They had a great fall is a great debut by Shelby Saville. I am very impressed.
Age gap romance told in dual POV.

We follow the story of Kat, a single mother anx widow who has big dreams and aspirations. Kat lost her husband to cancer in the years prior, so the pressure is on her to provide a great life for her daughter.
Jake (8 years younger than Kat) is a movie star on the rise. Jake and Kat found a connection during the pandemic, but Kat pushed him away. Now a year later he makes contact with Kat.

As Kat receives a new job promotion and faces the relationship she always wanted, we find ourselves following the love story of these two characters. Do they still have feelings for eachother? What about their careers? Can their relationship work?

Kat and Jake are both great characters and I loved exploring the dynamics of their relationship. I was really rooting for them to work out, hoping they still had feelings for eachother and could overcome their obstacles.
I did think Jake was immature at times but given his age compared to Kat, it was appropriate.
I wasn't a huge fan of the ending, given that I was really rooting for them to work out, it would have been nice to see them work through their issues better instead of skipping ahead in time.

Overall good read. I would recommend and would read more from Shelby Saville in the future.
Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

This is an age gap, second chance romance between 25 year old actor Jake Laurent and 33 year old Kat Green. They had a fling during the pandemic but it fizzled with time and Jake’s busy schedule. He is having issues connecting the main character in his new movie. He calls Kat and asks her to fly to Copenhagen. And, she decides to go. Her company has an office in Copenhagen, so it can be a work trip.

She is a widow with a young daughter and he is a rising actor. He says he loves her, but when his “team” puts out an article that puts her in the hot seat he handles it badly.

The beginning of this book was a bit of struggle for me. It’s told in third person POV and felt like a lot of telling versus showing. Plus, there was a lot of work talk. Their connection felt believable, though.

The ending was a bit rushed and unbelievable. I would have liked for Jake to work for their happy ever after and not skip ahead to years later.

Thank you to She Writes Press and Booksparks for the advances readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This story is about two individuals who are opposite in every way but find themselves on a path toward one another.

Not only is there an eight-year age difference, widowed single-mother Kat has an established career in Technology and playboy-in-the-making Jake is the latest hot rising movie star. After meeting during the pandemic and being thrust together during the lockdown by chance (and having a casual affair), they make a hollow commitment to maintain contact with one another when the world opens once again, but their different paths soon lead them away from their original connection established. That is until Jake reaches out to Kat as his lifeline when he finds himself going off the ledge while filming his latest movie in Copenhagen.

Kat finds every reason a relationship would not work between them as Jake continues to give her reasons and show her why it could. However, when Jake’s acting career comes under threat and the way of saving it comes down to taking the heat of a ruined reputation or throwing his relationship with Kat under the bus. Jake makes the choice to sacrifice his relationship. His choice caused damage to the bond he had re-established with Kat, which resulted in her leaving Copenhagen immediately and breaking contact with him.

I enjoyed this book and found myself rooting for them as a couple and wanting them to work through the challenges that were presented. This story did not have a slow build up to their passion for one another. Once the story begins, it throws the reader right into the thick of things. The complexity of both characters was well done. In addition, the opportunity was provided to see each character grow into who they were meant to be. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you to She Write Press and NetGallery for this advanced copy and allowing me to provide my review of this book.

This book really had potential, but personally I don’t think it reached up to it. I loved The idea of you, and since this book is specifically marketed as “if you loved the idea of you, this book is for you” I did compare them from the beginning. This story falls a little flat for me and the pacing is a bit off. When I read The idea of you I was sucked into the story right away, but here I really struggle to get in to it. I feel like I don’t get to experience what happens, I’m more often just told. It’s also a really long build up to the “thing” at 80% and then there’s noting until the epilogue which feels really rushed.

Maybe if I hadn’t gotten in to it with The idea of you in mind it would have worked better for me.

Thank you NetGalley and She writes press for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book.

