What do you think?
Rate this book
Valentine's Day #2
Love Gently Falling
Rita Jansen is living her dream as a hairstylist in Hollywood when her father calls with news that her mother has suffered a stroke. When she gets home to Chicago, Rita finds her mother is healing but facing a long recovery. Worse, without being able to run their family-owned salon, her mother could lose the business. Rita decides to help, but she only has until Valentine's Day to come up with a plan.
As Rita takes her mother's place at work, the nearby skating rink she loved as a child brings back fond memories. Rita also finds herself renewing friendships with her childhood best friend, Marley, as well as her classmate Johnny. Although they now lead such seemingly different lives, Rita is surprised by how well she and Johnny connect and how far he will go to help her. Though Rita believes Johnny is only being kind, with romance kindling in the air and on the ice, their friendship may just fall into something more.
As Rita takes her mother's place at work, the nearby skating rink she loved as a child brings back fond memories. Rita also finds herself renewing friendships with her childhood best friend, Marley, as well as her classmate Johnny. Although they now lead such seemingly different lives, Rita is surprised by how well she and Johnny connect and how far he will go to help her. Though Rita believes Johnny is only being kind, with romance kindling in the air and on the ice, their friendship may just fall into something more.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 6, 2015
22 people are currently reading
655 people want to read
About the author
Melody Carlson
425 books3,291 followersMelody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books, several of them Christmas novellas from Revell, including her much-loved and bestselling book, The Christmas Bus.
She also writes many teen books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series.
Melody was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books, including the Notes from a Spinning Planet series and Finding Alice, which is in production as a Lifetime Television movie. She and her husband serve on the Young Life adult committee in central Oregon.
She also writes many teen books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series.
Melody was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books, including the Notes from a Spinning Planet series and Finding Alice, which is in production as a Lifetime Television movie. She and her husband serve on the Young Life adult committee in central Oregon.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
February 11, 2021
This was another cute Valentine’s Day book by Melody Carlson. I’m really enjoying this series. I liked Johnny and Rita. They were fun together. I loved how Rita was re-doing her Mom’s hair salon. That was fun to read about. Zinnia was so annoying though. Marley was okay. I liked Rita’s parents and brother. I did feel like the romance/ending was rushed there at the end,but other than that I really enjoyed it.
August 31, 2020
2.5 stars
This one’s a really light romance centered around Valentine’s Day. I enjoyed the unique setting of a holiday that doesn’t always get much attention in fiction.
Rita didn’t really win me over very well. Her snobbery about the lead guy’s profession was really annoying even though she was the one who blatantly misunderstood his position (it was clear from the beginning to the reader). It bugged me even more that she didn’t get over being miffed about his “lack of ambition” until she found out she’d misunderstood. A man’s job isn’t the #1 thing a woman should worry about when meeting a guy...top ten maybe, but not #1. That made bonding with her awkward.
The other parts of the story were fun (particularly the salon makeover). I thought the ending was rushed but it did give a general idea what happened next with Rita and Johnny, though sadly not giving hints much on anyone else.
This one’s a really light romance centered around Valentine’s Day. I enjoyed the unique setting of a holiday that doesn’t always get much attention in fiction.
Rita didn’t really win me over very well. Her snobbery about the lead guy’s profession was really annoying even though she was the one who blatantly misunderstood his position (it was clear from the beginning to the reader). It bugged me even more that she didn’t get over being miffed about his “lack of ambition” until she found out she’d misunderstood. A man’s job isn’t the #1 thing a woman should worry about when meeting a guy...top ten maybe, but not #1. That made bonding with her awkward.
The other parts of the story were fun (particularly the salon makeover). I thought the ending was rushed but it did give a general idea what happened next with Rita and Johnny, though sadly not giving hints much on anyone else.
February 1, 2024
Real love is alive in the shaggy sensibility of this light and very romantic story!
January 6, 2022
Love Gently Falling is the second book in the Valentine's Day series written by Melody Carlson. This is the perfect book to curl up in a cozy blanket and have a cup of hot chocolate while reading. This was such a sweet and fast read that I really enjoyed but the ending was a bit abrupt. Melody Carlson has been one of my many favorite authors that I will continue to keep reading. The story line is very easy to follow, this book is unputdownable. I'm so glad I picked up this book, because it was just a stellar read, and I recommend it to anybody!
"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger".
Rita Jansen is living a smooth life with her roommates and living her dream as a hairstylist in California. One morning Rita was faking at being an ice skater in her apartment when her father calls her to let Rita know that her mother Donna has suffered a stroke. Rita returns to Chicago to care for her mom, but finds her in the hospital healing but Rita learns her mom has a long recovery ahead. Rita's father Richard and her brother Ricky thought that Donna wouldn't make it through this stroke. That just broke my heart and left a lump in my throat.
