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Falling Like a Rock
Unloved and unemployed. That’s Elaine Svoboda, after she’s sacked, then flees across country to her boyfriend who drops her flat. Teetering on the abyss of disaster, she calls an old friend who invites her to a tiny mountain town with fresh prospects. There she meets rugged, hunky Joe Richter-Leon, mayor of Falling Rock.
Maybe he can help her find a job. Maybe they can become friends, even share romance. Sparks fly immediately, but major obstacles make a new life on the ashes of the old appear impossible. Joe’s consumed with challenges like the dismal local economy and an impetuous sister. Elaine butts heads with him at every turn in the rocky road. But are her bungling attempts to help causing the problem? Or does she remind him of a greedy, selfish ex-wife?
Before they can build a new life on the ashes of the old, she must overcome a few obstacles like a broken ankle, an eating disturbance, his stubbornness, and her own fears. She’s smothering her hopes when a battle with a forest inferno illuminates their true feelings and desire.
Funny and frank, poignant and perceptive, when two people are “Falling Like a Rock,” they learn surrender sometimes means victory.
Maybe he can help her find a job. Maybe they can become friends, even share romance. Sparks fly immediately, but major obstacles make a new life on the ashes of the old appear impossible. Joe’s consumed with challenges like the dismal local economy and an impetuous sister. Elaine butts heads with him at every turn in the rocky road. But are her bungling attempts to help causing the problem? Or does she remind him of a greedy, selfish ex-wife?
Before they can build a new life on the ashes of the old, she must overcome a few obstacles like a broken ankle, an eating disturbance, his stubbornness, and her own fears. She’s smothering her hopes when a battle with a forest inferno illuminates their true feelings and desire.
Funny and frank, poignant and perceptive, when two people are “Falling Like a Rock,” they learn surrender sometimes means victory.
ebook
First published July 15, 2014
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284 people want to read
About the author
Bonnie McCune
10 books35 followersBonnie McCune has been writing since age ten, when the Saturday Evening Post rejected a submission. She lives in Colorado and is the author of novels, novellas and short stories. Her entire family is book-mad. Her interest in writing facilitated her career in nonprofits doing public and community relations. Simultaneously, she’s been a free-lance feature writer. Her secret love is live theater. Had she been nine inches taller and thirty pounds lighter, she might have been an actress. Her civic involvement includes grass-roots organizations, political campaigns, writers’ and arts’ groups, and children’s literacy. For years, she entered recipe contests and was a finalist once to the Pillsbury Cook Off.
Now her true passion is fiction. Her credits include five women’s novels, short stories, and a number of writing awards. Bonnie’s writing explores the highs and lows of everyday people and their unique lives with humor, close attention, and appreciation. She feels people don’t need to be flamboyant or rich or aggressive, on television or splashed over the Internet, shrieking foul language or parading in flashy clothes, or even simply annoying, in order to be interesting.
McCune describes her writing as a new type of women’s fiction. Unafraid to debate contemporary concerns, it pulls no punches to provide a fresh look at age-old issues. She says, “This is your kind of writing if you think people are smarter than every phone, you’ll take a human any day over the most advanced app, and you can laugh at yourself as well as others.”
Her blog addresses "ordinary people, extraordinary lives.” She has a husband, two adult children, and three grandchildren. For reasons unknown (an unacknowledged optimism?), she believes that one person can make a difference in this world. To connect with her, see www.BonnieMcCune.com, twitter.com/bonniemccune, www.facebook.com/AuthorBonnieMcCune, www.linkedin.com/in/BonnieMcCune,, Instagram authorbonniemccune.
Now her true passion is fiction. Her credits include five women’s novels, short stories, and a number of writing awards. Bonnie’s writing explores the highs and lows of everyday people and their unique lives with humor, close attention, and appreciation. She feels people don’t need to be flamboyant or rich or aggressive, on television or splashed over the Internet, shrieking foul language or parading in flashy clothes, or even simply annoying, in order to be interesting.
McCune describes her writing as a new type of women’s fiction. Unafraid to debate contemporary concerns, it pulls no punches to provide a fresh look at age-old issues. She says, “This is your kind of writing if you think people are smarter than every phone, you’ll take a human any day over the most advanced app, and you can laugh at yourself as well as others.”
Her blog addresses "ordinary people, extraordinary lives.” She has a husband, two adult children, and three grandchildren. For reasons unknown (an unacknowledged optimism?), she believes that one person can make a difference in this world. To connect with her, see www.BonnieMcCune.com, twitter.com/bonniemccune, www.facebook.com/AuthorBonnieMcCune, www.linkedin.com/in/BonnieMcCune,, Instagram authorbonniemccune.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 31, 2016
Favorite Quotes:
“No one in Elaine’s circle favored her relationship with Dan Johnson, who was known as ‘CBD’ to the inner circle, or ‘cute-but-dumb’ in the family parlance.”
