Tuesday, October 23, 2018

Review: Fall by Kristen Callihan

1:19:00 PM  , , ,  No comments


Neither of us believes in love or forever. Yet we’re quickly becoming each other’s addiction. But we could be more. We could be everything.
All we have to do is trust enough to fall.


Synopsis

The first time I met Jax Blackwood things went a little sideways.

In my defense, I didn’t know he was Jax Blackwood—who expects a legendary rock star to be shopping for groceries? More importantly, a blizzard was coming and he was about to grab the last carton of mint-chocolate chip.

Still, I might have walked away, but then he smugly dared me to try and take the coveted ice cream. So I kissed him. And distracted that mint-chip right out of his hands.

Okay, it was a dirty move, but desperate times and all that. Besides, I never expected he’d be my new neighbor.

An annoying neighbor who takes great pleasure in reminding me that I owe him ice cream but would happily accept more kisses as payment. An irresistible neighbor who keeps me up while playing guitar naked–spectacularly naked–in his living room.

Clearly, avoidance is key. Except nothing about Jax is easy to ignore—not the way he makes me laugh, or that his particular brand of darkness matches mine, or how one look from him melts me faster than butter under a hot sun.

Neither of us believes in love or forever. Yet we’re quickly becoming each other’s addiction. But we could be more. We could be everything.

All we have to do is trust enough to fall.





Purchase:
Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/2A4Y1DQ

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Kristen Callihan is an author because there is nothing else she’d rather be. She is a three-time RITA nominee and winner of two RT Reviewer’s Choice awards. Her novels have garnered starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly and the Library Journal, as well as being awarded top picks by many reviewers. Her debut book FIRELIGHT received RT Magazine’s Seal of Excellence, was named a best book of the year by Library Journal, best book of Spring 2012 by Publisher’s Weekly, and was named the best romance book of 2012 by ALA RUSA. When she is not writing, she is reading.


Fall (VIP, #3)Fall by Kristen Callihan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Series: VIP #3
Release date: October 23, 2018
Cliffhanger: No
Rating: 4.5 stars



    I want to pull her into me and hide her away from the world, from anything that could ever hurt her. But I know that won’t work. We can’t protect the ones we love; we can only let them know we’ll be there to pick them up when they fall.

The anticipation for this book started probably at book one of this series, and it grew to massive levels since then. I have a weakness for the tortured hero, and boy does Jax fit that bill. With the build up of expectations, this could have easily gone pretty badly, but once again, Callihan has managed to meet every hope I had for the character. With some very heavy themes of depression and suicide, the story manages to avoid falling into a dark hole of unbearable angst. It doesn't deviate from the humor she's known for. The topics are handled and explored with sensitivity, while maintaining the light banter and snark in between. It's a well-balanced tone that made this pretty lengthy page count feel effortless to read. I breezed through it in less than 24 hours, and never felt a moment of boredom.

Fall starts you off with Stella's hilariously snarky inner dialogue, and segues you into a very entertaining showdown with Jax over "The Mint Chip" ice cream. It was a true Dirty Harry moment, with Stella going squinty eyed and pretty much daring him to make her day. When it's late at night, a blizzard is coming, and you're trying to stock up on sugary necessities, you don't act so ungallantly. Okay, he may have reached the carton first. Details, schmetails. (I'm making that a word, hush) This becomes a bit of an inside joke between them for the rest of the book, with both of them accusing the other of being the unrepentant thief. Jax and Stella's playful teasing created the most provocative energy that sizzled off of the pages. They start out as sort of frenemies, and evolve into a tentative friendship until they're ready to put their shaky trust to the test.

    Why does this feel so good? Just this. I need to find a way to hold onto this feeling, to keep it safe. I have no idea how to do that. It feels essential that I learn.

Both Jax and Stella are cautious for their own reasons. Jax's state of mind is the furthest away from contemplating a relationship it could be. Still coming to terms with the ramifications of how his suicide attempt affected his own life, as well as the rest of the band, he's also firm on being celibate for a good while. Stella has abandonment and trust issues from her sociopathic father. (Side note: be prepared to hate this guy, because he's nothing but human filth.) Neither of them are prepared for getting hit with such an overwhelming attraction. So they take things slowly, until they feel comfortable enough to give the promise of what they could be a chance. To take a risk on falling. I'm so glad that Callihan decided to have them enter into this cautiously, because anything less would have been insensitive to Jax's current mental health. They had that time to get to know one another, faults and all, instead of their lust driving the relationship forward. Which made me believe in the rightness of the two of them even more.

    She is fresh and new, comfortable and timeless, like one of my best songs, played an entirely different way.

Jax never tries to hide his low self-esteem, his battle with depression, or any of the mistakes he's made. He mans up to every one of them, and lays everything out on the table for inspection. He's forgetful, impulsive, puts his foot in his mouth regularly, and sometimes it's a struggle to forgive himself for the pain he put his best friends through. Stella accepts every piece of him, and I think appreciates his transparency the most. She never has to wonder where she's at with him.

Even though Stella is a pretty confident woman, she does see herself as being "average" and unremarkable. She doesn't quite get why a famous guy who can get anyone he wants at the crook of a finger would choose her. Not at any point does she allow that insecurity to let Jax get away with anything, which is one reason why I fell in love with her. Her life experiences could have led her to be a doormat in order to try to hold onto Jax and please him. She's strong when she needs to be, and doesn't fall into that trap. She's also such a sensitive and caring person in spite of the extreme hardships she's had to endure. Instead of becoming bitter or cold, it only makes her more determined to succeed. Her sunny personality and optimism was like a beacon of light as he fought his way out of the darkness. She showed him a new way to look at the world and his own situation, and he gave that back to her in return.

Inevitably, something happens to spook Jax, though I can't say that it was unexpected. It wasn't a matter of IF, but WHEN he would shatter the peace they found together. And shatter it, he did. Spectacularly. It didn't feel like unnecessary drama, because it was a realistic reaction to the fears he was trying to overcome. It wasn't dragged out too long, and I didn't have an issue forgiving him.

What more can I say about this story? It has all of the usual key selling points: witty dialogue that makes you laugh out loud, nuclear heat created by sexual tension, and secondary characters that you equally love to spend more time with. And can I just say, KC is an evil genius when it comes to rousing your curiosity for the next couple. Every time she teases what's to come, you're left intrigued and impatient for more. Fall was an excellent addition to the series. If you loved the others, you will definitely not be disappointed.

    He’s looking up at me, and I feel like candy. That’s what John does to me, turns plain and practical Stella Grey into something rich and decadent. I’m no longer wholly myself, but somehow entirely his.


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