Thank you NetGalley, She Writes Press and Shelby Saville for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5⭐️ I liked this book but didn’t feel extremely invested in the characters and their relationship. I’m not sure if it was the writing itself, characters or lack of on page spice but I just wasn’t avoiding everyday life to finish this book like I often am.

The characters had some banter and reference their chemistry but also seemed to know so little about each others lives and had several instances of lack of communication and stubbornness that resulted in gaps in their relationship.

Both characters had flaws, trauma and insecurities and I wish it would have dove into how they repaired things. It seemed like such a huge jump from where they were at. To the convo in England. To 4 years later.

I’m a romance reader so I love a HEA but I was almost expecting them to find love with other people. Maybe it was the vague similarities to The Idea of You.

Tropes:
Love after loss
Reverse age gap
Celebrity
Single mom
Second chance or is it third chance?

I really loved the journey the two characters went on in this book. I was onvested in them both right from the start. The way they both had to grow as individuals away from each other and not force their relationship was a refreshing take on a romance novel.

So the first 35% was a struggle to get in to but once I crossed over the hump, I was hooked and ended up loving this book!!! I feel like there was a significant difference between the first half of the book to the second half. The writing, storyline, flow and character development was so much better from 50% onwards. The story follows a single Mom, Kat who was widowed before her daughter turned 1 years old. a few years later, covid hits and she meets her neighbors son, Jake an up and coming Hollywood actor who was staying with his parents during the lockdowns. . They form a friendship with benefits but more so a bond which lead to real feelings both never admit to one another. They had both agreed to keep it light. Jake returns to his career and leaves NYC and Kat is left to her life as a successful career women vying for a promotion as COO in her corporation. A year later and out of the blue, she receives a frantic call from Jake asking her to come visit him in Copenhagen where he is filming a new movie. He is in a bad place and she is the one person he knows he needs to help him. kat is caught off guard from his request but able to make it work as her company has an office located in the Copenhagen that she can work from. What transpires between them after is a rollercoaster of emotions, revelations and feelings that Kat tries to play down to protect herself from getting hurt again. Mistakes are made, Jakes fame takes a toll on them and one decision tears them apart... I read the last 60% in one sitting as I needed to know what happened. Thanks @netgalley and @shewritespress.com for the ARC.

This is a fun, entertaining read. Jake and Kat are interesting, intriguing, complex, flawed, complicated, strong, wounded, entertaining characters. I enjoyed their romance and the path it took. The secondary characters added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyment. The story is easy to read and get into.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Now this age gap love story I can get on board with. You see I don't actually have an problems with age gaps. To a point they are irrelevant. Buuuut "the idea of you"(mostly the film because that depiction was way worse)gave me major trauma judgemental syndrome. So I've had to stay clear of that trope since. Which didn't sit well so here I am.
And it's healed that part of me. Wahoo! Well done for a realistic telling of characters. The age gap wasn't an issue. They were still two people with a connection and their own individual baggage and happening were the only thing getting in the way.
But believe me this baggage was enough.

Kat is a widow. And she's very much still grieving. But also is push8ng herself beyond the realms of what's healthy. She wants to give her child all she needs. She wants to work get to the very top. It's almost like if she becomes the most successful she can be she will finally be able to sit back and think she's not failed the man she loved and lost. Which as we all know isn't ok and won't be sustainable. And it's showing. Kat is struggling.
Jake is a movie star. But as we are hearing more and more of recently, this isn't an innocent industry. And those that fall victim to the bad sides of it really do suffer. And Jake isn't doing well either. Infact he seems to on the brink of a breakdown.
When him and Kat met there was a connection. They were good for eachother. To certain extents. Because sometimes throughout the book i wanted them to just walk away! But they kept being drawn to eachother. So what needed to change? Or who to make this relationship work. Or should it be loved and lost that is actually in this case the best thing for all?
As I said before this age gap thing wasn't event a stuttering point. Yes they were at different points in life with different interests and event to their lives. But this didn't seem an age or maturity act.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!
This was such a sweet reverse age gap story. The quick origin story was just enough in the beginning and having more details thrown in as they were relevant to their current story was a great way to keep going back to the second chance trope, Kat and Jake were POLAR opposites and I enjoyed seeing them connect. I loved that Jake made a point to remember small things about Kat and even about Kat's daughter, like the orange tootsie pop.
The only problem I had with the story was the excess details of Kat's job that weren't necessary to the story, those parts ended up being skimmed.

This book I struggled with especially getting into the flow of the first portion of the story.

While this might be a favourite of some people I stepped out of my normal genre and decided to try something different after reading
the premise of this book. Unfortunately this was not a book I really enjoyed.

The premise sounded great. The characters were OK. Just not my cup of tea

Thank you NetGalley & She Writes Press for this arc read.

Okay, look. I primarily read horror and thrillers. I like a weird puzzle to solve. Sometimes, however, I need a straightforward love story. "And They Had a Great Fall" from Shelby Saville is the latest to fill that need.

Kat is a single mother and widow. She's on the C-Suite track at her tech company job, often working 14, 15 hour days. Three years prior, her husband, Ben, died from cancer, and Kat wants to make sure that their daughter has the best life possible.

Jake is a movie star on the rise. He's young, he's handsome, he's famous. Jake is also the son of Kat's next-door neighbors. Despite the 8-year age difference, Kat and Jake connected during the pandemic and found they had the beginnings of a relationship.

Now, a year later, Jake calls Kat from Copenhagen in full meltdown mode. He doesn't know who he is or why he's having so much trouble with his current role. Kat is on the verge of the largest product launch of her career, which is leading to her much-desired promotion.

These are two people who are at turning points in life. Kat is working harder than ever, neglecting a work-life balance. Jake's rise to stardom is getting faster, and keeping his relationship with Kat a secret is starting to impinge on his fame. These two people are drawn to each other and are pulled apart by their self-interests.
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Let's address the elephant in the room. Is this similar to "The Idea of You"? Sure, if you want to give into the older woman, younger man thing. But here's the thing: the age difference in this story is much less aggressive (8 years vs. 19 years). This is also, somehow, more realistic. A young widow focused on her career and family is easier to connect with than a wealthy gallery owner.

Shelby Saville develops flawed characters who grow realistically throughout this novel. The setting of Copenhagen and New York adds to the plot, as both cities add their character to the story. Each person is layered; it isn't just a young party boy and a career-focused woman. It's a man struggling with fame, isolated from his family and friends. It's a woman who is still grieving and wants to provide the best life for her daughter, no matter what it takes.

Now....who is going to play Jake in the movie....

Thanks to NetGalley, Shelby Saville, and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! While I felt the first half of the book felt rushed, the chemistry and dialogue between Jake and Kat was quite excellent. The pacing for the second half was better and there were some great emotional, self reflective moments.

And They Had a Great Fall is the perfect blend of angst, chemistry, and heartfelt emotion—a reverse age-gap romance where he falls first, and oh, does he fall hard. If The Idea of You walked, And They Had a Great Fall ran with the celebrity-normal person trope, delivering a love story that is equal parts steamy and deeply emotional.

Told in dual POV, we get both Jake’s swoony, determined pursuit and the internal tug-of-war that makes this relationship feel so authentic. If you’re picturing Timothée Chalamet as Jake? Same. The open-door spice is deliciously balanced with real vulnerability, making their connection feel electric yet grounded.

With its mix of glamour, self-discovery, and off-the-charts tension, this is a must-read for fans of unconventional love stories.

