Molly Chapman, a mother of three, finds her once-loving marriage falling apart.. Struggling with her mental health and neurodivergence, she seeks support from her psychiatrist.
To escape her troubled home life, Molly walks her puppy along the beach, where she encounters a handsome stranger.
One night, after another fight with her husband, Molly contemplates taking her own life but falls from the sea wall under mysterious circumstances.
Injured and in a coma, Molly wakes up with no memory of her life and a stranger by her bedside.
As Molly questions her new reality, will she uncover the truth and regain her memory, or will she learn to live a the lie?
Born in the momentous year of the Silver Jubilee, 1977, Louise, affectionately known as Lou, spent her formative years in Tonbridge, Kent. Following her college education, she found herself employed by the local council, all the while nurturing a deep passion for writing, particularly poetry. At the tender age of 20, Lou welcomed her first child, a daughter named Tianny.
In 2003, Lou married and subsequently expanding her family with two boys, Kieran and Thomas.
The family's journey took a geographical turn in 2005 when they relocated to Blackpool to undertake the management of a small hotel on Wellington Road.
Welcoming another daughter, Emily, in 2008, and a son, Benjamin, in 2010, coinciding with the family's decision to settle in residential living. The entrepreneurial spirit persisted, and in 2013, amidst running a flourishing café on Holmfield Road, Lou and her family enjoyed the arrival of yet another daughter, Amelia.
The ebb and flow of life took an emotional turn in 2021 when Lou, feeling the pull of her roots, chose an amicable separation and divorce from her husband.
Settling in Hastings, East Sussex in 2022, Lou rekindled a romance with her childhood sweetheart, Andi, culminating in their marriage in 2023.
Together, they established a home in Hastings, sharing it with Lou's two youngest daughters and a delightful assortment of family pets including a Dogue de Bordeaux, a Pug, and two cats.
The fabric of Lou's contented life was unexpectedly frayed when, a mere three days after returning home, tragedy struck.
Her mother was diagnosed with terminal stage 4 lung cancer.
Lou and her brother cared for their Mum during her final days, Honouring her wish to remain at home rather than seek hospital care.
Despite the profound loss, Lou, now settled and content with her life, channelled her spare time into a creative endeavour – the writing of her debut book, "The Fall." In the midst of life's unpredictable twists, she found solace and purpose in crafting her own narrative on the pages of her newfound literary venture.
Ms Eade has an almost melodic writing style that is very original and intriguing.
Most of the characters were deep, interesting and likable. The storyline was unique.
I did find the story started off fairly slow, mainly because Molly's life seemed to be unbearably dull. It did pick up about a third of the way through the book.
Looking forward to what the next book has in store for us.
A biased review i know as i am her husband but I have followed this book from its early stages from the original ideas, notes and draft copies. As I've watched the tale unfold with several ideas thrown in to assist with the gripping nature of the story Lou finally made it to the end of in my opinion is an easy to follow yet deep plot along with some fantastic characters. And seeing this in paperback & hardback is her dream come true. Now looking forward to the next installments of the series.....
A new author to me, I absolutely loved it. It was beautifully written and had an exciting, engaging plot. Great suspense, characters are relatable, and the ending was brilliantly executed. I was immersed into the story. I look forward to the next book in her series
In "The Fall: The Molly Chapman Series, Book 1," Molly Chapman is a mother grappling with ADHD and depression, finding brief refuge in her daily walks with her dog, Daisy to the nearby seawall. As Molly seeks an escape from her crumbling world, she meets Gerry, a fellow Dogue De Bordeaux owner, and feels an undeniable connection. Her solace is disrupted by a tumultuous marriage to Ray, whose escalating aggression turns abusive. But as tensions rise at home, Molly’s life takes a tragic turn when a heated argument leads her to the seawall, contemplating the unthinkable. In a twist of fate, an accident leaves her in a coma, awakening to find her memory wiped clean and Gerry by her side, posing as her husband. As Molly navigates her new reality, the boundaries between truth and deception blur, leaving her to question whether she can reclaim her past or if she must embrace a life built on lies. Reading "The Fall: The Molly Chapman Series, Book 1," I found myself deeply invested in Molly's journey. Her character is compelling, offering a window into the struggles of mental illness and the search for hope amidst despair. The author, Lou Eade, masterfully crafts each character, making them feel genuine and grounded in reality. I was particularly drawn to the vivid imagery and well-balanced descriptions that painted a clear picture of Molly's world without overwhelming my senses. However, at some points, I did yearn for a bit more dialogue to further flesh out the interactions between characters. One aspect that both intrigued and occasionally confused me was the multi-perspective narrative. While it's fascinating to delve into the minds of Molly, Gerry, and who seemed to be an omniscient narrator, the transitions between viewpoints were sometimes jarring. I believe clearer indicators of perspective shifts could enhance the reading experience. Despite this, the multi-layered storytelling adds depth to the narrative, allowing readers to explore the complexities of each character's motivations and emotions.
Despite this, the book's deep dive into drama, mystery, and deception, along with its themes of mental illness and abuse, kept me completely captivated. The tension between Molly's memories and her present reality is enthralling, urging me to read on quickly. Each chapter builds on the last, creating a tapestry of suspense and intrigue that is hard to resist. With a stunning cliffhanger that ignites my curiosity, I am eager to jump into the next installment, "The Forgotten," to uncover more of this captivating and unfolding narrative. Book Rating: Originality: 4.75 / 5.0 Plot Structure: 4.75 / 5.0 Pacing: 4.5 / 5.0 Dialogue: 4.25 / 5.0 Personal Enjoyment: 4.25 / 5.0 Cover Design: 4.25 / 5.0 (Not averaged in the overall rating.) Overall Rating: 4.5 / 5.0 (Rating will be rounded up due to platforms not allowing partial ratings.)
✨Enjoyed reading this book... the situations, the problems, and the conversations between different characters. The book starts with a beautiful setup and ends with an amazing twist.
There are characters in this book that I hate because of the things that they did. There are characters that I feel sorry for.
Looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
There are so many beautiful lines in this book. I love these lines from this book. If you plan to read this book, don't read these lines.
✅Is this truly happening, or is it a nightmare?
✅ You can’t take things with you, so you may as well offer them to the people you love while you are alive.
✅That, my dear... is one thing I would never do. You have been through that before, but I am here to love and protect, not to hurt you. Always remember that.
✅But... if there is one thing I want you to try and remember, no matter what happens. It is that he loves you so very much, always has and always will.
I can see from the other reviews for The Fall that I am in the minority here. Ms. Eade has created a wonderful story I should have thoroughly enjoyed, but the execution left much to be desired. The story starts in the first person present point of view. It's not my favorite, but one I've become used to as more and more authors use it. But then, out of a clear blue sky and without warning, she changes the point of view to the third person present. The first time it occurred I thought I had pages missing, but when I looked back and reread, I found I had not missed anything. Ms. Eade had simply changed it. This continued throughout the remainder of the book and it nearly drove me to distraction. I found myself constantly being jarred out of the flow of the story because I had to try and figure out which character was being talked about. I'm sure this was used as a hook to draw readers in, but it did the opposite for me.
Then Ms. Eade pulled my pet peeve with no warning. She ended on a cliffhanger. To say I was irritated is an understatement. I struggled with the changing point of view to find out how the story concluded and I was cheated. I'd love to know what ultimately happens to Molly but my frustration level can only stand so much.
I received a review copy from the author via BookSirens and this review is my honest opinion.