When Rita arrives at the Chicago airport she thought she was taking the train to the hospital, but Rita hears her name being called, Rita notices it's Johnny Hollister, an old high school classmate of Rita's picking her up at the airport. Donna has a family-owned hair salon, but with her long recovery she can't work, and Donna can possibly lose her business. Rita decides to step in and help, but she only has until Valentine's Day to come up with a plan to keep the hair salon up and running. Rita learns that Johnny is a janitor at Jolly Janitors, a company he inherited from his grandfather.
As Rita takes her mother's place at work, the nearby skating rink Rita loved as a child brings back fond memories. Rita notices that the hair salon looks trashy and losing clients, Rita decides to give the salon a complete make over. Rita also finds herself renewing friendships with her childhood best friend, Marley along with Johnny. When Rita realizes she's in competition with Zinnia, another hair dresser at the mall, she's determined to make the hair salon so beautiful. I found Johnny, Rita, and her family so sweet, but Zinnia seemed a bit too snotty for me.
"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger".
Rita Jansen is living a smooth life with her roommates and living her dream as a hairstylist in California. One morning Rita was faking at being an ice skater in her apartment when her father calls her to let Rita know that her mother Donna has suffered a stroke. Rita returns to Chicago to care for her mom, but finds her in the hospital healing but Rita learns her mom has a long recovery ahead. Rita's father Richard and her brother Ricky thought that Donna wouldn't make it through this stroke. That just broke my heart and left a lump in my throat.
When Rita arrives at the Chicago airport she thought she was taking the train to the hospital, but Rita hears her name being called, Rita notices it's Johnny Hollister, an old high school classmate of Rita's picking her up at the airport. Donna has a family-owned hair salon, but with her long recovery she can't work, and Donna can possibly lose her business. Rita decides to step in and help, but she only has until Valentine's Day to come up with a plan to keep the hair salon up and running. Rita learns that Johnny is a janitor at Jolly Janitors, a company he inherited from his grandfather.
As Rita takes her mother's place at work, the nearby skating rink Rita loved as a child brings back fond memories. Rita notices that the hair salon looks trashy and losing clients, Rita decides to give the salon a complete make over. Rita also finds herself renewing friendships with her childhood best friend, Marley along with Johnny. When Rita realizes she's in competition with Zinnia, another hair dresser at the mall, she's determined to make the hair salon so beautiful. I found Johnny, Rita, and her family so sweet, but Zinnia seemed a bit too snotty for me.
February 13, 2022
If it weren’t for the sudden ending, I would have likely rated this book higher. It was a cute read set leading up to Valentine’s Day.
February 24, 2016
A phone call can change your life, which is exactly what happens in Love Gently Falling by Melody Carlson. For Rita Jansen, everything was going smooth until her father called her up with horrible news regarding her mother having a stroke. Her father made it clear that he wasn't sure if she would make it and Rita needed to come immediately. Rita leaves California in a flurry much to her surprise when arriving at the Chicago airport to find Johnny Hollister waiting to bring her to the hospital. During the drive, Rita learns a lot about her mother's salon and the clientele. She has also learned that Johnny has opened his own business.
Upon arriving at the hospital, she learns more about the recovery process for her mother's stroke than anticipated. Rita decides while she is in town, she will help her mother out by making some renovations to the salon or soon her mother may lose her source of income, which will be detrimental to her mother's lively hood and ability to heal faster. Will Rita be able to pull off getting the Salon done in two weeks? Or do past relationships put a halt to the salon efforts? Is Johnny the love of her life or just some man she liked the idea of being in love with?
Overall, this book is a fun read that is light-hearted, romantic, but also has some serious moments when necessary. It is the perfect Valentine's Day read, and the author leaves you with a surprise, so don't forget to check it out!
Thank you to Center Street Publishing for providing me a complimentary copy for my honest opinion. I was not compensated for a positive review but was given a copy for review purposes. This book is 4/5 stars for me. I have given this rating because it ended rather stark and I would have liked to see Melody tie the ending up better. She left us with some loose ends, which might be strategic for another book in the future, which I'd love to see.
Upon arriving at the hospital, she learns more about the recovery process for her mother's stroke than anticipated. Rita decides while she is in town, she will help her mother out by making some renovations to the salon or soon her mother may lose her source of income, which will be detrimental to her mother's lively hood and ability to heal faster. Will Rita be able to pull off getting the Salon done in two weeks? Or do past relationships put a halt to the salon efforts? Is Johnny the love of her life or just some man she liked the idea of being in love with?