Thank you NetGalley and She Writes Press for providing this ARC.
The storyline was good, a love story between a twenty five year old famous actor and a thirty three year old single mom. I found that the second half of the book was better, with the emotion building from how the main characters struggled to make their relationship work. However, the ending was a bit rushed. When they parted ways, we didn’t get to know how Jake overcame the heartbreak and hadn’t fallen back to his dark period of partying and drug.
My rating : 3,5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and She Writes Press for sending me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

~ Widow
~ Mental health support
~ second chance
~Age Gap
~Celebrity romance
~Pandemic romance
~Single Mom

“And to my favorite girl out there . . .” He dug into his pocket and held up a small object. The camera zoomed in on an orange Tootsie Pop. “Thanks for sending me with a good luck charm . . . It worked! I love you, sweetheart.”

“Kat’s tears were simply physical drops of joy.”

I loved this book! This is the first book I’ve read where the romance began during the pandemic, I love how relatable the book is to that time of life.
I enjoyed the growth of the characters from the beginning to the end. Thank you for breaking my heart but putting it back together.

I was surprised to learn this was a debut author for how well it was written. Jake, a broken man and young actor reaches out to a former friend and lover Kate, a widow and young mother up for a major promotion and she flies to Denmark to help him find his way. As they explore each other and fall in love, he helps her figure out what is really important in life.

And They Had a Great Fall was a short and sweet love story about two adults coming together to find themselves. It took me some time to get in to the story and understand/ like the characters, and I wish the end didn’t feel so rushed, but I devoured the book in a day and a half and cried multiple times. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

*Thank you NetGalley and She Writes Press for to opportunity to read the ARC for And They Had a Great Fall*

At first I wasn't sure about how to be supportive of Kat and Jake's relationship because they are obviously so different- Jake being a young celebrity, and Kat being a mom and corporation powerhouse. Shelby Saville does such a great job at keeping the story engaging and developing the characters relationships, not only with each other but with themselves. The emotions of the characters are so raw and real and had me crying during a few chapters. Having both gone through intense emotional hardships, you really are rooting for them to help each other heal and work hard for their own personal goals throughout the book.

*Thank you to NetGalley and She Writes Press for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

Jake Laurent is the “human equivalent of Friday,” a young actor rising to stardom but struggling under the weight of public pressure. Kat Green, on the other hand, is “Monday,” a single mother juggling a demanding career while barely holding herself together. A year after their secret, casual affair during the pandemic, the two cross paths once again in Copenhagen, the “city of fairy tales.” But neither of their lives resemble a fairy tale.

For Jake, Kat is an escape from fame’s relentless glare. For Kat, Jake offers a brief reprieve from her carefully controlled world. But as their connection deepens, the security Kat has worked so hard to build for her daughter is put at risk, and Jake must decide whether he can protect their relationship without sacrificing his own career. And They Had a Great Fall is a heartfelt exploration of two people rediscovering themselves and each other in pursuit of a true happily ever after.

I generally enjoyed And They Had a Great Fall, especially its unique setting of Copenhagen. The backdrop felt fresh and added a distinctive charm to the story, immersing me in a city I’ve not yet had the pleasure of visiting, and is one I don’t often encounter in romance novels. Shelby Saville did a great job of making the setting feel vibrant and alive, which added depth to Jake and Kat’s journey.

The story itself is sweet and emotional, exploring themes of vulnerability, fame, motherhood, and personal growth. Kat and Jake are two very different people at different stages in life, yet their connection feels believable and heartfelt. Their chemistry works, and their struggles are relatable, especially Kat’s as a single mother trying to protect her family.

That said, the writing style didn’t fully work for me. I struggled to get into the book initially, and at times, the pacing felt uneven. There were moments when the story slowed too much or felt repetitive, which made it harder to stay fully engaged. Despite this, I can see this book resonating with other readers, particularly fans of books like The Idea of You - the themes of complicated relationships and self discovery align well.

Overall, And They Had a Great Fall is a tender and thought-provoking romance that will appeal to those looking for a love story with emotional depth. While it wasn’t completely my cup of tea, I would still recommend it to others.