“I know he’s absolutely gorgeous, what with that blond mop and the spread of those shoulders, but as for me, I’d get tired of a guy who spent more time on personal grooming than I did.”
“I have a suspicion that you and he are like magnets. You’ll either attract or repel one another. As much as he denies an interest, you itch him where he can’t or won’t scratch.”
“Sparks flew every time they had a conversation – the kind that set off gunfire and warfare. They couldn’t agree on a single topic.”
My Review:
Falling Like A Rock is an effusively detailed, clean, and inspiration romance that would be well suited for my mother and her church ladies book club. In other words, it is not my usual cup of tea, yet it provided moments of levity and insightful observations. The main character of Elaine is a remarkably shallow, immature, and insecure woman who suffers from significant feelings of inadequacy when she compares herself to her siblings and parental expectations. She expects perfection in herself and others, and despite her penchant for adages and affirmations, she tends to focus on the negatives since perfection is always an impossibility. When she loses her job, she has nightmares of homelessness and poverty, and impulsively sets off across the country to seek employment and live with her supposed boyfriend. Far away from her family and lacking a support system, Elaine is forced to deal with not only her poor decisions and personal shortcomings, but a natural disaster as well. The plot and problems she experiences are relevant and current to many women, and I cringe some to admit, I saw myself a few times in her struggle.
“No one in Elaine’s circle favored her relationship with Dan Johnson, who was known as ‘CBD’ to the inner circle, or ‘cute-but-dumb’ in the family parlance.”
“I know he’s absolutely gorgeous, what with that blond mop and the spread of those shoulders, but as for me, I’d get tired of a guy who spent more time on personal grooming than I did.”
“I have a suspicion that you and he are like magnets. You’ll either attract or repel one another. As much as he denies an interest, you itch him where he can’t or won’t scratch.”
“Sparks flew every time they had a conversation – the kind that set off gunfire and warfare. They couldn’t agree on a single topic.”
My Review:
Falling Like A Rock is an effusively detailed, clean, and inspiration romance that would be well suited for my mother and her church ladies book club. In other words, it is not my usual cup of tea, yet it provided moments of levity and insightful observations. The main character of Elaine is a remarkably shallow, immature, and insecure woman who suffers from significant feelings of inadequacy when she compares herself to her siblings and parental expectations. She expects perfection in herself and others, and despite her penchant for adages and affirmations, she tends to focus on the negatives since perfection is always an impossibility. When she loses her job, she has nightmares of homelessness and poverty, and impulsively sets off across the country to seek employment and live with her supposed boyfriend. Far away from her family and lacking a support system, Elaine is forced to deal with not only her poor decisions and personal shortcomings, but a natural disaster as well. The plot and problems she experiences are relevant and current to many women, and I cringe some to admit, I saw myself a few times in her struggle.
July 14, 2015
3.5 - Good Book
Characters were flawed and had real issues they were dealing with. I didn't really connect with any of them. Some editing errors. Don't regret the time I spent reading it but not a favorite.
Content: Clean (a few sexual references mentioned)
Characters were flawed and had real issues they were dealing with. I didn't really connect with any of them. Some editing errors. Don't regret the time I spent reading it but not a favorite.
Content: Clean (a few sexual references mentioned)
July 18, 2014
Once again Bonnie McCune has written a witty novel full of the emotions and turmoil of life. She approaches sensitive human circumstances with care and assurance making the characters real and believable.
Elaine Svoboda finds herself in Falling Rock, a small mountain community, without a job, recently dumped by her egotistical boyfriend, and fearing she’ll never measure up to her families’ expectations. One thing Elaine does have going for her, is her honesty.
She digs into the community, secures a grant for a health program and wins the approval of Mayor Joe, the town hunk, who she has been at odds with since first introduced. But in an effort to meet his standards, she throws her honesty out the window and lies to him and their relationship crumbles.
When a fast moving forest fire breaks out and they both pitch in to help, the danger makes them realize what they’ve come to mean to each other.
The vivid descriptions of the Colorado high country and the heart pounding terror of the fast approaching fire makes this a highly recommended read.
Elaine Svoboda finds herself in Falling Rock, a small mountain community, without a job, recently dumped by her egotistical boyfriend, and fearing she’ll never measure up to her families’ expectations. One thing Elaine does have going for her, is her honesty.
She digs into the community, secures a grant for a health program and wins the approval of Mayor Joe, the town hunk, who she has been at odds with since first introduced. But in an effort to meet his standards, she throws her honesty out the window and lies to him and their relationship crumbles.
When a fast moving forest fire breaks out and they both pitch in to help, the danger makes them realize what they’ve come to mean to each other.
The vivid descriptions of the Colorado high country and the heart pounding terror of the fast approaching fire makes this a highly recommended read.
October 13, 2014
Elaine Svoboda’s life feels like one teeter-totter escapade after another. On the hunt for a new position after her hospital marketing job is down-sized, she holes up with her fiance, only to discover he’s planning on ditching her for a new love.
She can’t go home with her tail between her legs, and jumps at the chance to find a new life, or at least lick her wounds for a while, when a college friend offers her a hideout in rural Colorado, a town named Falling Rock, with a mayor whose got tons of issues of his own.
Elaine’s world was built around being professional, though she needs a few lessons on gentleness. In an attempt to help her find meaningful work in this economically challenged community, Mayor Joe’s little sister, a nursing student, helps her work on a grant which would encourage healthy citizens. But what can be worse than a hunk of a mayor challenging the grant-writer to a weight-loss test? Mortification and perfectionism cause tension as these two butt heads along the way to trust and love.
A great tale of adventure, danger, and romance.
She can’t go home with her tail between her legs, and jumps at the chance to find a new life, or at least lick her wounds for a while, when a college friend offers her a hideout in rural Colorado, a town named Falling Rock, with a mayor whose got tons of issues of his own.
Elaine’s world was built around being professional, though she needs a few lessons on gentleness. In an attempt to help her find meaningful work in this economically challenged community, Mayor Joe’s little sister, a nursing student, helps her work on a grant which would encourage healthy citizens. But what can be worse than a hunk of a mayor challenging the grant-writer to a weight-loss test? Mortification and perfectionism cause tension as these two butt heads along the way to trust and love.
A great tale of adventure, danger, and romance.
August 29, 2014
This is a chick flick in book form! The main character is a self-centered, immature young woman that has trouble taking responsibility for her own actions and spends a great deal of emotional energy blaming others, from her parents, siblings, bosses to boyfriends, for her problems. I don't want to be a spoiler but it does turn out well in the end. Fun airplane or vacation book as it is a quick and easy read.
M.J. Evans, Author
Behind the Mist, Mists of Darkness, The Rising Mist, North Mystic
M.J. Evans, Author
Behind the Mist, Mists of Darkness, The Rising Mist, North Mystic
May 25, 2015
3.5 STARS
An okay read, but Elaine's character really frustrated me because she just accepted things and kept going. I mean first Dan and then Joe constantly disrespected her and he asks her out and she just says Yes. It kind of felt like she was disconnected to reality a bit, which in turn made me feel disconnected to her character.
An okay read, but Elaine's character really frustrated me because she just accepted things and kept going. I mean first Dan and then Joe constantly disrespected her and he asks her out and she just says Yes. It kind of felt like she was disconnected to reality a bit, which in turn made me feel disconnected to her character.
December 15, 2014
I would give this story 3 1/2 stars as the plot was interesting and I was happy with the conclusion. My only issue was it didn't captivate and hold my attention to the very end.
December 6, 2017
I did recieve this book through a goodreads giveaway and appreciate the opportunity to read it.
If you like Hallmark movies you will like this book. The first half of the book I liked. Then the back and forth with Joe and Elaine needed more. Towards the end the author tried to add things to make the story more enticing hence wild fire, bulimia, house broken into but for me those things were rushed thru within a few pages. One minute they still didn't like eachother and then they were madly in love. This book didnt have the romance for me either to make it a hit beyond pg for me.
If you like Hallmark movies you will like this book. The first half of the book I liked. Then the back and forth with Joe and Elaine needed more. Towards the end the author tried to add things to make the story more enticing hence wild fire, bulimia, house broken into but for me those things were rushed thru within a few pages. One minute they still didn't like eachother and then they were madly in love. This book didnt have the romance for me either to make it a hit beyond pg for me.
October 29, 2020
This is a great clean romance placed in Colorado. What a treat for local readers to get a chance to escape in a book placed literally in their backyard! The author granted me an interview which I shared on the Pines and Plsins libraries you tube channel. Great job Bonnie!
August 15, 2021
Really didn't care for this one. The dialogue was stilted, and the writing needed some life. Good premise though.
May 3, 2016
I have read Falling Like a Rock and Bonnie's previous novel, A Saint Comes Stumbling In. It is so refreshing and inspiring to follow a romance that is based on a true relationship! I cannot wait to read her next novel.
July 26, 2015
The heroine in this novel was not strong enough for my taste.
January 25, 2016
I won this book on Goodreads. The message in the story line is good, but the flow of the story is choppy.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews