Gemma Thornton, has a painful and traumatic past she's been trying to heal from for years. When her father gets into an accident, Gemma is forced to return to the small town where running from the pain is impossible.
Paxton Sullivan, the black sheep of his family, has never been a stranger to family conflict, but when the girl who had once captivated him, whom he once shared an intense, yet brief connection with, the girl who has always been off-limits because of her connection to his family and her alligations against his brother, returns to town, Paxton finds himself once again struggling with the conflicting emotions of the connection he's always felt for her, and his loyalty to his family.
When obligation and a promise to a close friend forces Gemma and Paxton to temporarily live under the same roof, they both find themselves wondering if their reservations about being with each other are legitimate and worth fighting such a strong attraction and connection.
New information comes to light, setting into motion events that stand to change both their lives forever... if they are willing to take a chance on one another.
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Review:
I really enjoyed "Falling Hard", it captured my attention and held it from beginning to end. The plot was original and not something I can remember ever reading before. There are a lot of twists and turns to keep you interested and just enough drama to truly have you feeling for the characters. The character development was great and I honestly felt emotionally invested in both of the protagonists.
I really loved how gentle and caring Paxton was with Gemma, it endeared me to him in a way that was a bit surprising, because it can sometimes be hard to portray a male character as being both strong and protective, yet also kind, caring, gentle, thoughtful, and considerate at the same time. IF a man like Paxton existed in the world, the woman who got him would be one heck of a lucky woman.
I appreciated how the author delved so deeply into the mental and emotional conflicts that someone who suffers from Gemma's past would have. The self-doubt, guilt, and even self-blame that survivors feel is hard for someone who hasn't experienced it to relate to, but the author did an excellent job at portraying it.
**SPOILER AHEAD** The one thing that I didn't like, was the confrontation scene. It seemed a bit unrealistic to me, because no one there had any proof of their alligations, and if something like this were to take place, Blake would have had a very good case of defamation of character against everyone involved. Plus considering the statute of limitations had expired, no news reporter in the world would have gone anywhere near writing about or reporting about Gemma's alligations. The part about Tracy, well, that was really far-fetched to me. I can't see someone being with, or staying with someone whom they felt had raped them. Plus the dynamic of their relationship would probably look a lot different. If a man raped a woman and then ended up married to her, he would probably feel dominance over her, and she would have probably felt controlled by him, yet in the novel, it was the opposite. **END SPOILER**
Having volunteered for years with programs for people with special needs, I appreciated the author bringing to light the fact that people with special needs can and often do live full and fulfilling lives. They are just as capable as us, they just have to fight harder and sometimes find other ways in which to achieve their goals. They are true warriors, they show bravery on a daily bases that I envy. If ever you are in need of humility, spend the day with someone who has special needs, the problems in your life that seem so important and life changing will seem trivial and petty within an hour.
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Rating (based on a 5 star rating system):
* * * *
Would I recommend this book to others?:
Absolutely.
Would I read others in the series?:
Probably not. I don't feel a connection to any other characters, nor do I have enough interest in any of them, to honestly care about their stories. But if the synopsis sounded good, maybe.
** NOTE: This Novel is part of a series, but it is a standalone novel. You do not need to purchase or read others in the series to get a HEA, however, if you feel moved to do so, I'm sure the author would appreciate the support **
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