Scan barcode
tobcont's review against another edition
5.0
I LOVE Alexander Cendese and Iggy Toma in this dual narration. Silas is a small town cop who doesn't want to be tied by a realtionship. Everett is not open to relstionships right now and is forced to the small town to take care of his grandfather. The two become friends and possibly more. of course there are misunderstanding and hurt feelings. After Everett is rescued from danger they realize the ybelong together.
kyliecreads's review against another edition
3.0
Cute series, a lot of small town vibes review to come
christyduke_5117's review against another edition
4.0
Welcome to O’Leary, New York, the greatest small town imaginable. In fact, it was what I imagined when I moved to a very small town only to discover the reality is not the same. This is why I shall continue to love the fictional small towns created by authors such as May Archer, and grit my teeth on a daily basis in my own small town.
Everett is an artist, a widower at the young age of twenty-nine, and a recent transplant to O’Leary. He has moved here for a year to take care of his grandpa Hen, even though they’ve never gotten along, and to teach art at the elementary school. Ev is convinced that he’s going to be teaching the offspring of backwoods troglodytes, and thus is determined to do one year and then he’s back to Boston. His first introduction to O’Leary (well, really, it’s the route to get into the town) and a citizen, or an O’Learian as they refer to themselves, isn’t the greatest. Granted, I would have been in a less than stellar mood myself had I just wrapped my car around a tree on a pitch-black two-lane winding, curving monstrosity of a road, and was stuck schlepping down the road carrying my pissed-off cat in her carrier, limping because I banged my knee in the accident, and having to use the flashlight on my phone to see anything. Then, to be accosted by a sheriff deputy and accused of being a drunk, irresponsible teenager, would have lit my temper on fire. Trust me when I say the scene is hilarious!
Silas has lived in O’Leary his whole life and even though he’s used to how it works, i.e. gossip, inaccurate facts being spread around, everyone knowing everyone’s business, etc., doesn’t mean that he has any intention of ever being the recipient of said gossip. This is why Silas is commitment-cautious and prefers to handle his hookups out of the general vicinity of O’Leary. Not that that prevents the gossip from spreading, but perhaps Si can keep it limited. Silly man, that’s been working because you haven’t cared about anyone before. And then you meet Everett – snarky, gorgeous, spitfire of a man who keeps you interested beyond the physical.
“O’Leary didn’t give a shit that I was gay, but they sure as hell cared that I was single.” ~ Silas
It was fun, exciting, a little sad but mostly hopeful, to watch these two fall in love. As a widow myself, I think the author did an outstanding job with the reality of grief, and the idea of moving forward after the loss of a loved one. I think my favorite part of this story was seeing Ev and his grandpa mend their fences along with Ev falling in love with the small town and its occupants. All the quirky people certainly helped.
Speaking of the residents… keep in mind that this book, the first in the series, can easily be read as a standalone, but afterwards it is my opinion that they should be read in order. There are way too many fabulous characters introduced in this book that I’d like to see more of. Example: Julian, veterinarian and older brother to Constantine and Theo; Daniel, the mysterious newcomer who lives out in the woods and has very strong recluse tendencies; Jamie, who is inordinately furious at his former best friend Parker who moved back to town and opened a bar/restaurant; and more. There is a mystery/suspense ongoing with disappearing people, but it doesn’t detract from the love story, and in my opinion, only makes the entire tale richer.
Thank you, May, for this introduction to O’Leary, Everett, and Silas. Although, would it have killed you to NOT mention all of the baked goods coming out of the bakery? I was salivating and cheating on my diet at every turn. Regardless, I will be jumping into the next installment because this small town is too good to miss.
Everett is an artist, a widower at the young age of twenty-nine, and a recent transplant to O’Leary. He has moved here for a year to take care of his grandpa Hen, even though they’ve never gotten along, and to teach art at the elementary school. Ev is convinced that he’s going to be teaching the offspring of backwoods troglodytes, and thus is determined to do one year and then he’s back to Boston. His first introduction to O’Leary (well, really, it’s the route to get into the town) and a citizen, or an O’Learian as they refer to themselves, isn’t the greatest. Granted, I would have been in a less than stellar mood myself had I just wrapped my car around a tree on a pitch-black two-lane winding, curving monstrosity of a road, and was stuck schlepping down the road carrying my pissed-off cat in her carrier, limping because I banged my knee in the accident, and having to use the flashlight on my phone to see anything. Then, to be accosted by a sheriff deputy and accused of being a drunk, irresponsible teenager, would have lit my temper on fire. Trust me when I say the scene is hilarious!
