Title: When We Fall- Author: Emily Liebert
- Genre: Women’s Fiction
- Published: September 2014 – NAL
- Source: Publisher
Synopsis: Ready for a fresh start, Allison Parker moves back to her hometown in the suburbs of New York. While she’d once savored the dynamic pace of city life, sadly, it lost its allure after her husband’s untimely death. Now, ready to focus on her art career accompanied by her ten-year-old son, Logan, Allison doesn’t anticipate that her past will resurface. When the wife of her husband’s best friend from summer camp takes her under her wing, things begin to spin out of control.
At one time, Charlotte Crane thought she had it all—a devoted husband, a beautiful little girl, and enough financial security to never have to worry. But behind her “perfect” facade lie a strained marriage and a fractured relationship with her sister. When “new girl” Allison arrives in Wincourt, Charlotte welcomes the chance to build a friendship. Before long, Charlotte begins to see her life through Allison’s eyes, and the cracks in her seemingly flawless existence become impossible to ignore.
As Allison heals from the loss of her husband—even wondering if she might be ready to date again—Charlotte feels more distant from her loved ones than ever before. The emerging friendship between the two women appears to be just the antidote both of them so desperately need…until everything falls apart. (publisher)
My take: Emily Liebert’s new novel is about the possibility of friendship – between women and women and men. It’s about forgiveness and having the courage to begin again. Overall, I enjoyed it. I certainly enjoyed how Liebert tells a story! There were times when the grown up “mean girls” got on my last nerve but that didn’t stop me from reading. I’ve heard stories about these mean school moms but I couldn’t relate.
What I liked most was Allison’s story. Her courage and sense of what is truly important in life made her stand apart from some of the women she met in Wincourt. She and Charlotte were so different from each other that I wondered if they’d be friends a year later. Charlotte wanted her husband to see that she could be friends with a quality person like Allison instead of her usual superficial friends. She was so insecure and knew she was losing her husband but couldn’t seem to stop herself from sabotaging her marriage. I also enjoyed the support characters of Elizabeth, Charlotte’s sister and Dempsey, a handsome guy from Allison’s past. They added a lot to the story.
When We Fall would be a perfect book to take on vacation. It’s a page-turner in that I didn’t want to stop reading because I had to see where things would go for Allison and Charlotte. I look forward to see what Emily Liebert writes next.
At the end of the novel there is a conversation with the author as well as discussion questions.
Bookfan 