Overall, this book is a fun read that is light-hearted, romantic, but also has some serious moments when necessary. It is the perfect Valentine's Day read, and the author leaves you with a surprise, so don't forget to check it out!
Thank you to Center Street Publishing for providing me a complimentary copy for my honest opinion. I was not compensated for a positive review but was given a copy for review purposes. This book is 4/5 stars for me. I have given this rating because it ended rather stark and I would have liked to see Melody tie the ending up better. She left us with some loose ends, which might be strategic for another book in the future, which I'd love to see.
i-grew-weary-dnf
March 5, 2025Sometimes I love this author's books, and sometimes I really dislike her protagonists. This book is unfortunately one of the latter. The story isn't holding my attention and I don't like the main character. DNFing about halfway through.
March 8, 2024
Very good book once again! Easy read. I’ll be looking for one or two more of hers tomorrow!
January 2, 2015
Bubby: I can't really argue with that. There's a delightful misunderstanding that occurs in the story that made me laugh and the relationship between Rita and her parents is very sweet and loving. Love Gently Falling is a perfect curl up on the couch with a cup of cocoa kind of book. Great for this next week when the kids (finally!) go back to school and the house is quiet again!
Sissy: Today at my house it is 12 degrees with a "real-feel" of -4 because of windchill. It is the kind of day where you get a blanket and read a good book like Love Gently Falling by Melody Carlson.
Bubby: Are you saying you want me to leave your house and go home so that you can read books in solitude?
Sissy: Yep. Get out.
Read our full review of Love Gently Falling by Melody Carlson.
Sissy: Today at my house it is 12 degrees with a "real-feel" of -4 because of windchill. It is the kind of day where you get a blanket and read a good book like Love Gently Falling by Melody Carlson.
Bubby: Are you saying you want me to leave your house and go home so that you can read books in solitude?
Sissy: Yep. Get out.
Read our full review of Love Gently Falling by Melody Carlson.
January 25, 2015
Between 2 and 3 stars. I didn't really like Rita and she didn't improve much. I didn't like how snooty she was about a janitor (supposedly) when she was a hair dresser herself. I also didn't care for how critical she was of her moms business and talking about it to her moms employees. No loyalty? If I don't like the main character, I'm not going to enjoy the story :( I recommend Once Upon A Winter's Heart. Now that a cute short story similar to this but likable characters!!
August 12, 2015
I absolutely love Melody Carlson's books, and her seasonal novellas are always a special treat. This book was adorable, and it definitely left me with a smile on my face.
January 19, 2015
This was a cute book, but it ended just a little too abruptly for me.
December 1, 2018
Actually less than 2 stars.
This is a mental twinkie and not a very good one. The story has virtually no substance. For such a short book, a lot of space is wasted on describing inconsequential things in excruciating detail. I picked up this book because ice skating is part of the story. It started out well enough with a 20something woman (Rita) expressing interest in getting involved in ice skating. Not much skating after that. She struggles with her own shallowness toward an old friend who is seemingly employed as a janitor. If you don't see this one coming from the first mention of his profession, you are as stupid and shallow as Rita.
The story itself is centered on her mother's and friends' businesses in a shopping mall, which were basically on their way out in 2015, when the book was published. I wondered if it was supposed to be set 10-20 years earlier but references to social media made that unlikely. Overall, the time context seemed disjointed.
The 20something main character went away to beauty school in California and was hired, apparently right after graduation, by an upscale Beverly Hills salon where she has several unnamed celebrity clients. How likely is that?
If you want a very simple, quick beach read, this might be the thing if you can suspend disbelief for a couple of hours.
This is a mental twinkie and not a very good one. The story has virtually no substance. For such a short book, a lot of space is wasted on describing inconsequential things in excruciating detail. I picked up this book because ice skating is part of the story. It started out well enough with a 20something woman (Rita) expressing interest in getting involved in ice skating. Not much skating after that. She struggles with her own shallowness toward an old friend who is seemingly employed as a janitor. If you don't see this one coming from the first mention of his profession, you are as stupid and shallow as Rita.
The story itself is centered on her mother's and friends' businesses in a shopping mall, which were basically on their way out in 2015, when the book was published. I wondered if it was supposed to be set 10-20 years earlier but references to social media made that unlikely. Overall, the time context seemed disjointed.
The 20something main character went away to beauty school in California and was hired, apparently right after graduation, by an upscale Beverly Hills salon where she has several unnamed celebrity clients. How likely is that?
If you want a very simple, quick beach read, this might be the thing if you can suspend disbelief for a couple of hours.
