Falling Over

by Andrea Hopkins

Cady and Ben's story ... 10 years after Falling Out.

Unknown Binding

About the author

Andrea Hopkins writes interracial romance straight drippin’ in angst, humor, and a f**k ton of spice. Loves her an alpha MC with a BIG … heart. She currently lives in Orting, Washington with her BBE (book boyfriend energy) husband, FOUR wild human boys, and one fur-baby boy. She is a football fanatic. Go Ducks! Go Seahawks! But when she isn’t watching football, writing, or reading, you can find her rewatching New Girl for the millionth time, drinking wine, drinking coffee, listening to a podcast, twerking to Megan Thee Stallion, and/or hiking with her family in head-to-toe clothing from Target.

Reviews

[lia · Rating 1 out of 5]

No No NO. This blows. Despite not liking the first book Falling In, I actually was pretty excited to read about the kids’ story — especially Ben and Cady (Jake’s nephew and Evangeline’s daughter with Cole) so I decided to dive into this one. They met in the first book when they were 5/6 years old and have been inseparable ever since. BUT I HATED THIS BOOK AS MUCH AS THE FIRST ONE. I’m honestly too lazy to type rant right now but will probably end up doing so since it’s all I wanna do after reading this one lol but let me just TRY to give you a cliff notes version of the things I didn’t like and liked:

What I DIDN’T like:

-Ben being a complete and total manwhore and sleeps/have slept with every single girl available except for the one he actually wants and loves aka Cady. WHY IS THIS STILL A THING, AUTHORS

-Ben flirting and doing PDA with said girls in front of Cady and being blatant about it even knowing it hurts her (like do you even truly love or at the very least care about this girl?? 🤦🏻‍♀️)

-Ben actually having sex with Cady’s best and only friend Lucy who turns out to be a complete bitch which Ben even knew all along and even claimed to not like her and questions why Cady is even friends with her. Like dude are you really that penis/lust-driven that you would sleep with the one “friend” Cady has and someone you admittedly DON’T EVEN LIKE. And yes, Cady walks in on them curled up next to each other naked on the bed the morning after and Ben can’t even tell her why he would do that to her lol like all he could say was “I don’t know” like for real bruh??? I think after that I can’t for the life of me forgive or even stand Ben, no matter what he said or did later on

-Cady being a little contradicting nincompoop, constantly saying “this is the last time I will ever cry for Ben *insert last name which for the life of me I cannot remember*”, then proceeds to cry because of said guy the next page. Or saying “I am a strong woman and will be an unfeeling bitch from now on giving nothing away” and then starts looking hurt and wounded, giving Ben sad longing looks the moment she comes face to face with him. Like get a grip girl! Yes, she didn’t forgive him right away and gave him the silent treatment but why she gotta turn into a heartbroken little girl in front of him and basically become a zombie if she kept claiming she’s so done with Ben and his bullshit 😭 I mean I’m just a sucker for strong, ready to fight back and show you what you lost kinda women, especially one who’s been screwed over by the H so this one was painful to watch/read about.

-Cady being a pathetic, heartless, cheating, penis-whipped idiot when Ben moved back home a year later like her thoughts and action were seriously giving me whiplash. She kept giving such mixed signals with both her inner thoughts and her actions and all I wanted to do was reach in, shake her, and tell her to get a hold of herself! She has a freaking boyfriend for god’s sake and then she goes a eye-fucks and hate-flirts with Ben.

-the grovel. Oh wait, WHAT GROVEL??? what I mean to say was the pretty much NONEXISTENT grovel. Yes he “didn’t give up on her”. Yes, he checked up on her from time to time. Yes, he missed her so much. 🙄 And yes, he had some pitiful inner monologues. But what did he really do to make up for all the shit he did? Oh yeah, he said sorry. My bad.

-Ben finally admitting his STUPID and INADEQUATE excuse for being a massive asshole for years — pushing Cady away, constantly hurting her and manwhoring around because he wasn't good enough for her like GIVE ME A BREAK. You eventually BECAME not good enough for her after screwing around is what happened. And the final nail on the coffin? “I slept with Lucy because I didn’t deserve you.” Why??? WHY DO AUTHORS DO THIS WHYYYYY. I FOR REAL wanted to burn this book after that little confession and if I actually had a hard copy of this and not on eBook form, I would SERIOUSLY use this book for the next bonfire. We’re gonna need something to stoke the flame, after all. But honestly, after everything Cady pulled, I think they both deserved each other. They both weren't good enough for anyone better so well done.

-now the reason I hated the most: Cady allowing Ben to fuck her and completely cheating on Blaine — Blaine who was so damn sweet and loving and good to her and perfect. And Cady doing this knowing Blaine is in love with her. HE DID NOT DESERVE THIS AND I TRULY HATE HER FOR IT.

-still related to previous point: the fact that Cady STILL lost her virginity to Ben after everything. Like she claims she hates Ben and has moved on and even has a perfect and stupidly hot boyfriend for more than 6 months and she can’t even get her lady penis up except for Ben who fucked her supposed “best friend” for no apparent reason other than he could and callously obliterated her heart? Like I said, pathetic.

-the writing. Was this really written by the same author as Falling in??? Cause despite not liking that book, I could admit the writing was amazing. But this? I can’t even enjoy the writing in spite of the shitty story and MCs

-and lastly, this one was a personal annoyance but the fact that the author at times uses a PG cussing (“effing”) and at times the full cuss (“fucking”). Like if you’re going to have your character NOT cuss then fine use “effing” all-throughout. But the fact that she already does have them (especially Ben) say the R-rated cussing at times, makes the PG version “effing” seem kinda annoying. And she even has them say this PG version in their inner monologues too lol like what the fuck for?? I get it if they’re speaking in front of their parents but it’s their INNER THOUGHTS for crying out loud why do they gotta watch what they think lmao but ya like I said, this is a personal trigger so take this with a grain of salt.


Now on to what I actually DID like:

-Blaine. That’s pretty much it. This sweet, perfect man who DID NOT DESERVE CADY OR ANY OF THESE PEOPLE SO GOOD RIDDANCE TO HER, GO GET YOURSELF A REAL WOMAN WHO IS AS PERFECT AS YOU BOO


Seriously. What is it with this author and her ability to write such unlikable MCs yet super lovable OMs lmao. Also, turns out I’m not capable of a cliff notes version rant LOL. So yeah, as you can see from my above notes… I clearly hated it.



**SPOILERS BELOW**

Safety Gang:
-CW: cheating, drug use, graphic sex
-Safe sex: condom used their first time but no condoms mentioned the following times. H was mentioned to have had himself checked for STDs after sleeping with the h’s best friend cause I don’t think they used a condom 🙄
-H age 19, h age 18
-H was a total manwhore and hooks up/sleeps around a LOT; h was a virgin
-Cheating: h cheats on her loving bf by having sex with the H multiple times while they were still together
-No graphic sex scenes with OP, but there’s a morning after scene of the H with the h’s best friend which the h walks in on. The H and OW were cuddled in bed naked with the “scent of sex” in the room
-OW drama — not much other than the fact that the H sleeps around and has sex with Lucy the h’s “best friend” who then makes the h’s life miserable after
-OM drama — h has a perfect bf when the H comes back who the H gets jealous of and is a complete asshole to even though the bf doesn’t deserve it
-Separation of about a year after the h confesses her love for the H and he then obliterated her heart, but they were never officially together at the time
-HEA with epilogue

