Book Review: Where We Fall, Rochelle B. Weinstein

Rochelle B. Weinstein has created a dynamic storyline that we watch weave throughout the pages of Where We Fall. With the reader's perspective shifting between Abby and Ryan, their daughter Juliana, and their old friend Lauren, we see the story from all sides.

A woman. Her husband. Their daughter. The woman's former best friend. All four voices.

Personally I'm a fan of books written from varying viewpoints. I like when chapters shift this way. It helps me get a full feel for all of the characters when the author delves into each of them to such an extent.

Abby is our main character. We like her. Sometimes. Or we kind of like her? I'm not sure. I think we like her. I liked her, most of the time. Abby never feels secure in her marriage. Even after giving Ryan a beautiful baby girl. Abby doesn't feel secure in much of anything. She's extremely depressed.

The aspect of her depression is what pulled me in and led to my choosing to review this book. As a mental health advocate I find it to be rare that we see this in fictional stories. And it's important to include. And cover. And so Abby is depressed. And it's impacting her relationships. Her husband and her daughter aren't really sure how to interact with her. Her daughter clearly wishes for a different kind of mother.

It's heartbreaking. And emotional. And intense.

I can empathize with Abby. And her family. And when we meet Lauren I'm not sure if I actually like her. I'm torn between the characters - a sign of excellent writing!

The years unravel as Abby gets the help she needs. We learn a lot more about what happened between the three of them when they were younger. We learn why Lauren and Abby no longer speak to each other. We watch Lauren return home and reestablish connections. We watch Abby's guilt and pain lead her to start thinking about what the right thing is and what she should do about it.

Where We Fall was an enjoyable and easy read. The characters held my interest and attention. I didn't find myself rolling my eyes or skimming any pages. This is a good thing - as sometimes when the perspective shifts it is hard to stay focused on the main story. Weinstein ensured that as readers we were able to hold on to each character, feel with them, and, ultimately, follow them to the next phase. Really well done.

I have a copy of Where We Fall available for one of my readers. Just leave me a comment saying you are interested, and for extra entries if you want to tweet out this giveaway or share on FB - leave a separate comment w. the Twitter/Facebook URL.

Or you can buy your own copy on Amazon today by clicking the cover image below.

 

I received a copy of this book from TLC Book Tours. I was not compensated in any way for this review and all expressed opinions are completely my own.

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