Fall Into Midnight

by Arden Coutts

Gyrating to the beat and downing shots isn’t Dr. Hannah Winter’s cup of tea. But when a good friend drags her out of the sanctuary of her sunroom for a rare night out at Club Midnight, a chance encounter with an enigmatic bouncer ignites an undeniable spark of passion she can’t resist. Working at Club Midnight comes with a heavy price that Gray Alexander has grown weary of paying. But even as the treacherous underworld associated with her work threatens to destroy her, the love of a sweet-faced, ginger-haired doctor may be her saving grace. As Hannah and Gray seize their unexpected chance at love, they quickly realize the very place that pulled them into each other’s orbit may inevitably tear them apart…

234 pages, Paperback

Published September 30, 2023

About the author

Arden Coutts is an American poet and writer who grew up in Ainsworth, Nebraska. They went to Iowa State University to pursue their love of all things old and undiscovered, receiving their Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology/Archaeology.

After various careers and dabbling in poetry and writing, Arden is publishing their first poetry collection, Where We Once Existed.

Arden now lives in North Carolina and continues chasing their creative pursuits, including Podcasting, Art, and Writing. Find them on Instagram @ardencoutts, and @funwithfriendspodcast.

Reviews

[Lauren | TransportedLFL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author and Kate Rock Book Tours for the complimentary ebook. These opinions are my own.

This is such a unique novel. It features Gray, who works security at Club Midnight and Hannah, an ER doctor who visits the club with her friend. It's fairly dark. Increasing numbers of secrets come to light, and there's a constant air of danger. It has excellent queer representation, especially as Gray is gender fluid. I am looking into Fall Into Me to read more about Kee.

[Will Freshwater · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like the loveable but clueless Ken in the movie “Barbie,” I waste far too much time worrying about whether or not the plot of my novels is “enough.” Rather than trusting myself as a writer, I always need to be the showman—creating innovative social situations and flashy settings for every scene. In truth, readers are far more interested in quality writing and relatability. That’s why reading “Fall into Midnight” by Arden Coutts was so refreshing and rewarding.

True to the genre, the story begins with a little mystery and romance. Flanked by bodyguards, Dr. Hannah Winter ventures out to Club Midnight. She unexpectedly finds herself drawn to Gray Alexander, an enigmatic bouncer who spends her nights working security for a ruthless underworld boss. Initially, we don’t have a clue about what kind of threat Hannah is facing, but the suspense of the “not knowing” adds to the sexual tension and moves the story right along. With each chapter, Coutts expands the story with twists and turns that deepen the connection between Hannah and Gray, making it seem impossible for them to be together. Like a seasoned pro, Coutts lands the ending with an unexpected twist that neatly ties up all the loose ends and finally gives Hannah and Gray (and maybe even some of the secondary characters) the happy ending they’ve rightfully earned.

The story was exciting and entertaining, but the writing was next-level good. Coutts creates nuanced characters by showing (not telling) how each feel about the other. The attention to detail is calculated and creative, not clumsy. Carefully structured story development and thoughtful pacing make the budding romance between Hannah and Gray feel fresh and authentic. I loved “Fall into Midnight” and can’t wait to read the next installment of the series!

[Amber Hoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fall Into Midnight is the first installment in The Fall Trilogy. I HIGHLY recommend reading the Prequel before reading this book. You will save yourself the headache I had trying to figure out who everyone was.

This was a quick read, with a decent amount of suspense and a cute romantic element. There is a tiny bit of spice, not enough though to even give it a chili pepper rating. My favorite part of this book was definitely the characters. Both the main characters, Hannah and Gray, are well developed, are not carbon copies, and have a great chemistry. I enjoyed getting a to know the side characters as well, especially since they are the subjects of the other books in the series. The flow of the story line was a struggle for me. At times it felt like things happened behind the scenes that the reader needed to know but was never told. Some things were cleared up after I went back and read the prequel. The time line also moves rapidly, which at time caused the occurrence of an event to feel unnatural to the time line. Overall I enjoyed the plot, and was completely shocked by the cliff hanger ending! Looking forward to the rest of the books in this series.

[Heidi H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a double review because you really need to read the prequel to Arden Coutts' Fall Into Midnight (aptly named Before We Fall) to truly understand everything more clearly.

Gray is a genderfluid security guard at the infamous Club Midnight. Hannah is an ER doctor with a threat on her life. A chance meeting sparks an instant connection causing their worlds to collide in an unexpected way.

Arden has written an intriguing story with
many twists and turns. The book moves at a rapid pace and there is always something new happening. I love the diversity of the characters and their interactions. I rarely see genderfluid characters, especially portrayed as well as Arden has written Gray.

If you love a fast moving, diverse romance, filled with action, get this book AND the prequel!

Spice level: 🌶️🌶️ (2/5) [Prequel spice is 1/5]

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fast-paced, action-packed story pulled me out of a mini-slump—I couldn’t put it down once I started! Hannah and Gray’s chemistry had me hooked from the beginning. Their moments together were electric, and I was constantly eager for their next encounter. At times, I found myself practically yelling, “Just kiss already!”

One of the highlights of this book is the representation of diverse characters, including POC, LGBTQ+, and gender-fluid identities. It adds a fresh and much-needed perspective to the story. And let’s just say, the wlw representation is 🔥. That shower scene? Whew, it had me blushing!😳

I’d recommend this book to anyone that’s looking for a queer love story with mature and even some dark themes. This book included drug use, violence, and steamy romance.

[Jill Jemmett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Hannah Winters goes to Club Midnight one night with her best friend and her two bodyguards. Despite not wanting to be there, Hannah has a chance encounter with one of the security guards, Gray, and she can’t get her out of her mind. Gray’s job at Club Midnight also involves getting into dangerous situations with her boss. Hannah and Gray quickly fall for each other, but their relationship is tested when their lives are threatened.

This was such a great, intense romance. Gray and Hannah had steamy chemistry. There was a surprising twist at the end of the story that I didn’t see coming. I’m so glad there are more books in this series because I loved these characters!

Fall into Midnight is a great start to the Fall Trilogy!

Thank you Arden Coutts for sending me a copy of this book!

[Mylene Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Club Midnight is not what it seems. Gray and Hannah get caught up in it's shady dealings. Gray already has a scar that shows all is not what it seems. Can they navigate the murky waters to come out clean without further damage? This is a F/F relationship. The grammar needs attention as it spoils the smooth read of a otherwise good story.

[LPurtz · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good! I really enjoyed this book, the format was great and it was so well done. It was hard to put this book down. I read it in two days because I couldn’t wait to see what happens next. Some of the twists were totally unexpected. I highly recommend!

[Kristie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hannah doesn't normally go to night clubs, but is glad she went when she meets Gray, a genderqueer security guard at the club Midnight.

Fall into Midnight was a well written engaging novel. I really liked both Hannah and Gray as characters, and found their romance endearing. The twists and turns were great and I flew through this book. I also liked the side characters and can't wait to read book 2 to dive more into Kee and Marcus's romance in Fall Into Me.

4 stars

[Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and did NOT expect the twist! Looking forward to the next in the series.