A review by jennastopreading
Lease on Love by Falon Ballard

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5


As someone who feels old and tired and cannot usually read more than 50 pages in one sitting, this one was a breath of fresh air that had me feeling like a teenager again up reading under the covers at night! I made the mistake of starting this one at 10:30 pm on a Monday and boy was that silly, because 4 hours later I was 75% finished and knew that if I didn't want to feel dead on my feet before noon on Tuesday that I had to get some rest.

From the very beginning of this story I felt sucked in. While I didn't have an immediate attachment with the main character, Sadie, I still wanted only good things for her. I found her endearing, hard working, and intriguing. As the story went on, I found her hilarious and caught myself cackling at her humor. She was someone that I ended up rooting for and would love to have in my friend group.

Speaking of friend groups? This book has one of the most charming ones of all time! Each of the side characters played such a vital role in the story, helping Sadie grow to be her best self throughout the all too common late 20's identity crisis. These are the kind of people anyone would be lucky to have in their corner, and I found myself so happy while reading about them, but also so sad that they weren't real people I could call up when I needed advice or a friend.

Friendships aside, now, let's talk about the romance. I personally found Jack to be absolutely swoony (nerdy, brooding types are my thing), but also respectful, self controlled, caring, and supportive. He was happy to let Sadie take the reins of her life while sitting in the passenger seat cheering her on, and that feeling was special and sweet. Wise beyond his years, Jack captured my heart and is a character I will think about for many months to come.

The pacing of this book felt perfect for the kind of story that it was, and had me flipping the pages quickly while also enjoying every minute. I felt so many feelings during the reading experience, and I already wish I could read it again for the first time.

Overall, a solid, solid debut from Falon Ballard, and I cannot wait to see what else she comes up with!

TW: emotional abuse, narcissism, death of a parent, grief, mention of car accident, moderate sexual content
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