, the thought that the only way for it all to end is to do that. This book has definitely hit some close points, and I love it for that reason. Although at the beginning of the book, we do not know who is in that situation, it keeps you guessing or thinking of who gets to such a low point in their story.
While it kept me guessing, then double guessing, constantly through out the whole book, I found myself unfortunately hoping that it would soon end. It did keep me hooked yes, but it did also ramble a bit and it made me out down the book more than once. Trying to guess who’s life takes such a dramatic, unexpected turn was a difficult thing to do in this book. I can safely say it wasn’t who I finally settled on.
I, strangely, enjoyed seeing how each of the friends would ever overcome their drama, or if they ever did. I did wish there was more happiness from them, but in a way they all got it at the end of the book. Each friend definitely worked through their problems, making their lives a little easier. I found it difficult to read that much sadness, the worry, the never-ending depressed feeling, but we got their in the end.
The worst character for me was definitely Jonas. He was a dick, excuse my language. Everything about him was instantly dislikeable. I know you get people like that in real life, and I’m glad I do not know anyone like. I had the most sympathy probably for Layla. She felt like she had no one to turn to, that she had no life, and no prospects of a life. Connie was also another character I had sympathy for, her position was awful. Very awful, and one what will constantly be hidden behind closed doors unfortunately. JJ was the most intriguing for me, I would say his secret was the most hidden and the most difficult to attempt to guess. I had an inkling of what it could be but it didn’t make it any less horrific.
The writing in this book instantly gripped me, and I did love the story. The way it dug it’s claws in and refused to let go until the end page worked perfectly for this book. I’m definitely glad I read it, as I said at the beginning it has made me feel eternally grateful for everything I have in my life.
I cannot put a rating on this book. One minute I’m thinking a 3, the next 5. It has troubled me, but it has also been an excellent read. So, this book stays at a 3 for one day, then another it will be a 5.
All of the issues in this book are real issues. Very real issues. Suicide is a horrible subject at any time, but to write about things leading to that point is just… Well, it’s made me very grateful that I have a good man, a beautiful son, incredible friends, and sometimes an incredible family. For somebody to be at that point is an awful thing to think of, and this book has made it even more real. The emotion, the feelings of nothing, the thought that the only way for it all to end is to do that. This book has definitely hit some close points, and I love it for that reason. Although at the beginning of the book, we do not know who is in that situation, it keeps you guessing or thinking of who gets to such a low point in their story.
While it kept me guessing, then double guessing, constantly through out the whole book, I found myself unfortunately hoping that it would soon end. It did keep me hooked yes, but it did also ramble a bit and it made me out down the book more than once. Trying to guess who’s life takes such a dramatic, unexpected turn was a difficult thing to do in this book. I can safely say it wasn’t who I finally settled on.
I, strangely, enjoyed seeing how each of the friends would ever overcome their drama, or if they ever did. I did wish there was more happiness from them, but in a way they all got it at the end of the book. Each friend definitely worked through their problems, making their lives a little easier. I found it difficult to read that much sadness, the worry, the never-ending depressed feeling, but we got their in the end.
The worst character for me was definitely Jonas. He was a dick, excuse my language. Everything about him was instantly dislikeable. I know you get people like that in real life, and I’m glad I do not know anyone like. I had the most sympathy probably for Layla. She felt like she had no one to turn to, that she had no life, and no prospects of a life. Connie was also another character I had sympathy for, her position was awful. Very awful, and one what will constantly be hidden behind closed doors unfortunately. JJ was the most intriguing for me, I would say his secret was the most hidden and the most difficult to attempt to guess. I had an inkling of what it could be but it didn’t make it any less horrific.
The writing in this book instantly gripped me, and I did love the story. The way it dug it’s claws in and refused to let go until the end page worked perfectly for this book. I’m definitely glad I read it, as I said at the beginning it has made me feel eternally grateful for everything I have in my life.
I cannot put a rating on this book. One minute I’m thinking a 3, the next 5. It has troubled me, but it has also been an excellent read. So, this book stays at a 3 for one day, then another it will be a 5.
A great story of love, friendship, drama and family. This will have you guessing from the start so be prepared to get comfortable and read this in one sitting. With so many relatable characters there's something to appeal to everyone and it truly does show the power of a lasting friendship.
For my full review please click on the following link:
https://bookwormbloggerweb.wordpress.com/2019/03/23/beat-the-backlist-book-5/
For my full review please click on the following link:
https://bookwormbloggerweb.wordpress.com/2019/03/23/beat-the-backlist-book-5/