August 11, 2017
This was a cute story that I was able to read in a few hours but it didn't have the closure I was looking for. Yes, there was a potential happily-ever-after but considering Johnny lives in Chicago and Rita in California is a future really possible? I was hoping there would be a connected story if not part of a series.
There was family and friends, reconnecting, illness, makeovers, jealousy and lots involving the hair salon business. There was some romance but not enough.
I loved the cover that was retro and meshed nicely with the story and also the title of the book.
Carlson is a new to me author and I'll give some of her other books a try hoping for better closure.
There was family and friends, reconnecting, illness, makeovers, jealousy and lots involving the hair salon business. There was some romance but not enough.
I loved the cover that was retro and meshed nicely with the story and also the title of the book.
Carlson is a new to me author and I'll give some of her other books a try hoping for better closure.
September 29, 2025
3.75
Ugh.
On the fence.
Loved:
The cover
The cleanliness
The description of the makeover
Meh:
The main character.
Yikes. I could not connect with Rita. First of all I kept getting confused with the character. Rita in real live is an elderly lady who plays bingo with my mom. So I had trouble connecting an “old name” with a young character. But that’s just me. But Rita. Yeah. I have no idea why I could not connect with her.
The book was cute. And I had not problem with the male lead. For the most part.
Either way, I’m a huge Melody Carlson fan. I’m not giving up on her just because I had no connection with Rita.
Ugh.
On the fence.
Loved:
The cover
The cleanliness
The description of the makeover
Meh:
The main character.
Yikes. I could not connect with Rita. First of all I kept getting confused with the character. Rita in real live is an elderly lady who plays bingo with my mom. So I had trouble connecting an “old name” with a young character. But that’s just me. But Rita. Yeah. I have no idea why I could not connect with her.
The book was cute. And I had not problem with the male lead. For the most part.
Either way, I’m a huge Melody Carlson fan. I’m not giving up on her just because I had no connection with Rita.
August 5, 2017
This was a delightful little romance. It was a simple story and the romance was very gentle. It didn't seem to monopolize the basic story of a young woman, Rita, Who went back home to take care of her mother who had a stroke. Everything seemed natural that happened as she was there in her hometown reliving some of the issues from her past. I really enjoyed how she went an out remodeling her mothers hair salon and her interaction with her family. This was a very enjoyable, relaxing experience for me.
December 31, 2020
This is the one of three books in a series of Valentine Holiday Novellas. They are not connected and can be read in any order. I read the other two in the series at the beginning of this year and enjoyed both. This one was also a quick enjoyable read. I do feel that the story ended a little too quickly. I really would have liked to find out what Rita decided to do with her life and more about her & Johnny's relationship. Melody Carlson is always good for a feel good Christian read. This is the sixth book of Carlson's that I read this year.
January 24, 2026
Time to come home
I liked this book because it was real. The story was not exaggerated to the point that you knew it could never be truth. It was the story of a daughter coming home to help her family while her Mother is recuperating from a stroke. Her Mother owns a Hair Salon and what the girl does is heart warming. I think this good would touch all age groups. Melody Carlson did an outstanding job. Read it.
I liked this book because it was real. The story was not exaggerated to the point that you knew it could never be truth. It was the story of a daughter coming home to help her family while her Mother is recuperating from a stroke. Her Mother owns a Hair Salon and what the girl does is heart warming. I think this good would touch all age groups. Melody Carlson did an outstanding job. Read it.
December 25, 2017
A midwest family struggles to make ends meet...the father was demoted with lesser pay, the son has had a sports accident and Mom, who owns a Beauty Salon has suffered a stroke. Rita their daughter who now works in Beverly Hills as a hairdresser flies home to help care for her Mom.
This was a lovely written story of family commitment and love found.
This was a lovely written story of family commitment and love found.
September 22, 2019
A little bit blah. More about helping out her mom than falling in love. A sweet little story if you like elementary school love stories. But still cute and kept my attention. Just nothing I’d consider a love story.
July 14, 2017
I read readers digest large type
2017 # 1 (almost worthless)
2017 # 1 (almost worthless)
December 29, 2017
Fun read for a snowy day. If you're looking for great depth and heart-wrenching drama, this is not the book to read.
February 2, 2018
Well written romance.
February 11, 2019
Absolutely positively sweet. You should read it!
January 1, 2020
A very cute quick read.
January 16, 2021
This was a good book with a happy ending.
February 20, 2021
I enjoyed the book but I felt like the ending was very rushed, it could have done with another chapter or so to round things off better
February 26, 2021
A cute little book about love and family. Loved the main characters and except for Zinnia. Loved the ending.
April 8, 2021
I liked this book overall but the ending felt rushed and abrupt.
March 10, 2024
Love her books. A quick read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews