What do you think?
Rate this book
Falling Into Her
If you had the chance to grab on to happiness and not let go, would you?
Kathryn Hawthorne, local Chicago celebrity, thinks everything in her life is just fine. She has friends, money, a job—everything she needs to survive. Except, of course, love, which, after getting her heart broken, she avoids like the plague. Pam Phillips, on the other hand, just buried the love of her life—her husband of twenty-one years. The last thing she wants is a new friend, let alone a new love interest. When the two women meet and swap witty banter, things start to change. Kathryn can feel that familiar tug of desire in her chest as she suggests—in a smooth as silk way—that they meet up again someday. In a moment of pure insanity—or desperation—Pam decides to take a chance. What happens next changes Pam’s life forever.
Kathryn Hawthorne, local Chicago celebrity, thinks everything in her life is just fine. She has friends, money, a job—everything she needs to survive. Except, of course, love, which, after getting her heart broken, she avoids like the plague. Pam Phillips, on the other hand, just buried the love of her life—her husband of twenty-one years. The last thing she wants is a new friend, let alone a new love interest. When the two women meet and swap witty banter, things start to change. Kathryn can feel that familiar tug of desire in her chest as she suggests—in a smooth as silk way—that they meet up again someday. In a moment of pure insanity—or desperation—Pam decides to take a chance. What happens next changes Pam’s life forever.
232 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 12, 2017
37 people are currently reading
275 people want to read
About the author
Erin Zak
18 books352 followersErin Zak is a sapphic contemporary romance writer who loves older women, imperfect people, and beautiful places. She’s a bit dorky and quirky and tries to make sure every single one of her characters has those same qualities. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram at @erinzakwrites. You can also listen to her podcast, The Weekly Wine Down, where she gets tipsy with her best friends while discussing any and everything.
www.erinzak.com
www.erinzak.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
November 22, 2017
2 1/2 Stars. I always enjoy reading new authors. It’s like opening a present, you don’t know what you are going to get but you are excited at what it could be. I don’t know if it was the cover or the blurb, but I was really hopeful for this book. Unfortunately, this was just not a book that works for me.
Kathryn has been hurt before, and purposely keeps women at arm’s length. When she walks into a store and meets Pam, she can’t take her eyes off her. But Pam is obviously straight and even wears a wedding band. How could this possibly ever work out?
This is a debut, and to be perfectly honest it feels like a debut book. I really struggled with the writing, especially the dialogue. The dialogue seemed forced at certain times, and other times just seemed odd or didn’t make sense. I kept thinking a person really wouldn’t actually say that. I hate to rip on a book so much but the writing came across as amateurish to me.
The romance was okay. Not horrible, but not good either. They had this strong connection that turned into love quickly, but I honestly did not really believe it. They seemed to like each other, but I felt no chemistry beyond like. The sex scenes were about average.
Next came the angst/drama of the book. I don’t want to give too much away, so I will just say it involved a secondary character and I found it to be completely unrealistic. Not only that but how the main characters handled it was just ridiculous. This part really did not work for me.
This is not a book I can recommend. We all have different tastes so maybe others will like this, but this book was rough for me. I hate to blast a new author, but I have to be honest. Hopefully Zak will keep working on her craft and her next book will be more appealing to me.
An ARC was given to me by BSB, for a honest review.
Kathryn has been hurt before, and purposely keeps women at arm’s length. When she walks into a store and meets Pam, she can’t take her eyes off her. But Pam is obviously straight and even wears a wedding band. How could this possibly ever work out?
This is a debut, and to be perfectly honest it feels like a debut book. I really struggled with the writing, especially the dialogue. The dialogue seemed forced at certain times, and other times just seemed odd or didn’t make sense. I kept thinking a person really wouldn’t actually say that. I hate to rip on a book so much but the writing came across as amateurish to me.
The romance was okay. Not horrible, but not good either. They had this strong connection that turned into love quickly, but I honestly did not really believe it. They seemed to like each other, but I felt no chemistry beyond like. The sex scenes were about average.
Next came the angst/drama of the book. I don’t want to give too much away, so I will just say it involved a secondary character and I found it to be completely unrealistic. Not only that but how the main characters handled it was just ridiculous. This part really did not work for me.
This is not a book I can recommend. We all have different tastes so maybe others will like this, but this book was rough for me. I hate to blast a new author, but I have to be honest. Hopefully Zak will keep working on her craft and her next book will be more appealing to me.
An ARC was given to me by BSB, for a honest review.
