Where We Fall by Rochelle B. Weinstein – 323 pages
ARC from author
Book Blurb:
By all accounts, Abby Holden has it all. She’s the mother of a beautiful teenager and the wife of a beloved high school football coach. And all it took to achieve her charmed life was her greatest act of betrayal.
Coach Ryan can coax his team to victory, but he can’t seem to make his wife, Abby, happy. Her struggles with depression have marred their marriage and taken a toll on their daughter, Juliana. Although this isn’t the life he’s dreamed of, he’s determined to heal the rifts in his family. Chasing waterfalls and documenting their beauty has led photographer Lauren Sheppard all around the world. Now it has brought her back home to the mountains of North Carolina—back to the scene of her devastating heartbreak. For the first time in seventeen years, a trio of once-inseparable friends find themselves confronting past loves, hurts, and the rapid rush of a current that still pulls them together.
My Review: 3.5 stars
Where We Fall is a great example of chick lit that delves into deeper and more significant storylines. I recall branding her earlier book, What We Leave Behind, as “chick lit but not”! This book reads quickly as the reader looks to uncover the betrayal that led this triangular friendship astray.
I liked that this was told from alternating character’s POVs as it gave the reader an inside look into everyone’s perspectives. For me, none of the characters were that likable (not a bad thing) as they all were stuck in betrayal mode or haunted by secrets buried. Ryan, the perfect husband and father, was too good to be true, so his character fell a little flat.
Depression plays its own character in this book and the author did a fine job at exploring this silent and debilitating disease. Its effect on her family was well played out, especially with her teenage daughter. The angst and dialogue was right on point.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. Great book for vacation or book clubs that enjoy women’s fiction.
Quotes I liked:
Remembering can tantalize and torture.”
-“It is liberating to be among intelligent women with varying degrees of craziness.”
-“One thing we all agree on is everyone has weak spots; no one is without some form of neurosis.”
-“Judging is useless.”
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