Series: Falling #1
Also in this series: In your Dreams
Published by Smashwords on August 29, 2014
Pages: 281
Genres: College, Romance
Review Copy Provided By: Author
First, I had to remember how to breathe. Then, I had to learn how to survive. Two years, three months and sixteen days had passed since I was the Rowe Stanton from before, since tragedy stole my youth and my heart went along with it.
When I left for college, I put a thousand miles between my future and my past. I’d made a choice—I was going to cross back to the other side, to live with the living. I just didn’t know how.
And then I met Nate Preeter.
An All-American baseball player, Nate wasn’t supposed to notice a ghost-of-a-girl like me. But he did. He shouldn’t want to know my name. But he did. And when he learned my secret and saw the scars it left behind, he was supposed to run. But he didn’t.
My heart was dead, and I was never supposed to belong to anyone. But Nate Preeter had me feeling, and he made me want to be his. He showed me everything I was missing.
And then he showed me how to fall.
I was provided a review copy; this did not influence my opinion of the book.
This first installment was about Rowe and Nate.
For the last two years, Rowe had been home-schooled as a result of a violent, tragic incident. She has also been totally socially isolated. Having spent those years in a self-imposed bubble, she hadn’t had a boyfriend, hadn’t gone to prom and was out of practice with social interactions. Nearly acing her SAT’s she was awarded scholarships that give her many choices of colleges from which to choose. While she wanted to stay close to the safety of her parents and home, her parents want her to go away to college where she can have the “normal college experience”. Thinking she will call their bluff, she chooses McConnell college, in Oklahoma, a thousand miles away from her hometown in Arizona. But the opposite happens and her parents are thrilled and ready for this next stage in her life. Rowe is not so ready, she wants to be, but she’s afraid.
‘It’s like I’m caught in an internal tug-of-war with myself-my heart begging to beat from thrill, but caged with fear..”
Moving into her dorm she discovers she has roommates-twins, Paige, who reminds me of one of the “Mean Girls, and her sister Cassidy “Cass” who is genuinely sweet and inviting.
“Somehow, I may have done the impossible. Somehow, I proved myself wrong. Somehow…I made a friend.”
I loved how the story was slow building. Giving us hints and glimpses of her past. Letting us know there was a tragedy, but not coming right out and telling us. Instead, we are guided through the story and through her pain.
‘Two years ago, I was doomed to never fit in again like a wounded superhero tattooed by kryptonite.”
Nate Preeter, is a catcher on the baseball team (this earned him instant points in my book since my son is also a baseball catcher). Part of the reason he agreed to play at McConnell was because his brother, Ty – who is wheel-chair bound, was going to get his MBA there and they wanted to room together.
Nate literally runs into Rowe in the hallway outside of the showers. (Their rooms are on the same floor.) What develops is instant flirtation-friendship-attraction. She’s scared to death of getting close to anyone, let alone relationships. He is extremely attracted to her and wants to know more. Their witty banter and constant challenging of one another makes for some fun reading. But all the while, a relationship is growing, love is building. Something worth fighting for is being made.
‘Yes, friends help you heal. But Nate is stronger than that. And he’s bringing back pieces of me that I thought were dead for good.’
This book is written in alternating POV and I think some of the best lines/quotes are from Nates.
“You are the first thing I think about in the morning and the last thing I think about at night. You are the face in all of my dreams and the smile I see when I close my eyes.
“…and you were falling for me. And Rowe, I just didn’t want to stop that. I told you I’m selfish. I wanted you to fall. And I wanted to catch you.”
Book Two: You and Everything After Ty’s, story. Coming soon.
this sounds so sweet! Adding this =)
I actually read this last year, and today when preparing to post for her latest book, I noticed this review was not on the blog. Not sure what happened with that!
I really enjoyed it and need to continue this series!!