November 26, 2019
Book received from both Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review
Somewhere around 75 to 87% I was seriously considering ways I could sneak this book onto my six star shelf, despite that being reserved for reread books only (and only the best of the best rereads - there's a reason there's only 4 books on that shelf). Somewhere around there, though, an odd kind of conflict point came up and I no longer had to worry about sneaking this book where it didn't belong.
Don't get me wrong - I liked both the 'item of conflict/point of conflict' and how it was handled. It just . . . side-tracked me from the happy little bubble I was in that had me read 25% in one setting, then another 31% in another. Then I read the final 43% in a third sitting, but that 'magical bubble' was gone.
I loved everything about this book. The characters, the interactions, the descriptions of 'things' (city (Chicago), and rural Michigan), and holidays. If you were to look at my book, you'd probably find most of it highlighted for 'goodness'. For 'remember this passage here'. Oh, and yes, there is graphic sex. And I read it, and I enjoyed it.
Right, so, what should I say?
There were two point of views in this book, two lead characters. 40 year old Pam Phillips, and 32 year old Kathryn Hawthorne. Pam spent twenty-one years married to a man she never loved, and didn't really particularly like, but is still recovering from his relatively recent death from cancer when this book opens. She never has to work again, since her husband did very well as a lawyer, but she feels freed now to do so - and works in one of those beauty shops. As might be expected with this particular set of facts, Pam is straight (she could have been bisexual, but if so she probably wouldn't have married and stayed married to Harold, but that's another story).
Kathryn is something of a celebrity in Chicago. In the way anyone who appears on television can be - in a 'do I recognize her? I should recognize her, right?' way. For she's a movie critic on one of the local stations. Some time before the start of this book she had her heart broken and therefore has spent a lot of time, and I mean a lot of time, bouncing from one women to another for meaningless one-night-stands. Which is seen in this book from the opening when the book opens with her annoyed that a woman still hadn't left when the morning came. And seen in how her friends react to certain things. But - that player/player reputation never gets seen again in the book in any other way. Not, at least, after she stopped into a particular beauty store to try to find a gift for her mother's birthday - assuming she'd fail and get yelled at by her mother (her mother is that kind of person). Whereupon she meets Pam. And is smitten. It isn't seen in her point of view section, but apparently she left her phone number with Pam on . . . hmm, some kind of receipt. For later Pam finds it and, after much reluctance, calls the number.
Whereupon Pam and Kathryn begin slowly edging towards possibly becoming friends. While both feel some odd feelings of lust towards the other (well more odd for straight Pam to feel odd about the feelings). Kathryn's open to the idea of making a new friend, which is hard when you are an adult, but nothing more. Especially since Pam is straight. The woman who broke her heart was straight.
Everything about this book kind of blinks at me like something I wouldn't want anything to do with. It has more red flags bouncing around warning me away than an overly highly penalized football game (I'd no idea where to go with the red flag thing and the idea ran away from me). Age difference, an older woman who never thought she was anything but straight, somewhat annoying best friend, straight-lesbian romance, overbearing mother, etc. etc. Yet . . . other than that best friend, I loved every single second of this book. Loved it.
Completely unexpected reaction. I'm always slightly worried when I try a book by someone who a) I've never heard of before; b) never published anything before (as far as I know). Especially if the book is in a sub-niche market area. But I'm quite glad I found my way to trying this book and reading it. And enjoying it.
Rating: 5
November 11 2017
Somewhere around 75 to 87% I was seriously considering ways I could sneak this book onto my six star shelf, despite that being reserved for reread books only (and only the best of the best rereads - there's a reason there's only 4 books on that shelf). Somewhere around there, though, an odd kind of conflict point came up and I no longer had to worry about sneaking this book where it didn't belong.
Don't get me wrong - I liked both the 'item of conflict/point of conflict' and how it was handled. It just . . . side-tracked me from the happy little bubble I was in that had me read 25% in one setting, then another 31% in another. Then I read the final 43% in a third sitting, but that 'magical bubble' was gone.
I loved everything about this book. The characters, the interactions, the descriptions of 'things' (city (Chicago), and rural Michigan), and holidays. If you were to look at my book, you'd probably find most of it highlighted for 'goodness'. For 'remember this passage here'. Oh, and yes, there is graphic sex. And I read it, and I enjoyed it.
Right, so, what should I say?
There were two point of views in this book, two lead characters. 40 year old Pam Phillips, and 32 year old Kathryn Hawthorne. Pam spent twenty-one years married to a man she never loved, and didn't really particularly like, but is still recovering from his relatively recent death from cancer when this book opens. She never has to work again, since her husband did very well as a lawyer, but she feels freed now to do so - and works in one of those beauty shops. As might be expected with this particular set of facts, Pam is straight (she could have been bisexual, but if so she probably wouldn't have married and stayed married to Harold, but that's another story).
