This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
Reviewed by Susan Lobban
Stephen was a son, husband and father and his untimely death fractured his family’s life forever. Honor is desperate to hold onto the precious memories of her son and her home feels empty without him. Jo married the wrong man in an attempt to provide a family for her daughter once again, now she is left as a single mother to two toddlers and a difficult teenager. Lydia is struggling and has never felt her dad’s absence more and she knows that he would have had the perfect words of encouragement.
The women may be part of the same family but they could not be further apart. When unexpected circumstances bring them together under the one roof it is a chance for them to be there for each other. But at the end of each day they close their bedroom doors and suffer their inner turmoil alone.
One minute Honor is sorting laundry and the next she is falling down the stairs. As she falls she cries out the name Stephen. Then we go on to meet Jo and Lydia and the realisation is that they are all from the same family. But who is Stephen? Bit by bit we find out that he was an integral part of their lives and although no longer around is never far from their thoughts. The last thing any of the women want is to spend any time together but after her fall Honor has no other option than to grudgingly accept her former daughter-in-law’s offer of help. Turfed out of her bedroom as a result, Lydia is certainly not enamoured with either her mother or grandmother.
I really enjoyed this book, especially as there is more than meets the eye with each of the female protagonists. As much as I admired each of the women I think Jo was my favourite as she was so eager to be all things to everyone and more often fell short. I felt sorry for her and took great pleasure in seeing her grow as the story unfolded and hoped throughout that Lydia and Honor would finally become aware how lucky they were to have her in their lives. Jo was a bright light which the other two did their very best to dim.
The title Falling sets the perfect poignant tone for the story ahead. This book is a cleverly written story, where just as you think it's one thing, it becomes something very different. I thought I knew which way it was headed but then it managed to surprise. Julie Cohen has created characters who at first seem poles apart – but the reader is able to spot just how similar each are long before the characters themselves realise.
8/10
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