[Lindsey Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read the first 2 books in this series I didn’t think it could get much hotter. I didn’t think that the tension could be ramped up more than it already had been. BOY WAS I WRONG!!!
What a book this was! It had everything. The author gave everything. I feel like I know these characters inside and out. I was completely drawn into their world and taken by surprise at how epic this instalment is.
Cady and Ben. Two people that desperately love each other. Two people that are meant to be. Two people that keep getting it wrong. Two people who embark on a delicious tug of war over their feelings for one another.
Andrea takes the reader on a rollercoaster of emotions as Cady and Ben try to right their wrongs.
I love how the rest of the family members were in there from the previous books. I love the introduction of Miles. I love that with every page it felt like I was riding the journey with them.
There is nothing that I didn’t love about this book.
Andrea, you knocked it out of the park with this one. This whole book series has defined itself as one of my favourite book series ever!!
I can’t wait to see what the author does next. I said it before and I’ll say it again, Andrea is one of my go to authors, and if you haven’t read her books then you are seriously missing out!!!!!!
TOTALLY EFFING EPIC!!!

[Sonia]

Spoilers on some safety stuff

H and h have been friends since childhood and really care for each other. H is a manwhore and sleeps around a lot, including with the h’s best friend knowing it hurts the h 🤬. One time, the h walks into the room as the H and her best friend are cuddling, naked, with the smell of sex in the air. Does the H have feelings for the h? Or course- doesn’t stop him from being a hooooar. The h is, of course, a virgin 🙄 who has a sweet, loving boyfriend but cheats on said boyfriend with the H.

Meh

[Nikki J Summers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one is hands down my favourite of the series so far. Man I was rooting for these two all the way through. Ben what were you thinking at the start??!!?? I was reading that in the doctors waiting room & almost burst into tears myself. The tears really did flow when I got to the Christmas Day scenes.
I didn’t want this to end & I’ll be reading this again for sure. Can’t wait for Dylan & Miles’s story. A fantastic read. YA/NA is my new favourite & this one is right up there with the best of them.

[Luz Acevedo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gahhhhh..... yessss to all the feels in this book.... I just can’t get enough... great writing and amazing storyline.

[Jerrica (Mrsmar10Reads) Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What to do now.

Our binge is over and I'm sad. If you're into all the angst and pining and trying hard to get back in your true loves good graces after effing up ROYALLY... READ THIS BOOK! So many lessons, so related, I'm freaking 39 and I sat there thinking like eff, I've been Cady, I've had me a Ben - he didn't do the Ben thing, but it took some tears and eff this I'm done and moving on, but deep down inside that ish was still there festering. I had my moment with Ben where I was , no he effing didn't, then he genuinely realized his error and I was team Ben. I understood oh so well why Cady had to be who she wad because when you allow someone to be your everything and they break you, you can't just say I forgive you. It takes some time and healing. This was raw, unrelenting, and beautiful to the point of me needing more. Miles and Dylan, I have hope... I really do.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right from the offset we are told that unrequited love might stay that way when Cady says she hates Ben, the boy who then goes on to tell us just why and how much he loves her, will only ever love her. I was drawn straight in and simply had to know what Ben had done to make the girl who had loved him with all her heart for over a decade, suddenly fall out of love with him. We go to the party with them and feel the emotional rollercoaster these young people are riding. It doesn’t take long to find out just how bad Ben messes up. Ms. Hopkins carries on the family saga with clever interjections and reference to characters we know so well from the previous trilogy. The closeness of the twins with each other and their step-brother is poignant, their disappointment with each other heartfelt. There are twists and turns galore richly adorned with some very realistic dialogue. Drama well scripted!

[Erin Knuth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lifelong love.
That's what this story is about. It's not ever that easy though, is it?
Eff no.
In this contemporary romance, Ms. Hopkins nails the depth and messiness of first and forbidden love. A stubborn, often surly hero mixed with a sassy heroine and unique (and nosy!) family dynamics brings the characters down a winding, bumpy road that ultimately leads them back to each other.

The snarky undertone of the book is fabulous. I loved the Harry Potter references. The world's most perfect man might exist in Blaine. Another fun read by this author. Can't wait to check out more of the series, and the related King Brothers series!

[Momma Bear · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andrea Hopkins is an amazing author. One who dives into her character’s every thought without being over-detailed. Just the right amount of romance, steamy scenes, comedy and angst you seek in a romance novel. You’ll laugh, cry, have your spirits lifted and make you pounce on your partner. I’ve done it several times! Her characters are relatable. They’re you, your friends, your family. This may be the last of the series but it won’t be the last we’ll hear from Andrea Hopkins. I sure as hell hope to read more from her.

[S.J. Sylvis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book kept me on my toes!! Between Cady’s denial of having feelings for Ben and Ben’s love for her, despite making a major mistake as a young teenager, I couldn’t stop rooting for them both!! I just needed them to end up together! <3 well done Andrea!! You most definitely kept me flipping the pages.

[Ariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am totally here for allllll the angst, heartbreak, frustration, grovelling and steam between Ben and Cady. Hell NO did I agree with some of the shit they did but ofcourse that’s what YA themes are about. Growing up, learning to cope through betrayal and forgiving to get to a better place…….eventually.

Each and every book in this series has been unique in its story yet equally amazing when it came to portraying such raw and devastating emotions. I felt all their angst and pain and then welcomed the way they all worked to heal themselves and relationships after such epic heartbreak to get their HEA.

So with that being said, I now cannot wait to read each and every book Andrea has written and every book she publishes in the future!!! ❤️

[K. S · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was boring read for me. All that really happens is this book is that a guy sleeps with his sweetheart's best friend. They are not even together at this point but the feelings are there. It was wrong, I get it. Rest of the book is about that. Hero grovels and wins her back. The end.
What really bothered me was that heroine cheated her very nice boyfriend. And why be with him in the first place when he had feelings for other guy?
Writing was immature. Inner dialogs were those of a 12 year old. Having a 20 year old man say "lady flower" or 19 year old woman say "my lady dick" is not enjoyable. Not for me at least.

[Andrea Wimmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, now what? What am I going to do now that it’s over? This book aaaahhhh! I want to scream. It was ao freaking good, all the feelings, all the angst… my God, it was angsty AF! I was team Cady all the way, Ben really messed up, but still… I couldn’t not root for Ben. He was real!. A truly broken, flawed and imperfect real man who screwed up, owned his mistakes and fought with nails and teeth to make things right. Cady had to go through a journey, learned how to forgive and move forward in order to be happy and have everything she’d ever wanted and the results were so worth it. Angsty, emotional, raw, super sexy and full of true love.

Biggest, most heart-squeezing book hangover EVER!

[M.S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating and completely satisfying!

Having read the other books in this series, as usual I was immediately struck by Hopkins’s unique, engaging writing style. So personable, witty, and likeable, I was immediately sucked back in. Ben and Cady’s story may be the most angst-ridden yet (and that’s saying something), but it is beautifully true to the temperament of teens and young adults, as well as completely matching their personalities.

I adored getting to know the two more, predicting where their own shortcomings and stubbornness were going to get in their way, and ultimately just enjoying the push and pull that is making a relationship work.

I’m also super glad this book spanned such a long time frame, as I’m not really into reading about underage kids getting busy. Really, though, the level it was at based on their age was, in my opinion, pretty true to where kids are at these days, and frankly the story wouldn’t have made sense in places otherwise.

With just a little rambling here and there, this was nonetheless a completely captivating love story where you never stopped rooting for those darn kids to pull their heads out of their butts and make it work. And while being a woman in my thirties, the inevitable similarities between Ben and Jake (oh Jake) had me appreciating Ben’s rise to book boyfriend status. All in all, a completely satisfying read!

[Carrie Lansberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not Enough Words

There are not enough words for me to convey how much I love this book. All of the inner monologue of the characters is amazing. The family dynamic is phenomenal...you want to hate Ben but you can't. Blaine is amazing and Miles...oh my goddess Miles is my favorite of all! It is an amazing book about young love and family.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

We meet Cady & Ben as children in book one. It was childhood love at first sight. Until fear causes teenage Ben to do something that shatters Cady’s heart. Can she ever forgive him and let him in again or is this the end? (Loved all 3 books but this was my favorite!!)

[Becca Bruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great trilogy! Love the writers style, easy to get lost in!