Kathryn is something of a celebrity in Chicago. In the way anyone who appears on television can be - in a 'do I recognize her? I should recognize her, right?' way. For she's a movie critic on one of the local stations. Some time before the start of this book she had her heart broken and therefore has spent a lot of time, and I mean a lot of time, bouncing from one women to another for meaningless one-night-stands. Which is seen in this book from the opening when the book opens with her annoyed that a woman still hadn't left when the morning came. And seen in how her friends react to certain things. But - that player/player reputation never gets seen again in the book in any other way. Not, at least, after she stopped into a particular beauty store to try to find a gift for her mother's birthday - assuming she'd fail and get yelled at by her mother (her mother is that kind of person). Whereupon she meets Pam. And is smitten. It isn't seen in her point of view section, but apparently she left her phone number with Pam on . . . hmm, some kind of receipt. For later Pam finds it and, after much reluctance, calls the number.
Whereupon Pam and Kathryn begin slowly edging towards possibly becoming friends. While both feel some odd feelings of lust towards the other (well more odd for straight Pam to feel odd about the feelings). Kathryn's open to the idea of making a new friend, which is hard when you are an adult, but nothing more. Especially since Pam is straight. The woman who broke her heart was straight.
Everything about this book kind of blinks at me like something I wouldn't want anything to do with. It has more red flags bouncing around warning me away than an overly highly penalized football game (I'd no idea where to go with the red flag thing and the idea ran away from me). Age difference, an older woman who never thought she was anything but straight, somewhat annoying best friend, straight-lesbian romance, overbearing mother, etc. etc. Yet . . . other than that best friend, I loved every single second of this book. Loved it.
Completely unexpected reaction. I'm always slightly worried when I try a book by someone who a) I've never heard of before; b) never published anything before (as far as I know). Especially if the book is in a sub-niche market area. But I'm quite glad I found my way to trying this book and reading it. And enjoying it.
Rating: 5
November 11 2017
November 19, 2017
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I wanted to try this because I’m trying to find new authors, but I’m not sure how to rate this one really. I usually steer clear of the ‘married straight woman meets gay woman, figures out she’s not all that straight’ books, but since the husband was already gone, I figured at least I wouldn’t have to put up with that drama. I was wishing for it by the end.
The book starts out well, the way Kathryn and Pam meet and their get togethers were cute (if a bit too fast, most of them happen in the space of about a week, and could have been spaced out over a few weeks to provide a bit more realism), and the banter between them was fun. Everything was going along fine til we hit the 40% mark (does anyone else miss actual page numbers?), and then WHAM. Horrible plot line appears and just like that, most of the rest of the story becomes a train wreck.
This revolved around Pam’s best friend Judy, and honestly just kept getting worse. Without giving anything away for those who prefer to be spoiler free, I also want to point out that if Judy’s character was a guy who kept doing that to Pam, I doubt it would have been treated in the same way, so the double standard also annoyed me.
Both families and most of the friends were accepting, and the Thanksgiving visits were interesting, although again, too fast considering the timing of the relationship. And Kathryn’s mother’s turnaround at the end was too fast and not really explained well enough for me.
The last 20% was pretty much a hot mess (when even secondary characters are telling the leads this about their lives, it’s probably not a good thing) and featured way too much Judy for me. So, all in all I’d give it 4 stars for the beginning, 3 stars for the middle, and 2 stars for the end. I’m rating it 2.5 but rounding up to 3 stars because it’s a debut novel, and it’s well written. I liked enough of it to try something else by this author, but hopefully something with a bit less soap opera to it.
For those who do want to know, major plot points are revealed in the spoiler tag.
I wanted to try this because I’m trying to find new authors, but I’m not sure how to rate this one really. I usually steer clear of the ‘married straight woman meets gay woman, figures out she’s not all that straight’ books, but since the husband was already gone, I figured at least I wouldn’t have to put up with that drama. I was wishing for it by the end.
The book starts out well, the way Kathryn and Pam meet and their get togethers were cute (if a bit too fast, most of them happen in the space of about a week, and could have been spaced out over a few weeks to provide a bit more realism), and the banter between them was fun. Everything was going along fine til we hit the 40% mark (does anyone else miss actual page numbers?), and then WHAM. Horrible plot line appears and just like that, most of the rest of the story becomes a train wreck.
This revolved around Pam’s best friend Judy, and honestly just kept getting worse. Without giving anything away for those who prefer to be spoiler free, I also want to point out that if Judy’s character was a guy who kept doing that to Pam, I doubt it would have been treated in the same way, so the double standard also annoyed me.
Both families and most of the friends were accepting, and the Thanksgiving visits were interesting, although again, too fast considering the timing of the relationship. And Kathryn’s mother’s turnaround at the end was too fast and not really explained well enough for me.
The last 20% was pretty much a hot mess (when even secondary characters are telling the leads this about their lives, it’s probably not a good thing) and featured way too much Judy for me. So, all in all I’d give it 4 stars for the beginning, 3 stars for the middle, and 2 stars for the end. I’m rating it 2.5 but rounding up to 3 stars because it’s a debut novel, and it’s well written. I liked enough of it to try something else by this author, but hopefully something with a bit less soap opera to it.
For those who do want to know, major plot points are revealed in the spoiler tag.
November 22, 2017
Kathryn is a film reviewer on the local radio station. After a bad break up with a married woman who had strung her along for a year, Kathryn refuses to even consider dating women who identify as straight.
Pam works at an upmarket skin care boutique. Grieving the recent death of her husband from cancer, Pam is trying to come to terms with her loss. However, his death has given Pam a chance to evaluate the life they had together, and the relationship that was missing so many of the basic ingredients.
Kathryn comes into Pam's store looking for a gift when she comes across the gorgeous Pam. They start chatting and their strong connection is obvious. But how close can they get when Pam is struggling with her attraction to a woman, and Kathryn can't risk the disaster of the last time she fell in love with a straight woman?
This is the first novel from Zak, and there is a lot to like about it. Both women are strong and willful, which makes for an entertaining adventure. Pam comes across as a little manipulative at the start, but she settles into her skin along the way. Kathryn is much more standard as a character though, and we rarely get to see her outside of her role as love interest for Pam. Some of the secondary characters have a considerable impact in the two main protagonists, but the bit players are under-written. One part in particular, Pam's best friend Judy, needed a bigger role, especially considering the weight of the story she has been allocated.
There are some problems with the story. Some of the dialogue is flat, and the manipulations by some of the characters may be good for the plot, but they are not much fun to read. The pacing of the book is a bit varied too, so it feels like the central romance goes very slowly at first, and then the two main protagonists are suddenly declaring they love one another. It does read like first novel but I think Zak is an author to watch. I look forward to reading her next book.
Advanced reading copy provided by NetGalley for an honest review.
Pam works at an upmarket skin care boutique. Grieving the recent death of her husband from cancer, Pam is trying to come to terms with her loss. However, his death has given Pam a chance to evaluate the life they had together, and the relationship that was missing so many of the basic ingredients.
Kathryn comes into Pam's store looking for a gift when she comes across the gorgeous Pam. They start chatting and their strong connection is obvious. But how close can they get when Pam is struggling with her attraction to a woman, and Kathryn can't risk the disaster of the last time she fell in love with a straight woman?
This is the first novel from Zak, and there is a lot to like about it. Both women are strong and willful, which makes for an entertaining adventure. Pam comes across as a little manipulative at the start, but she settles into her skin along the way. Kathryn is much more standard as a character though, and we rarely get to see her outside of her role as love interest for Pam. Some of the secondary characters have a considerable impact in the two main protagonists, but the bit players are under-written. One part in particular, Pam's best friend Judy, needed a bigger role, especially considering the weight of the story she has been allocated.
There are some problems with the story. Some of the dialogue is flat, and the manipulations by some of the characters may be good for the plot, but they are not much fun to read. The pacing of the book is a bit varied too, so it feels like the central romance goes very slowly at first, and then the two main protagonists are suddenly declaring they love one another. It does read like first novel but I think Zak is an author to watch. I look forward to reading her next book.
Advanced reading copy provided by NetGalley for an honest review.
Read
May 16, 2018This was a DNF for me. I just wasn’t in the mood for the cutesy coming together scenes between Pam and Kate but what made me pack in the read early was the voice actor with a lisp. Lesson learned as I could have listened to a sample and saved myself an audible credit.
December 8, 2017
After Pam’s husband dies she feels like she can live again and be the person she’s always wanted to be. When a chance meeting with the beautiful Kathryn takes place there is instant chemistry. But Pam’s not a lesbian, so she will try to be friends but the more time they spend together the further Pam falls down the rabbit hole. Kathryn however has been here before and got her heart broken by a straight woman. She can’t risk her heart again even if she has never felt for anyone the way she feels for Pam.
This was a lovely lesbian romance and to be honest it was Pam that made me love the book the most. Her beautiful soul and personality shines through with every conversation she has with Kathryn or her best friend, Judy.
The characters evolving together in this book was written incredibly well and I felt like it happened at a steady pace to make the story feel more real. There is a magnificent twist about a 3rd of the way in that I was not expecting and I love it when an author surprises me.
I do have one issue though that I need to mention... The book ends without much flare and was rather anticlimactic in the end. I’m normally left feeling like I know the characters are going to make it and I wasn’t left feeling 100%. Also the book left me a little worried for Pam’s best friend Judy who played a significant role in this book but there was no closure on her story. This could all be rectified if there had been an epilogue or if the author plans to make a sequel where Judy is the main story line and we can catch up with Pam and Kathryn.
Anyway all in all this is a great debut novel from Erin Zak and looking forward to seeing what’s to come.
4 stars
This was a lovely lesbian romance and to be honest it was Pam that made me love the book the most. Her beautiful soul and personality shines through with every conversation she has with Kathryn or her best friend, Judy.
The characters evolving together in this book was written incredibly well and I felt like it happened at a steady pace to make the story feel more real. There is a magnificent twist about a 3rd of the way in that I was not expecting and I love it when an author surprises me.
I do have one issue though that I need to mention... The book ends without much flare and was rather anticlimactic in the end. I’m normally left feeling like I know the characters are going to make it and I wasn’t left feeling 100%. Also the book left me a little worried for Pam’s best friend Judy who played a significant role in this book but there was no closure on her story. This could all be rectified if there had been an epilogue or if the author plans to make a sequel where Judy is the main story line and we can catch up with Pam and Kathryn.
Anyway all in all this is a great debut novel from Erin Zak and looking forward to seeing what’s to come.
4 stars
November 28, 2017
This just didn't do it for me. I found the dialogue corny and forced. There was very little chemistry and the core issue felt contrived.
I received an arc of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an arc of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 3, 2019
This was a really sweet story... not bad at all.
March 4, 2020
Not today, Satan
October 31, 2023
Pam and Katherine. A late bloomer, age gap, just the right amount of angst, fluffy debut novel. In a nutshell. I couldn’t fault it. The pacing was great, the main and secondary characters were three dimensional, I don’t think any part of the story was bloated. It’s like fairy floss - sweet, light and airy.
December 2, 2017
Netgalley
Meh.
I enjoyed the beginning and then it somehow went downhill. Characters' motivation isn't always clear, behavior seems erratic. The writing overall didn't thrill me. Also not really what the blurb advertised.
Meh.
I enjoyed the beginning and then it somehow went downhill. Characters' motivation isn't always clear, behavior seems erratic. The writing overall didn't thrill me. Also not really what the blurb advertised.
May 14, 2018
I find it really interesting that people seem to have either loved or hated this one.
I liked the way Falling Into Her is written. The romance has a nice burn that’s slow without being too slow. And while I’m glad that lesfic isn’t all coming out stories anymore, I enjoyed this particular one because it shows how it can happen in a person’s 40s.
Full review: https://www.thelesbianreview.com/fall...
I liked the way Falling Into Her is written. The romance has a nice burn that’s slow without being too slow. And while I’m glad that lesfic isn’t all coming out stories anymore, I enjoyed this particular one because it shows how it can happen in a person’s 40s.
Full review: https://www.thelesbianreview.com/fall...
December 14, 2017
A different kind of story because of the three main characters and their relationship and interaction with each other. Judy is the best friend of Pam Phillips and she provides an interesting dynamic to the story. Pam is 40 years old and recently widowed. She is focused on moving on with her life and maybe finding a new love. Kathryn Hawthorne is 32 years old and recovering from a crushing heart break. She is leery but finds herself interested in being part of another relationship. I thought the secondary characters were as much if not more interesting than the main characters. The chemistry is nice yet hot between Kathryn and Pam as they date and get to know each other. I enjoyed the slow build up and romance.
ARC provided by Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley with thanks.
ARC provided by Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley with thanks.
September 29, 2019
Enjoyed this book. There were a few instances in the beginnings that it didn’t flow and I had to work at keeping my interest, but I am glad that I kept reading. I liked the main characters in this book, but not the complications with Pam’s best friend Judy. 3.7 stars rounded up to 4.
May 16, 2020
Sitting on the fence with FIH. I didn’t enjoy FIH as much as I thought I would have. And I was really dragging my feet to finish it - a rare feat for me. The blurb was good enough to have me grabbed the ebook. Alas, I can’t get my head (and heart) into FIH. Maybe its the flow of the story, how the plot was written, how it ended, the lack of chemistry, the dialogues. Just wasn’t for me. And the change in dynamics between Pam, Kathryn & Judy in the final third of the book was just bizarre.
Ratings - 2.5
Ratings - 2.5
September 23, 2018
Warning! A very active third party involvement.
What.A.Mess.
This book is unavailable on KU/Scribd. Kindle price USD9.99
What.A.Mess.