Silas has lived in O’Leary his whole life and even though he’s used to how it works, i.e. gossip, inaccurate facts being spread around, everyone knowing everyone’s business, etc., doesn’t mean that he has any intention of ever being the recipient of said gossip. This is why Silas is commitment-cautious and prefers to handle his hookups out of the general vicinity of O’Leary. Not that that prevents the gossip from spreading, but perhaps Si can keep it limited. Silly man, that’s been working because you haven’t cared about anyone before. And then you meet Everett – snarky, gorgeous, spitfire of a man who keeps you interested beyond the physical.
“O’Leary didn’t give a shit that I was gay, but they sure as hell cared that I was single.” ~ Silas
It was fun, exciting, a little sad but mostly hopeful, to watch these two fall in love. As a widow myself, I think the author did an outstanding job with the reality of grief, and the idea of moving forward after the loss of a loved one. I think my favorite part of this story was seeing Ev and his grandpa mend their fences along with Ev falling in love with the small town and its occupants. All the quirky people certainly helped.
Speaking of the residents… keep in mind that this book, the first in the series, can easily be read as a standalone, but afterwards it is my opinion that they should be read in order. There are way too many fabulous characters introduced in this book that I’d like to see more of. Example: Julian, veterinarian and older brother to Constantine and Theo; Daniel, the mysterious newcomer who lives out in the woods and has very strong recluse tendencies; Jamie, who is inordinately furious at his former best friend Parker who moved back to town and opened a bar/restaurant; and more. There is a mystery/suspense ongoing with disappearing people, but it doesn’t detract from the love story, and in my opinion, only makes the entire tale richer.
Thank you, May, for this introduction to O’Leary, Everett, and Silas. Although, would it have killed you to NOT mention all of the baked goods coming out of the bakery? I was salivating and cheating on my diet at every turn. Regardless, I will be jumping into the next installment because this small town is too good to miss.
pontiki's review against another edition
4.0
Everett lost his husband, and is scared he’ll forget him if he doesn’t keep all his memories inside.
Silas lost his brother years ago, and is trying to live a happy life, running from anything too serious.
When they meet, they feel a connection, but Silas’ caution about commitment and Ev’s worry about betraying his past get in their way.
As does a serial killer no one takes seriously until late in the game.
I love both these guys, and how loss and mourning are described so thoroughly well, it’s beautiful, bittersweet. Sad. The killer is a strange twist, but isn’t a big part of the story, and didn’t add much to it.
A worthwhile read.
Silas lost his brother years ago, and is trying to live a happy life, running from anything too serious.
When they meet, they feel a connection, but Silas’ caution about commitment and Ev’s worry about betraying his past get in their way.
As does a serial killer no one takes seriously until late in the game.
I love both these guys, and how loss and mourning are described so thoroughly well, it’s beautiful, bittersweet. Sad. The killer is a strange twist, but isn’t a big part of the story, and didn’t add much to it.
A worthwhile read.
hdmartin88's review against another edition
4.0
The Fall
This is the first book I’ve read from this author and I enjoyed it. I really liked the characters, and there were a lot of them. There are 2 pet peeves of mine that stopped me from loving it and giving it 5 stars. The first, 90% of the book was the couple not being a couple. They barely got together before there was an issue. We get 5% of a book of them being a couple. I find that annoying. Also annoying is the sign up for my newsletter for bonus content with the couple. I sign up for many newsletters to support authors. I refuse to sign up for newsletters this way. You should have given the content as an epilogue so I could actually believe the couple is a couple.
This is the first book I’ve read from this author and I enjoyed it. I really liked the characters, and there were a lot of them. There are 2 pet peeves of mine that stopped me from loving it and giving it 5 stars. The first, 90% of the book was the couple not being a couple. They barely got together before there was an issue. We get 5% of a book of them being a couple. I find that annoying. Also annoying is the sign up for my newsletter for bonus content with the couple. I sign up for many newsletters to support authors. I refuse to sign up for newsletters this way. You should have given the content as an epilogue so I could actually believe the couple is a couple.
natimmediato's review against another edition
4.0
This was an easy read and just what I needed after a heartbreaking book.
jjfey's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Book Review: The Fall by May Archer
This is the story of Everett and Silas, two men grappling with loss and grief, finding love, and healing in the small, charming town of O’Leary.
