Unfortunately, I have not been able to read and review this book.

After losing and replacing my broken Kindle and getting a new phone I was unable to download the title again for review as it was no longer available on Netgalley.

I’m really sorry about this and hope that it won’t affect you allowing me to read and review your titles in the future.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.
Natalie.

Three women, three lives - and within them, there are three secret lives of the hearts. They are connected by their family ties, and this is what they recognize (albeit with some disdain/threat/restlessness). What they don't know, it this - down there, they could understand their own selves better if they cross the borders between them and see each other for who they really are - just another human being, just another living heart.

Honor, 80, has had a nasty fall, resulting in broken hip. Living alone, the proud and educated "Dr Levinson" must accept the help offered by her former daughter-in-law - and she is not happy about it! Jo, 40, is not really happy, too, about having the condescending mother of her late husband at home with her three children, but Honor is Stephen's mother, after all - and forever nice person Jo can't stand the idea of the old lady being hurt and alone.
Lydia, 16, has her hands full with her own problems. Being in love is hard - and being in unreciprocated, secret love with her best friend is hard several times more. So Lydia wears a mask - and this is so, so tiring.
But now, all the three of them are together - and they start to really see each other - and recognize the good in each other.

I loved the first half of the book! So true, so sensitive, so real in portraying all of the characters! I love how Ms Cohen is able to give each of the main characters their individual voice, with their own feelings and motivation. The story is told through 3 POVs, so he have three stories in which we see the protagonist by their own eyes and also how they see the other two. And then the view changes and we see the story through the different lens. And as Ms Cohen is very sensitive writer, she is capable to make three complete female personalities, which can interact well and believably, too.
I was able to identify with all of them, and this is precious.
And I like how they can complete each other. Honor is smart and feisty, and strong and proud - this can help sweet, meek Jo and can give some footing to Lydia, who is still very young and vulnerable. Jo is genuinely good person and what is important even more - she is capable of forgiveness, which can free stubborn Honor and help Lydia to feel safe. Lydia is real and is not lying to herself - so she can connect with Honor and help her mother to be more honest with herself.

But there are some buts, which is why my rating is 3.5, really. Jo's current love story is not very believable. Erotic fascination I get, but it is rarely also a true love. Lydia's story gets nasty, I give her that, but true bulling can be much more nastier than what she has suffered. I am not saying that what happened to her is OK! I am sayig that it can get much, much nastier, and it is important for me address that.

Having said all that - I will follow Ms Cohen. I like her sensitivity and realness, and the special gift if seeing the real heart. This is precious.

A truly heartwarming book about three generations of strong women. A book with so many themes not just of grief and loneliness but also hope and second chances. The book raises so many questions for the reader but you need to read to find the answers....

Told from three perspectives, Falling is a sensitive and thought provoking story tackling issues which can affect so many families. Three generations of women from the same family having to live together (one in particular against her wishes) and each trying to find a way past their own problems.

After a fall, mother-in-law Honor moves in with her daughter in law Jo and her children. Honor and Jo have never been close, Jo’s husband died suddenly some years before but time has not healed the wounds between them. Honor is a very proud, and prickly character trying to hide a secret. Jo tries to help but is rebuffed and made to feel useless. With a young family to look after as well as Honor, she feels pulled in every direction.

Jo’s daughter Lydia, a teenager facing issues of her own feels isolated and unable to confide in anyone but her diary.

To go into any more details about the plot would mean spoiling it for those who have yet to read. The characters and their situations are wholly believable and I couldn’t help but be pulled into the lives of these women. Julie Cohen has long been a favourite author and Falling just cements her place on my ‘must read’ author list.