This book is unavailable on KU/Scribd. Kindle price USD9.99
December 4, 2017
Pam has recently buried her husband of 21 years when she meets Kathryn, a local television celebrity. Pam isn't looking for love, much less with a woman. Katheryn isn't looking to get her heart broken. Again. But what both women are looking for is a friend. What happens when friendship awakens something neither woman is looking for?
I really liked this book, it was fun and it was sweet. I loved the holiday vibe it had going through it, it was mostly just a happy little romance, but with a super healthy dose of angst and drama mixed in. I didn't like so much of the repetition at the beginning where the two women insisted they were friends. They kept saying it over and over again, but I never saw that friendship and there wasn't much development in that area. They were just boom in love, which I'm happy with because it's a romance after all, but it was frustrating still the emphasis the author put on repeating the word friendship over and over and there wasn't much of that, not even a romantic friendship. They just were. I was also surprised how much they repeated how old Pam (only 40) was and how crazy young Kathryn was (32). This was used as a major shocker throughout the book, and I guess I didn't see this as an age gap.
This was a feel-good book for me. The lovely ladies had excellent chemistry, really excellent. They were so soft and sweet and adorable together. Pam's family was awesome, I loved the description of their home in Michigan - it really just felt like home. Totally.
I am looking forward to reading more from this author, that's for sure!
I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really liked this book, it was fun and it was sweet. I loved the holiday vibe it had going through it, it was mostly just a happy little romance, but with a super healthy dose of angst and drama mixed in. I didn't like so much of the repetition at the beginning where the two women insisted they were friends. They kept saying it over and over again, but I never saw that friendship and there wasn't much development in that area. They were just boom in love, which I'm happy with because it's a romance after all, but it was frustrating still the emphasis the author put on repeating the word friendship over and over and there wasn't much of that, not even a romantic friendship. They just were. I was also surprised how much they repeated how old Pam (only 40) was and how crazy young Kathryn was (32). This was used as a major shocker throughout the book, and I guess I didn't see this as an age gap.
This was a feel-good book for me. The lovely ladies had excellent chemistry, really excellent. They were so soft and sweet and adorable together. Pam's family was awesome, I loved the description of their home in Michigan - it really just felt like home. Totally.
I am looking forward to reading more from this author, that's for sure!
I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 15, 2024
3.5 stars
The insecurities here were so well cooked i found myself a number of times nodding at their closeness to reality. A major lesson here is the wisdom of never waiting to do ... just do as Nike says. Crazy revealing situation and an entertaining read in all.
So we have here an older and younger dynamics of friends then lovers. And of course in between insecurities, challenges etc.
The insecurities here were so well cooked i found myself a number of times nodding at their closeness to reality. A major lesson here is the wisdom of never waiting to do ... just do as Nike says. Crazy revealing situation and an entertaining read in all.
So we have here an older and younger dynamics of friends then lovers. And of course in between insecurities, challenges etc.
December 20, 2017
I’m sorry, but this book just didn’t do it for me. I liked the idea of the story, but I could not feel any chemistry between the characters, and the writing is a little amateurish. Ok if borrowing for a quick read, but I cannot recommend to use hard earned cash to buy.
I was given a review copy by Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
I was given a review copy by Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
November 12, 2017
Falling into Her by Erin Zak is a story about two women who fight their attraction for one another and eventually fall for each other. Kathryn Hawthorne is 32 years old and has given up on love after having her heart broken too many times. Pam Philips is 40 years old, and has buried her husband recently when she meets Kathryn in the local boutique she works at. The attraction is immediate for Kathryn and is a slow, curious burn for Pam. On a whim Kathryn leaves her phone number for Pam and to her surprise, Pam texts.
They go through a series of coffee dates, and the entire time Kathryn is focused on just remaining friends despite her growing attraction and the cues Pam is giving that she is interested as well. Throughout their time as friends, they have a lot of personal, confessional type conversations. Which I liked. You could see how much their relationship was steadily growing.
Once their romance blossomed into something more, there were moments I had to stop and take a breath. These love scenes aren’t the overly done, raunchy scenes you see in a lot of books. It felt real. Pam’s anticipation, anxiety about being with a woman, her pleasure, you could feel it all.
I read this book in one sitting, that’s how much I liked it. It’s rare for me to find a book that I will stay up way past my bedtime to keep reading. I usually find a chapter break and quite. Falling Into her made that impossible. I liked the way the text messages appeared. The conflict of meeting each other’s parents and how important that was to the both of them.
Would I recommend this book? Oh yes. I want to read more by Erin Zak ASAP.
I received an advance e-book copy via NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books in exchange for an honest review.