Everett is grieving the loss of his husband and relocates to O’Leary to live with his grandpa, Hen. Let’s just say his arrival is less “fresh start” and more “literal stumble through the woods.” Case in point:
“I limped over to collect my cat and started walking toward O’Leary because there was really nothing else to do. The only way out of the woods, literally and metaphorically, was through them.”
Hen, the grumpy grandpa, is a standout character. That heartwarming conversation they had left a mark on me.
Then there’s the quintessential small-town charm of O’Leary:
“O’Leary was a permanent sort of place. A Pumpkin-Festival and Christmas carols sort of place.”
May Archer’s writing is sharp and heartfelt. One of my favourite lines:
“My stomach was full of pancakes, my head was full of doubt, and my heart was thrumming like a hummingbird’s wings even though I wasn’t capable of fighting or fleeing at the moment if my life depended on it.”
There are so many gorgeous moments, but this one, when Silas talks about Matty’s artistry, just broke me:
“I’ve never been as good at anything as he was at drawing. Everyone said he had a gift, but I thought… I thought he was a gift.”
It’s not all tears, though - there’s humour, clever banter, and a wonderfully crafted mystery subplot.
Clever, funny, sweet, emotional, and well-written - this has earned a spot as one of my new favourites. I’m so glad I savoured this buddy read with @boysfromthebookshelf. Having time to let it all sink in made the experience even better.
If you’re after a book that will make you laugh, cry, and swoon in equal measure, The Fall is a must-read.
The basics:
Dual, first person pov
Medium angst
Medium burn
Audiobook narrated by Alexander Cendese and Iggy Toma
What to expect:
Action
Cop x art teacher
Grief x2
Hurt/comfort
Mystery
Pet cat
References to the world of the boy wizard
Small town
Violence (on-page, mild)
This is the story of Everett and Silas, two men grappling with loss and grief, finding love, and healing in the small, charming town of O’Leary.
Everett is grieving the loss of his husband and relocates to O’Leary to live with his grandpa, Hen. Let’s just say his arrival is less “fresh start” and more “literal stumble through the woods.” Case in point:
“I limped over to collect my cat and started walking toward O’Leary because there was really nothing else to do. The only way out of the woods, literally and metaphorically, was through them.”
Hen, the grumpy grandpa, is a standout character. That heartwarming conversation they had left a mark on me.
Then there’s the quintessential small-town charm of O’Leary:
“O’Leary was a permanent sort of place. A Pumpkin-Festival and Christmas carols sort of place.”
May Archer’s writing is sharp and heartfelt. One of my favourite lines:
“My stomach was full of pancakes, my head was full of doubt, and my heart was thrumming like a hummingbird’s wings even though I wasn’t capable of fighting or fleeing at the moment if my life depended on it.”
There are so many gorgeous moments, but this one, when Silas talks about Matty’s artistry, just broke me:
“I’ve never been as good at anything as he was at drawing. Everyone said he had a gift, but I thought… I thought he was a gift.”
It’s not all tears, though - there’s humour, clever banter, and a wonderfully crafted mystery subplot.
Clever, funny, sweet, emotional, and well-written - this has earned a spot as one of my new favourites. I’m so glad I savoured this buddy read with @boysfromthebookshelf. Having time to let it all sink in made the experience even better.
If you’re after a book that will make you laugh, cry, and swoon in equal measure, The Fall is a must-read.
The basics:
Dual, first person pov
Medium angst
Medium burn
Audiobook narrated by Alexander Cendese and Iggy Toma
What to expect:
Action
Cop x art teacher
Grief x2
Hurt/comfort
Mystery
Pet cat
References to the world of the boy wizard
Small town
Violence (on-page, mild)
sofypinho's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
nuestlove12's review against another edition
2.0
IT'S ONLY BEEN 16 MONTHS SINCE [REDACTED] AND THEY STILL GOT TOGETHER???