Mitch and Rosie are easy to like characters and it is lovely to read something other than the ‘typical’ gender roles, with Rosie being the one less keen to have children.
I really enjoyed this book, it was easy to read, really enjoyable and I would recommend to anyone!

3 Stars !
When reading the description of this book I was really intrigued with the idea of a fallback, I was excited to see how it was played out.
This book was not exactly what i was expecting. It was a slow start and took me a while to get into the story and I sometimes felt my self zoning out at parts.

I enjoyed the dual timelines as we got to see how they both met and became friends. I enjoyed the friends to Lovers trope and how it was portrayed in this book, I felt like the characters were sweet together but they had lots of miscommunication. I felt like I did not connect with any of the characters. I also felt like we didn't see much of the chemistry between Rosie and Mitch until the end of the book, but I loved the slow burn and the build up of waiting to see what happens to Rosie and Mitch.

If you love the friends to lovers trope then I recommend The Fallback.

*Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for providing me this Arc in return for an honest review*

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK-One More Chapter for the ARC of this book. All opinions in my review are my own.

Rosie is a scientist at a university who has always secretly loved her best friend and former flat mate, Mitch. He suggests that they become each others "fall back" and be with each other if they can't find anybody else. This book is essentially just the story of them finding their way to each other. It was just okay for me. I found myself skimming through some parts and it didn't keep my attention all that well. There were sweet parts of the story and I felt that the two main characters were fairly likely but it just wasn't a memorable read.

"The Fallback" by Eleanor Goymer is a delightful debut that combines a slow-burn romance with a thoughtful exploration of societal expectations around relationships and family. The story revolves around scientist Rosie and her best friend Mitch, who propose to become each other's fallback for having a child if they don't find serious partners by Christmas.

The characters of Rosie and Mitch are endearing, making them relatable and easy to root for. Rosie, a dedicated virologist, is a lover of data, while Mitch is a carefree science journalist who owes his PhD success to Rosie. The dynamics of their friendship add depth to the narrative, especially as Rosie grapples with her hidden feelings for Mitch.

What sets this book apart is its gender reversal, with Mitch desiring a family while Rosie remains ambivalent about having children. The author skillfully weaves the complexities of their relationship, keeping readers engaged with the push and pull of emotions. The stakes are raised when Rosie finally voices her thoughts on the proposed plan, adding tension and depth to the story.

The London setting adds charm to the narrative, making readers nostalgic for the city. The writing captures the essence of the characters' haunts, creating a vivid backdrop for their story.

While the book has strong foundations, there are some quibbles. It could have benefited from Rosie dating a real contender, adding more stakes to the story. Additionally, Rosie's initial reluctance to voice her thoughts might frustrate some readers, but her eventual expression of feelings is a satisfying turn.

Despite these minor issues, the book is engaging and well-crafted. Eleanor Goymer's portrayal of a STEM field protagonist and the friends-to-lovers trope is commendable. The miscommunication and secret pining elements resonate realistically, especially when emotions evolve between friends. The risk of jeopardizing a long-standing friendship is a genuine concern that adds depth to the narrative.

However, there are some character flaws that could be addressed. Rosie's emotional stuntedness and use of the silent treatment may make her less likable. Mitch's demanding and manipulative behavior, especially in the creation of the fallback plan, requires more redemption in the end. The resolution seems to brush off their issues rather than providing a more substantial resolution, hinting at potential challenges in their future.

In conclusion, "The Fallback" is an engaging read with good bones, and Eleanor Goymer's storytelling shows promise. The push and pull of the story, combined with the friends-to-lovers trope, keep readers intrigued. With a focus on character growth, especially in handling emotions and communication, future works by the author could further enhance the storytelling experience.

Mitch and Rosie have been best friends for years but they are getting older and are ready to settle down, they decide that if they are both still single by Christmas they will have a baby together and be each others ‘fallback’ the only issue is, Rosie has been desperately in love with Mitch for years but has never told him, and this now complicates things.

This was a sweet friends to lovers rom com but it was a bit drawn out which made the ending seem very rushed, we never really get to see Mitch and Rosie as a couple. I liked both of the characters but their lack of communication by the end was driving me slightly mad.

3.5 Stars ! I enjoyed this quick romance. The concept of the "fallback" person was different and kept me interested to see what happened to the main characters. It was a little slower burn for me though and at times my attention was lost. But overall a really solid debut romance novel. I recommend it if you enjoy the friends to lovers trope.

Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for your digital arc copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Fallback by Eleanor Goymer is a book worth reading.

Rosie and Mitch have been friends for what seems like forever and Mitch convinces Rosie that if they are both single at Christmas they'll be each others fallback plan.

Rosie has been quietly in love with Mitch, so it's a win/win situation for her if Mitch doesn't find someone, but what if he does?

I kept comparing this to my own experiences, as I had mostly male best friends when I was younger, and just eww... but once I got over that, it was a good read. The delicate balance of losing their friendship, which is essential to them both, if they become romantically involved was a good part of the story.

I was given this by NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.

3.5 stars

Goymer presents a classic friends with a back-up plan plot. The MMC is likable but the MFC, whose point of view we get throughout, is phenomenally self-centered which makes the plot pretty one-note and as a result, the story drags after awhile. The writing is good but this is not on my recommend list.

Scientist Rosie's life is very organized. This is thrown into disarray when her best friend Mitch proposes they become in each other's fallback to have a kid if neither of them find a serious partner by Christmas.
This was a really great, slightly angsty, very addictive read. Goymore did a great job of building the intense frustration and angst of unrequited love.

I loved the idea of two best friends creating a bit of a pact - it's something my friends and I have joked about having - so I was excited to read it. Friends to lovers has always been one of my favourite tropes.

This book didn't hit the mark for me. I found the writing style was fluid and easy to read, but there actually wasn't a lot of interaction between Mitch and Rosie in the novel. I felt like we were having the same discussion with Rosie and her family or friends and they didn't really have any distinction between them.

I also found Mitch a bit insufferable and I honestly hoped that this was going to be a surprise twist where they didn't end up together because he seemed extremely immature.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really great, slightly angsty, very addictive read. The MMC had real golden retriever energy and the FMC was so caught up in misery (of essentially her own making) that they made an unlikely but really endearing pair.

There were a few times I think I shouted out loud "one of you say something!" while I was reading so the author did a great job of building the intense frustration and angst of unrequited love.

I wish there had been a bit more once to the story once the conflict had reached its conclusion but that's only because I really enjoyed Rosie and Mitch and wanted more of them.

If you like VERY slow burn, friends to lovers, I think you'll really enjoy this.

Rosie and Mitch have been best friends for years. Now in their 30s, Mitch convinces Rosie to be each other’s fallback if neither of them finds ‘the one’ by Christmas.

For a debut novel this was great, I loved the role reversal the books offered as it examined life in your 30s; it was Rosie who was ambivalent about having children and Mitch the wide-eyed romantic who wanted to settle down. The author does a great job of exploring the societal expectations of coupling up and the hardships of dating in your 30s. I loved the pragmatic and analytical Rosie, but disliked Mitch for the most part (I actually hoped he wasn’t the main love interest) as their relationship seemed a bit toxic at times and most of their problems could be resolved by a simple conversation. All in all it was a fun read.
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

This was such a cute friends to lovers book! I was rooting for them the whole time. I would highly recommend this book to everyone.

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins UK for the ARC of this book.
This book had really good bones. I loved that the MFC was in a STEM field. I also loved the friends to lovers trope. The book was a lot of miscommunication and secret pining. I think whenever feelings develop between friends, it become a really difficult plane to navigate. The risk of losing the friendship if things go awry is a realistic concern. I thought the two main characters were very sweet together. I just had issues with each character individually. The FMC was so emotionally stunted for someone so smart. She completely shut down when things got messy or confusing. She used the silent treatment as ammo and never cared to learn the truth. She built her story based on assumptions. The MMC was demanding and frankly manipulative. The whole premise of the fall back plan was based on his wants and his needs. He doesn't really redeem himself in the end. Instead, they just brush it off and move forward. I see marital counseling in this couple's future. Overall, the push and pull of the story was enough to keep me intrigued, I just needed more growth from the characters.

I had a hard time reading The Fallback by Eleanor Goymer. While the writing was fluid, and the characters were interesting, I just really struggled to get through it. I will say that I can see a lot of my friends really enjoying reading this when it comes out, but it just wasn't for me.

This is a really cute, swoonworthy debut from Eleanor Goymer. Mitch and Rosie's strong friendship really helped the chemistry between them seem even more real, I loved the push and pull between them and was left feeling really satisfied at the end of the book.

The book itself is really well written and I loved the flashback scenes, I really looked forward to them.

Overall, a really great debut! I can't wait to see what else Eleanor Goymer may provide for us in the future :)

I had a friend in high school that would always joke with her best guy friend that if they were still single at 40, they would marry each other. It didn't happen, but I did always find it to be a great idea! Goymer writes The Fallback similarly to what I always viewed my friend as having. The story was enjoyable, and the characters were likeable. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This was such a cute read and I absolutely enjoyed it! I love the idea of a fallback and how the story unraveled. The characters were nice and likable!

This book delivers on what it says. Falling for the guy you want but don't really want because of all his issues but once resolved they are perfect for each other. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.

I loved the idea of this book and the description really piqued my interest. Unfortunately, this book wasn’t for me, I think that was mostly because I failed to connect with the main character's way of thinking. I went into this book hoping for a fluffy, friends-to-lovers romance but this wasn’t the case. I felt like that was a lot of unnecessary fighting, and the main characters hardly communicated in comparison to other romance books, their whole dynamic just lacked emotional maturity in my opinion. I can see why this would appeal to those who like a bit of drama and angst in their romance books, but unfortunately, this wasn’t the book for me.