3.5-4 stars

I really liked the idea of this book, and it grabbed my attention from the very beginning.

Every 179 days, Robbie loses his memory, and he relies on instructions from his past self to get through his day to day routines. I really liked Robbie’s character and could feel both his loneliness and his apprehension to growing close to others. When Julie first came into the picture, I thought I liked her and that she could help Robbie learn to live a little and come out of his reclusive shell. But when Julie reveals her own secret, her whole demeanor changed, and I understood why Robbie was hesitant to trust her.

This story had a pretty steady buildup, but after all of the climactic scenes, the story seemed to fizzle out and the ending felt a bit rushed. I just wished I had liked it overall as much as I had in the beginning.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3944353240

Due to a rare neurological condition Robbie loses his memory (approximately) every 179 days. (Think 50 First Dates, but 179ish days instead of 24 hours.)
He refers to this as "the forgetting" .
Hugh Breakey (The author) never really goes into much detail about his condition, which I found a little disappointing.

Overall, I liked the book.
In some parts it was a little repetitive, and I found myself wondering why he was SO fixated on the dominoes. That does get explained... kind of.
Robbie seemed to be a little bit off when it came to interacting with others.
There were moments with Julie that were sweet, but quite suddenly he would change his mind, or something would happen and he would become defensive or angry and take it out on her.

I don't want to give anything away about their relationship but it would be tough to be in either of their shoes.

My Beautiful Fall is a story about Robert and his recurring amnesia and its a groundhog kind of life for him.
I found it very slow to be quite honest although the blurb did intrigue me. It seemed as though the diary entries he does and his domino obsession was all he was interested in. Every week he gets a food delivery and the lady that delivers it, he strikes up a sort of a friendship with her.
What happens when amnesia strikes again? What messages has he left for himself and how does he cope with starting over again?
It was a totally different story than what I am used to but in all honesty you may like it more. He documents his daily life in anticipation of when the moment strikes and I had no idea what would happen and when.
I really struggled to read this one....

Although slow to start, The Beautiful Fall becomes a beautiful and poetic take on the power of trust.

I really wanted to love this book but it read like a diary and not a lot happened, especially in the beginning. It was really repetitive, which I guess is to be expected when a guy has to live his life over again every 179 days.

I also found both Robbie and his love interest, Julie very one dimensional. I could definitely tell the author is a philosopher, the book really reads that way. This is kind of like 50 First Dates and Groundhog Day rolled into one, without the wit or humour. And the ending seemed rushed.

THE BEAUTIFUL FALL by Hugh Breakey wasn’t for me at all. This novel is about Robbie who loses all his memories every 6 months. I initially really liked the premise for this book and the set up. I also liked the way the chapters in this book were a countdown to his next memory loss. It took quite a while for something interesting to happen which is when Robbie meets a woman. In essence this is a love story but I found both characters lacking. Robbie especially seemed robotic and maybe it’s because he’s mostly just discovering himself. I did not care for him or his relationship. Sorry I don’t recommend this book. I’d say watch 50 First Dates instead.
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Thank you to Text Publishing via NetGalley for my advance review copy!

I saw another review asking an essential question regarding the Beautiful Fall … Why is no one talking about this book?
I chose it as a 'read now' on NetGalley because I felt pretty defeated from my last terrible pick and was on a mission to not just build my NetGalley resume but not waste my time and life reading bad books. I read the synopsis - I know! Who even am I anymore? I read the few reviews available and decided to give it a go. Less than 24 hours later, here I am.
I devoured this story.
It immediately reminded me of Eleanor Oliphant, so I see a theme where socially inept loners are my thing.
The story grabs you from the first sentence, a letter from Robbie to himself explaining everything. That every 179 days, Robbie experiences a form of amnesia that completely wipes his memory. His key to surviving is this letter that he carries with him everywhere. It explains who he is, where he lives, and a map to get home. Once in his apartment's safety, he gets his meals delivered. Everything, rent included, is on autopay. Past Robbie also leaves current Robbie a task. 83,790 dominos, a job he takes on as if his present life hangs on its completion.
Until bright, attractive Julie enters his world and completely changes everything, he knew to be true about past Robbie.
I am not giving this a five star review because, for a shorter book, the end was completely rushed. There was more than enough time and interest to give it the proper finish it deserved.
I strongly suggest The Beautiful Fall when it is released this April. I am hoping it reaches the audience it deserves.

Thank you to NetGalley, Text Publishing and Hugh Breaky for giving this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The synopsis of this book really got my attention and I think is well constructed because while it makes you want to read the book, it doesn't give too much away.
I felt like the start was a little bit slow and it took me a while to get into the story but once you get into it, the slow beginning is completely worth it! I think the story is well written, it leaves you guessing and thinking about what's going to happen every time you finish a page.
I liked the characters a lot and never knew on which side to stand (not a bad thing! I honestly enjoyed it)
I was not expecting this and what happened throughout the book, it was indeed beautiful. For me is one of those books I would love to see turned into a movie. Would definitely recommend it

I really enjoyed reading this one. Right from the start, the author draws you in. Our protagonist loses his memory every few months, leaving him with a blank slate and no more than a place to live and a letter explaining what happens. Robbie is a recluse, obsessed with creating a domino show, when he meets Julie, the grocery deliverer. What Robbie learns in the course of a few days changes everything. He has the choice to make a decision that will change his life- and his future lives- forever.
The dialogue is intense and very-well written. I enjoyed the characterization of the characters and learning about them along the way. Highly recommend!

I love stories like this which are reminiscent of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and The Time Travelers wife, I was hooked from the very first sentence. Robert’s story was riveting and I couldn’t put this book down. I was very curious to see how he gets thru life with his very unique kind of amnesia where he basically resets his memories after every 6 months. I can’t imagine what it’s like to basically start over with a clean slate no memories every 6 months. Such a lonely sad existence which is why I was rooting for his love story with Julie to succeed. I can’t wait to see the Netflix version of this book! Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book and provide my honest feedback!

Das Konzept ist genial! Ich konnte den E-Reader nicht mehr aus der Hand legen und hab das Buch an einem Wochenende durchgelesen. Werde das Buch auf jeden Fall empfehlen!

The premise of the story is promising. I was actually glued from the start to the end. The story was well written but the world-building seems abridged. I want to know more about the MCs' family/support system, their relationship before the forgetting, and the reason behind Julie's addiction.

I love how Robbie coped up with his medical condition even if it means being secluded from the outside world until Julie came back to his life.

The ending seems a bit abrupt like I want to know more now that they are together when a new episode of forgetting sets in.

Overall, this was a page-turner and a pleasure to read.

Thank you, author, publisher, and Netgalley for allowing me to read and give my honest opinion of this book.

We see the world through Robert Penfold’s voice and thoughts. He has a medical condition of recurring amnesia which lets him forget everything every 179 days. He, therefore, tries to live a secluded, isolated and safe life in his apartment counting the days until his next ‘forgetting’. We meet Robert on the last 12 days before he will forget and when he meets Julie a new person everything gets unsettled. This story in itself draws the reader in and it becomes a page-turner.
However, the story has so many more layers for reflection and thinking, like what is worth remembering, who are we really, what are memories, and how are they retained and people influence memory and shape us?
The unconventional story, the way of writing stayed with me for a long time and I can only recommend this book.

I'm a big fan of "Groundhog Day" and "50 First Dates" type stories, where you get to relive the same day over and over and see how it could change, so of course, when I was able to receive an advanced copy from NetGalley, I was excited to dive into it. I'm so thankful I did.

I enjoyed feeling like I was going through this "new cycle" with Robbie, reading the same letter along with him that explained who he was and what was going on. You immediately start to empathize with him - how could you not? Especially when he meets Julie. Suddenly, you went from thinking, "Poor guy. This must be so hard for his loved ones to witness over and over," to thinking, "This poor man! Hasn't he been through enough?" I was on edge waiting to see where Robbie's story would take us, and it was worth every anxious breath.

I really wanted to love this book. Parts of it I did! I found the dominoes dull (maybe I missed the symbolism?!) and I skimmed a couple of chapters in the first third of the book. I did become more invested in the love story half way through and the premise was definitely interesting. I was expecting to be swept away and I just wasn’t... So it’s a 3,5 stars and a hope that I fall in love with the author’s next book!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

Interesting premise and pretty well executed. These kinds of ideas for stories can go off the rails quite easily, but stayed on track, and includes some interesting plot points and story approaches and surprises. A good literary tale. Recommended.

I really appreciate the ARC for review!!

This an amazing journey over a short period in time. Robert Penfold leads many lives forgetting all of his befores. He is an intense character scared of life, love and fitting all of the above into time. Nothing can prepare you for this disjointed adventure. Hold on, it’s an intense ride.

What if every 179 days your life reset? What if everything you loved, held dear, worked for and dreamed of was forgotten and you were forced to start over? This is the life of 31 year old, Robert Penfold.

When we first meet Robert he is in a fresh state of amnesia, his former self has left detailed instructions in the form of a letter, with all of the directives that he needs to resume his life. A carefully regimented and solitary life designed to protect him in his almost infantile state. By design his reclusive existence involves as little contact as possible with the outside world - he’s far too vulnerable and perpetually living in fear of “The Forgetting” and the likely consequences should he not stick to the protocol.

With 12 days until the world as he knows it ends, Julie appears on his doorstep. But will her arrival upset all that Robert thought he knew about himself and his carefully laid plans? .

These are flawed characters, in a nightmarish situation. It’s hard not to empathise with the hand that life has dealt Robert. Although I thought the concept clever, I found the motif of his large project a little laborious and tad overdrawn in places, although that all became much clearer as the story unfolded.

Once the plot unraveled and the pieces shifted into place, my interest intensified and I had trouble putting it down. There is a real tangible sense of the ticking of time, as we count down the final days before The Forgetting. The unexpected twists had me clutching at my proverbial pearls, with a few unexpected revelations that entirely changed my affection for the characters.

An amazing premise which had intrigued! It really got me thinking about how precious our memory is and that without it, most things that we value in our lives would seem hollow and meaningless.

At the very core this is a love story, in the same vein as The Time Traveller’s Wife. You will find yourself holding your breath, right alongside the characters.

With gratitude to NetGalley, Text Publishing and author Hugh Breakey for the opportunity to review this advanced reader copy, Thank you.

Why haven't see anyone waiting for The Beautiful Fall to come out?! I feel as if this book will be an underrated book, let's change that! It tells a beautiful story about personality, free choices, life decisions, marriage and so much more!

The main character, Robbie, loses his memory every 179 days. The book begins with a letter which was written by his "past-self" and we read his last 12 days. He encounters a woman called Julie. She turns that 12 days into an emotional roller-coaster. I have to say that I feel a little uncomfortable while reading their first days. Especially thoughts of Robbie, like she's just an object, lessened my joy coming from reading but after a while everything makes sense. And at first, I felt the domino parts take too much role, but their meaning, etc was brilliant. In addition to that, I felt the ending was rushed and hanged in the air.

This story sucked me in from the first page, which opens with Robbie’s letter from his past self. It’s a clever way to communicate the issue of Robbie’s episodic amnesia — a form of memory loss that strikes every 6 months. The reader is given the same information as Robbie when he experiences the first moments of “the forgetting” before jumping into the last 12 days of his current memory cycle.

At the urgent recommendation of his previous self, Robbie survives through structure, control and isolation. Things change when Julie enters his life. She’s beautiful, flawed — and they have an undeniable connection. What follows is a story with twists and turns that explores love and identity.

I started this book because I was initially curious about Robbie’s amnesia, but kept reading to see how his relationship with Julie developed — and to see if we would get to experience a forgetting firsthand. This book kept me guessing in the best ways.

Thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for a fair review.

CW: alcoholism