They go through a series of coffee dates, and the entire time Kathryn is focused on just remaining friends despite her growing attraction and the cues Pam is giving that she is interested as well. Throughout their time as friends, they have a lot of personal, confessional type conversations. Which I liked. You could see how much their relationship was steadily growing.
Once their romance blossomed into something more, there were moments I had to stop and take a breath. These love scenes aren’t the overly done, raunchy scenes you see in a lot of books. It felt real. Pam’s anticipation, anxiety about being with a woman, her pleasure, you could feel it all.
I read this book in one sitting, that’s how much I liked it. It’s rare for me to find a book that I will stay up way past my bedtime to keep reading. I usually find a chapter break and quite. Falling Into her made that impossible. I liked the way the text messages appeared. The conflict of meeting each other’s parents and how important that was to the both of them.
Would I recommend this book? Oh yes. I want to read more by Erin Zak ASAP.
I received an advance e-book copy via NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books in exchange for an honest review.
December 31, 2017
I received a copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
DNF at 16%
I am not a huge fan of the Romance genre, but when I find good books, I usually love them. This novel was definitely NOT one of them.
1. There was more talking than anything else. Most of the action revolved around Pam and Kathryn talking. There was not much description of the action and I felt there was something missing because of the lack of description. With the lack of description, the emotion between the girls also fell flat. I didn't feel there was any real connection between them. And there was such an excess of sarcasm... It's not as funny if you use sarcasm every other sentence.
2. The girls had no life out of seeing or thinking/talking about each other. In the first 5 chapters, nothing happened in their life but their 3 meetings. Kathryn had her mother's birthday, but we don't see any of it. We just have to take her word for it that her mother is a bully. I know the story revolves around Pam and Kathryn, but you can have other interactions in-between scenes where your main character thinks about her new crush. The rest of their lives didn't stop simply because they met a potential love interest.
3. This book was written in 2017 and takes place in Chicago, a fairly liberal city when it comes to sexual orientation. Gay marriage was legalized in the US in 2015. So can someone explain to me how the first thought that went through Kathryn's head when she saw Pam's ring was that she's straight? First, she could had been married to a woman. Second, hello bi/pan/ace erasure! A wedding ring does not equal straight person (at least, not in a country where gay marriage is legal), but simply that the person is married.
I've seen from other reviews that this is a first work from Erin Zak. I guess some of the lighter problems (dialog, overuse of sarcasm, emotions falling flat) can be excused by this. But the story itself fell flat to me.
DNF at 16%
I am not a huge fan of the Romance genre, but when I find good books, I usually love them. This novel was definitely NOT one of them.
1. There was more talking than anything else. Most of the action revolved around Pam and Kathryn talking. There was not much description of the action and I felt there was something missing because of the lack of description. With the lack of description, the emotion between the girls also fell flat. I didn't feel there was any real connection between them. And there was such an excess of sarcasm... It's not as funny if you use sarcasm every other sentence.
2. The girls had no life out of seeing or thinking/talking about each other. In the first 5 chapters, nothing happened in their life but their 3 meetings. Kathryn had her mother's birthday, but we don't see any of it. We just have to take her word for it that her mother is a bully. I know the story revolves around Pam and Kathryn, but you can have other interactions in-between scenes where your main character thinks about her new crush. The rest of their lives didn't stop simply because they met a potential love interest.
3. This book was written in 2017 and takes place in Chicago, a fairly liberal city when it comes to sexual orientation. Gay marriage was legalized in the US in 2015. So can someone explain to me how the first thought that went through Kathryn's head when she saw Pam's ring was that she's straight? First, she could had been married to a woman. Second, hello bi/pan/ace erasure! A wedding ring does not equal straight person (at least, not in a country where gay marriage is legal), but simply that the person is married.
I've seen from other reviews that this is a first work from Erin Zak. I guess some of the lighter problems (dialog, overuse of sarcasm, emotions falling flat) can be excused by this. But the story itself fell flat to me.
May 23, 2018
I was so hesitant to read this book, and I'm so very sad I put it off as long as I did. The previously married thing kept me from reading this initially, and if that is something holding you back, don't let it.
I had some issues with this book though, don't get me wrong. Despite the husband being quite dead, and Pam being much quicker on the uptake than I figured she would be, I just didn't feel the romance like I hoped that I would. The premise was good, and even the drama backstory (while a little outlandish - but more true than you'd think in a place with a small lesbian dating pool) had me piqued, but there was just something about it that I couldn't really get into.
While it's not necessary, I like it when there are clear distinctions between characters and when you're in one of their heads or another. I found myself having to pause a lot while reading to see who was actually talking because the dialogue and the internal voice would switch back and forth without notice. It was distracting. I also had issues with some of the dialogue in general, some of the things said were really bizarre and I felt could have used an edit.
I liked how Pam approached her feelings towards Kathryn, and how she and her family were open minded (for the most part). Considering she has spent 21 years being unhappily married to a man, and has gone through a loss, there's always the possibility that there could have been much more indecision, and I liked that she went with what felt right and good and didn't let that hinder her. I also quite enjoyed how descriptive things were and how the settings were described well enough that I could envision them.
A copy of this book was given to me by Bold Strokes Books for a honest review.
I had some issues with this book though, don't get me wrong. Despite the husband being quite dead, and Pam being much quicker on the uptake than I figured she would be, I just didn't feel the romance like I hoped that I would. The premise was good, and even the drama backstory (while a little outlandish - but more true than you'd think in a place with a small lesbian dating pool) had me piqued, but there was just something about it that I couldn't really get into.
While it's not necessary, I like it when there are clear distinctions between characters and when you're in one of their heads or another. I found myself having to pause a lot while reading to see who was actually talking because the dialogue and the internal voice would switch back and forth without notice. It was distracting. I also had issues with some of the dialogue in general, some of the things said were really bizarre and I felt could have used an edit.
I liked how Pam approached her feelings towards Kathryn, and how she and her family were open minded (for the most part). Considering she has spent 21 years being unhappily married to a man, and has gone through a loss, there's always the possibility that there could have been much more indecision, and I liked that she went with what felt right and good and didn't let that hinder her. I also quite enjoyed how descriptive things were and how the settings were described well enough that I could envision them.
A copy of this book was given to me by Bold Strokes Books for a honest review.
March 16, 2018
I’m not much of a reader of romance, so I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect with Erin Zak’s debut. It’s a great story of two women finding themselves through one another, and Zak did a great job developing these characters. I’m looking forward to reading more from her!
May 10, 2018
Excellent!
I love romances and this was a wonderful love story with a perfect build up and a great ending. A very enjoyable read and
I’ll definitely be picking up more from this author.
I love romances and this was a wonderful love story with a perfect build up and a great ending. A very enjoyable read and
I’ll definitely be picking up more from this author.
November 11, 2017
I didn't really like the way the book was written. It lacked of chemistry and interesting dialogues. Not my book
December 23, 2017
I received an ARC from Netgalley and the Publisher in exchange for a honest review.
The story is not very original but it was very enjoyable to read. I like Erin Zak’s take on this kind of story and her writing style pulled me in immediately. It covers a few hard topics like death and dealing with the death of hour spouse, coming to terms of your sexuality later in live, having your heart broken and with all of those come come the problems that get in the way of love like their insecurities, self doubt and their pulling back and forth.
They both have a history that makes it hard for them to trust and let themselves fall in love again. Against all odds they give themselves a chance at love. The twist, that caused problems in their new found love, was a bit predictable but the solution and the way it was handled was entertaining and realistic.
All in all I would definitely recommend this book!
The story is not very original but it was very enjoyable to read. I like Erin Zak’s take on this kind of story and her writing style pulled me in immediately. It covers a few hard topics like death and dealing with the death of hour spouse, coming to terms of your sexuality later in live, having your heart broken and with all of those come come the problems that get in the way of love like their insecurities, self doubt and their pulling back and forth.
They both have a history that makes it hard for them to trust and let themselves fall in love again. Against all odds they give themselves a chance at love. The twist, that caused problems in their new found love, was a bit predictable but the solution and the way it was handled was entertaining and realistic.
All in all I would definitely recommend this book!
November 20, 2017
more than 3 less than 4 stars rounded up
A nice romance with two interesting likeable leads and some well done minor characters. The story worked for me and I enjoyed the ride without any major drawbacks. I'm looking forward to more books by this debut author.
eARC via NetGalley
A nice romance with two interesting likeable leads and some well done minor characters. The story worked for me and I enjoyed the ride without any major drawbacks. I'm looking forward to more books by this debut author.
eARC via NetGalley
November 3, 2019
I enjoyed this book but thought the ending ended too abruptly! Would like to have learned a little bit more about what the MCs wanted for their future together. Well actually, I would just like to know if they would have wanted kids together :)
February 23, 2024
wonderful story
A beautiful story of self discovery, emotional healing and growth, and the many levels and challenges of love. The gentle romance between Kathryn and Pam is a lovely way to escape the craziness of the world for a short while
A beautiful story of self discovery, emotional healing and growth, and the many levels and challenges of love. The gentle romance between Kathryn and Pam is a lovely way to escape the craziness of the world for a short while
August 10, 2025
Would've normally been 2* but it gets the debut novel buff
Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews