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Charming Falls Apart
Allison James is a people pleaser and rule follower, but the day before her thirty-fifth birthday, that all backfires: she is unexpectedly fired from the public relations firm she’s worked at for twelve years, only to come home and find out that her fiancé has been sleeping with her maid of honor.
Feeling lost, Allison takes her friend Jordan’s advice and uses the time off for some self-reflection. Over the next few months, she devours countless self-help books (albeit skeptically), schedules a soul reading with an astrologer/psychic/magician, and goes on a meditation retreat in Costa Rica, where she finally starts to feel like she’s getting her groove back.
Back at home, her desire to escape the condo she once shared with her fiancé makes her a regular at the new coffeehouse in her neighborhood, where she finds some guidance from (and eye candy in) the attractive owner, Eric. Between Jordan’s support, the Barnes & Noble self-help aisle, and the Tao of Eric, Allison gradually discovers that her old life wasn’t as perfect as she thought—and that if she truly wants to find her happily-ever-after, she’s going to have to start writing her own rules.
Feeling lost, Allison takes her friend Jordan’s advice and uses the time off for some self-reflection. Over the next few months, she devours countless self-help books (albeit skeptically), schedules a soul reading with an astrologer/psychic/magician, and goes on a meditation retreat in Costa Rica, where she finally starts to feel like she’s getting her groove back.
Back at home, her desire to escape the condo she once shared with her fiancé makes her a regular at the new coffeehouse in her neighborhood, where she finds some guidance from (and eye candy in) the attractive owner, Eric. Between Jordan’s support, the Barnes & Noble self-help aisle, and the Tao of Eric, Allison gradually discovers that her old life wasn’t as perfect as she thought—and that if she truly wants to find her happily-ever-after, she’s going to have to start writing her own rules.
305 pages, Paperback
First published August 4, 2020
57 people are currently reading
1174 people want to read
About the author
Angela Terry
4 books68 followersAngela Terry is an attorney who formerly practiced intellectual property law at large firms in Chicago and San Francisco. She resides in San Francisco with her husband and two cats, and enjoys throwing novel-themed dinner parties for her women's fiction book club.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
July 17, 2020
This is a fantastic read! I've yet to read a book by this author, but I'm going to look into her more. I found myself readily identifying with the main character, Allison. Allison is a 35 year old who is engaged, with a fiancé, Neil, a job in PR and an over-involved mother. The story begins with her being let go from her job, and as she comes home to cry and rage about it to her fiancé, he stops her right in her tracks to say he's calling off the wedding because he's falling in love with her maid of honor. What a day, huh?
She later finds out that one of her other bridesmaids, Kate, may be the person involved in her losing her job. Poor Allison feels hurt and betrayed. On top of everything, she has her mother wanting her to get back together with her fiancé, because she wants grandchildren and doesn't want Allison to get too old to have children. Upon hearing the reason for why the wedding had been canceled, her mother talks to her about freezing her eggs. Again, the reason being, grandma wants grandbabies. Poor Allison! Fortunately for Allison, her other remaining bridesmaid, a friend from college, Jordan, who just happens to be an attorney, is a great shoulder to cry on and offers excellent advice, including looking into self-help. Allison spends time at Barnes & Noble finding books to help sort herself out. In the meantime, she spends time at the local small business coffee shop, where she gets to know the owner and staff very well. Tiny sparks fly been her and the handsome owner, but Allison is true to herself and really tries to figure out what's going on in her life and how to get back on track. I find her actions commendable and I think we've all gone through some of her dilemmas at some point in our lives. Near the end of the book, her friend Jordan looks into taking classes to become a therapist. I would love to see a book about her and what she goes through to attain her goal. Hint, hint 😉
This is truly an excellent, excellent book. I highly recommend it.
I would like to thank Angela Terry, Girl Friday Productions/SparkPress and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
She later finds out that one of her other bridesmaids, Kate, may be the person involved in her losing her job. Poor Allison feels hurt and betrayed. On top of everything, she has her mother wanting her to get back together with her fiancé, because she wants grandchildren and doesn't want Allison to get too old to have children. Upon hearing the reason for why the wedding had been canceled, her mother talks to her about freezing her eggs. Again, the reason being, grandma wants grandbabies. Poor Allison! Fortunately for Allison, her other remaining bridesmaid, a friend from college, Jordan, who just happens to be an attorney, is a great shoulder to cry on and offers excellent advice, including looking into self-help. Allison spends time at Barnes & Noble finding books to help sort herself out. In the meantime, she spends time at the local small business coffee shop, where she gets to know the owner and staff very well. Tiny sparks fly been her and the handsome owner, but Allison is true to herself and really tries to figure out what's going on in her life and how to get back on track. I find her actions commendable and I think we've all gone through some of her dilemmas at some point in our lives. Near the end of the book, her friend Jordan looks into taking classes to become a therapist. I would love to see a book about her and what she goes through to attain her goal. Hint, hint 😉
This is truly an excellent, excellent book. I highly recommend it.
I would like to thank Angela Terry, Girl Friday Productions/SparkPress and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
August 17, 2020
An enjoyable chick-flick.
3.5 stars.
3.5 stars.
June 17, 2020
I was pleasantly surprised Charming Falls Apart. It sucked me in from the get go and I finished it within a day. Angela Terry's writing is easy to follow and the plot, while not super unique, is definitely entertaining.
Allison has a prominent PR job and a stable relationship with her fiancé Neil, that is until she is fired and in the same day gets dumped by Neil. He doesn't want to marry her because he is in love with Stacey, who happens to be Allison's maid of honor. What a nightmare! I seriously wouldn't wish this scenario on my worst enemy.
With her life crumbling apart, Allison has to maneuver between being single, jobhunting and cancelling a wedding, all while trying to stay sane. Thankfully she has her best friend Jordan (who should've been the MOH in my opinion) and her new friend Eric, who owns a local coffee shop.
I was livid for Allison when Neil broke off the engagement. These two have dated for five years and he just walks out and leaves her for the Maid of Honor?! Who does that?? The way Allison handled her life dramatically changing is admirable and I love that she is such a strong character. She realizes she is better off without her cheating fiancé and lying friend. Instead of throwing herself into a rebound relationship or planning revenge on Neil she works on herself, asking herself the questions that everyone going through a breakup should ask themselves. Was I really happy? Did I change who I was for my partner? Why did we really break up?
Eric and Allison's story is slow burning and I wish it was moving a little faster, but I suppose it's more realistic this way. Jordan is an amazing friend to Allison, and I would definitely read a sequel with her story!
I received a free advanced copy from the author/ publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Allison has a prominent PR job and a stable relationship with her fiancé Neil, that is until she is fired and in the same day gets dumped by Neil. He doesn't want to marry her because he is in love with Stacey, who happens to be Allison's maid of honor. What a nightmare! I seriously wouldn't wish this scenario on my worst enemy.
With her life crumbling apart, Allison has to maneuver between being single, jobhunting and cancelling a wedding, all while trying to stay sane. Thankfully she has her best friend Jordan (who should've been the MOH in my opinion) and her new friend Eric, who owns a local coffee shop.
I was livid for Allison when Neil broke off the engagement. These two have dated for five years and he just walks out and leaves her for the Maid of Honor?! Who does that?? The way Allison handled her life dramatically changing is admirable and I love that she is such a strong character. She realizes she is better off without her cheating fiancé and lying friend. Instead of throwing herself into a rebound relationship or planning revenge on Neil she works on herself, asking herself the questions that everyone going through a breakup should ask themselves. Was I really happy? Did I change who I was for my partner? Why did we really break up?
Eric and Allison's story is slow burning and I wish it was moving a little faster, but I suppose it's more realistic this way. Jordan is an amazing friend to Allison, and I would definitely read a sequel with her story!
I received a free advanced copy from the author/ publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
June 14, 2020
I was rooting for Allison from the first page as she was such a relatable character who bounced back from losing a job, jilted by a fiancé for her maid of honor to finding love and happiness. Such a feel good book that I Recommend so much.
August 13, 2020
•I’ve received this ARC from NetGalley. In this review all thoughts and opinions are my own. •
Charming Falls Apart is your classic romance book.
The story was a bit a cliche, which happens many time in books of this genre, but the premise seemed good enough for me and made me want to read this book.
Unfortunately I didn’t really felt it, although the narrative flow well and the writing was good, the story wasn’t interesting enough and after some chapters became a little boring an ripetitive.
I struggled to connect with most of the characters, also because many as I said were too cliche.
2.5
dnf 40%
Charming Falls Apart is your classic romance book.
The story was a bit a cliche, which happens many time in books of this genre, but the premise seemed good enough for me and made me want to read this book.
Unfortunately I didn’t really felt it, although the narrative flow well and the writing was good, the story wasn’t interesting enough and after some chapters became a little boring an ripetitive.
I struggled to connect with most of the characters, also because many as I said were too cliche.
2.5
dnf 40%
June 9, 2020
I thought this was a great story about what happens when your life falls apart and you’re struggling to get back on track. Allison’s life has just gone terribly wrong, I mean not only did she get fired but her fiancé breaks their engagement and tells her he’s in love with her maid of honor. Allison was such a likable character and her story was a fun one to read. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about her journey and I mean Eric was a complete sweetheart. Jordan? She’s an angel! I loved the relationships and support given to Allison through this difficult journey and her strength in picking up the pieces and starting over. This was a funny a cute book to read!
June 27, 2020
I'm sad to say but I wasn't a fan of this book at all. The MC came off so freaking whiny and it took pretty much half the book for anything to happen. For me, that's a bit too much. 20% maybe.50%? Not so much.
On top of that, the characters seemed very wooden and unlike real actual people. Even their conversations were super awkward.
I'm sure lots of people will enjoy this but it wasn't my cup O coffee.
I would like to thank NetGalley for this ARC.
On top of that, the characters seemed very wooden and unlike real actual people. Even their conversations were super awkward.
I'm sure lots of people will enjoy this but it wasn't my cup O coffee.
I would like to thank NetGalley for this ARC.
April 15, 2021
This was exactly the book I need right now - light but meaningful. Also loved that the MC was 35! More 30+ (40+ even better!) protagonists please.....
November 14, 2021
ок ненав'язлива книжка про жінку, в якої пішло життя шкереберть і вона намагається зібрати його до купи і зрозуміти, шо ж пішло не так. я трохи переживала, куди веде авторка з усіма цими селф-хелп книжками, йогами і астрологами, здавалось, усі експерти різного рівня шарлатанності намагались переконати героїню в тому, що це її вина - вибирала не тих друзів, була занадто гнучкою, притягувала негативну енергетику і т.д. все-таки віктімблеймінг це не дуже empowering. але все вийшло норм.
August 4, 2020
Publication day!!
This is what happens when you're crossing all of life's t's and dotting its i's and then everything you thought was put together falls apart. Allison has everything, a well paying job that she's good at, a fiance, a few best friends doubling as her bridesmaids in the upcoming wedding- and everything is toppled over in one day.
Charming Falls Apart's best quality? These are real characters. They are built on personality, insecurities, faults, and growth. I am blown away by the characters jumping off of the pages through their personalities, actions, and realistic lives. Every time Allison made a mature decision, reacted to a completely human emotion, or even stopped herself from jumping right into something without thought, it was a win for the real-life woman reading this novel after reading countless characters that don't feel down on Earth.
Allison's entire life falls apart in one fell swoop and this story has a natural rhythm as she regains her confidence, both professionally and socially. While she reads self-help books you bear witness to self-reflection and growth, and the changes a person can make to better their life at any age.
The romantic progression was another great thing to read. She meets Eric by chance in a coffee shop that he owns and she can't help but keep coming back. While at first she's too freshly burned to even consider it, she gains back a piece of herself in her conversations with Eric- along with a reoccurring blush across her cheeks. The romance didn't feel forced, which was probably the best part. There were times where I found myself smiling while reading because Eric comes across as charming while he makes jokes and teases Allison.
This was a breath of fresh air as far as romance novels, I really enjoyed the maturity of it and the characters. People who enjoyed Evvie Drake Starts Over would also enjoy this novel. Thank you to Edelweiss, Angela Terry, and SparkPress for the pleasure of reading this review copy.
This is what happens when you're crossing all of life's t's and dotting its i's and then everything you thought was put together falls apart. Allison has everything, a well paying job that she's good at, a fiance, a few best friends doubling as her bridesmaids in the upcoming wedding- and everything is toppled over in one day.
Charming Falls Apart's best quality? These are real characters. They are built on personality, insecurities, faults, and growth. I am blown away by the characters jumping off of the pages through their personalities, actions, and realistic lives. Every time Allison made a mature decision, reacted to a completely human emotion, or even stopped herself from jumping right into something without thought, it was a win for the real-life woman reading this novel after reading countless characters that don't feel down on Earth.
Allison's entire life falls apart in one fell swoop and this story has a natural rhythm as she regains her confidence, both professionally and socially. While she reads self-help books you bear witness to self-reflection and growth, and the changes a person can make to better their life at any age.
The romantic progression was another great thing to read. She meets Eric by chance in a coffee shop that he owns and she can't help but keep coming back. While at first she's too freshly burned to even consider it, she gains back a piece of herself in her conversations with Eric- along with a reoccurring blush across her cheeks. The romance didn't feel forced, which was probably the best part. There were times where I found myself smiling while reading because Eric comes across as charming while he makes jokes and teases Allison.
This was a breath of fresh air as far as romance novels, I really enjoyed the maturity of it and the characters. People who enjoyed Evvie Drake Starts Over would also enjoy this novel. Thank you to Edelweiss, Angela Terry, and SparkPress for the pleasure of reading this review copy.
June 16, 2020
This is the first time I have read this author and I really loved this book. Allison is the main character. As it begins, she has been let go from her job and when she got home, her fiancee' Neil called of the wedding as he fell for some one else , which happen to be her maid of honor and then later she found out is was a bridesmaid that was in on losing her job. What a way to start a day. The book goes on to share her feelings with her other bridesmaid Jordon, who stuck by her even so much as Allison bought her wedding gown and Jordon bought her dress. and reads a lot of self help books. Read the things she goes through to turn her life around. This is a VERY GOOD READ. I highly recommend this book.
August 15, 2020
This book is a simple page turner and I really feel it offers more than a fluffy chick lit plot. Angela Terry writes a beautiful and strong tale of going through break up and moving on. I am really grateful to netgalley for sending me the e arc as I really pick up so many things and this one motivated me on various levels.
The protagonist Allison suddenly faced breakup with her fiance and got fired from the job. but I am so glad the story did not grow on her quest of finding love but her struggle and strategies of staying on the path, being motivated, and so on. The writing is good and very easy to fly through. It's a comfort read but with underlying strong messages. The romance in this book is not that commendable for me but I really like how it does not overshadow things which should be talked about.
For me, It is a great reading experience and I am looking forward to read more books by Terry in future.
The protagonist Allison suddenly faced breakup with her fiance and got fired from the job. but I am so glad the story did not grow on her quest of finding love but her struggle and strategies of staying on the path, being motivated, and so on. The writing is good and very easy to fly through. It's a comfort read but with underlying strong messages. The romance in this book is not that commendable for me but I really like how it does not overshadow things which should be talked about.
For me, It is a great reading experience and I am looking forward to read more books by Terry in future.
July 3, 2020
Release date 4 august 2020
I absolutely devoured this book and loved every second of it!
Although not in the same situation as Alison I found her character so relatable and her journey of self discovery so intriguing and endearing even if it was somewhat forced upon her.
I loved all the characters even the mean ones. I found it to be such a realistic and accurate depiction of adult life in so many ways.
I enjoyed the different female friendships (mother/daughter included) to the relationships she had with men. I just felt it all to be natural and authentic which i think alot of that boils down to the great writing.
I loved the little twists and how the end tied things up nicely. 100% a great read and I will probably buy it and reread and I will most definitely be recommending this book!
Thanks to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review
I absolutely devoured this book and loved every second of it!
Although not in the same situation as Alison I found her character so relatable and her journey of self discovery so intriguing and endearing even if it was somewhat forced upon her.
I loved all the characters even the mean ones. I found it to be such a realistic and accurate depiction of adult life in so many ways.
I enjoyed the different female friendships (mother/daughter included) to the relationships she had with men. I just felt it all to be natural and authentic which i think alot of that boils down to the great writing.
I loved the little twists and how the end tied things up nicely. 100% a great read and I will probably buy it and reread and I will most definitely be recommending this book!
Thanks to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review
August 22, 2020
Allison is thirty five and has everything figured out, her career and love life both were in a safe place or so she thought. She is shocked and feels betrayed when her fiancée call of their wedding and tells her he loves someone else! Her maid of honour! She is fired from her job of 12 years for reasons she couldn’t find peace with! Everything she built and dreamed about was falling apart. And a family who are more concerned about her biological clock ticking than her actual feelings. But she has her best friend who has got her back no matter what. She leans on self help books for some moral support and Eric from the Coffeehouse has some charms which helps her too! Maybe she will be able to figure it out or maybe she has actually hit rock bottom! She has got a chance to restart everything but will she be able to do that??
✨I took more time than necessary to read this book which totally wasn’t the books fault! It’s a great story and a rather interesting characters.
✨The narration was great and the relationships were perfectly detailed! The book talks about many happy and toxic relationships. How a friend should be, how not to be and what and what not to expect at work or love life!
✨The story is nothing extraordinary, its just what happens in real life or has a chance to happen. If you think your life is messed up or if you feel like you have hit rock bottom then you should probably read this book! It sure will cheer you up!
✨when i think of Neil, that guy has no face in my imagination! I hate him that much while I couldn’t stop dreaming about Eric, he is a sweetheart. Jordan is love, she is a friend we all need and have.
We just have to cherish them more❤️
✨I took more time than necessary to read this book which totally wasn’t the books fault! It’s a great story and a rather interesting characters.
✨The narration was great and the relationships were perfectly detailed! The book talks about many happy and toxic relationships. How a friend should be, how not to be and what and what not to expect at work or love life!
✨The story is nothing extraordinary, its just what happens in real life or has a chance to happen. If you think your life is messed up or if you feel like you have hit rock bottom then you should probably read this book! It sure will cheer you up!
✨when i think of Neil, that guy has no face in my imagination! I hate him that much while I couldn’t stop dreaming about Eric, he is a sweetheart. Jordan is love, she is a friend we all need and have.
We just have to cherish them more❤️
August 4, 2020
Sometimes it's nice to have a novel into which you can completely escape, especially in this day and age. Angela Terry's debut Charming Falls Apart: A Novel fits that bill and I read the majority of it in one day!
I really enjoyed this impressive debut! While the subject matter is cliché for this genre, Angela does a great job with keeping the story interesting and engaging. Allison was a sympathetic character throughout and I cared about what happened in her life. I found her relatable, even if we didn't have the same kinds of experiences. (However, I can sort of relate to one of her experiences now.) I really liked the supporting characters (aside from Allison's ex and her former best friend). While her mom tended to be annoying, it was just enough to make me angry on Allison's behalf.
I liked that the story took place in Chicago (as I grew up in the suburbs), but it didn't capture the feel and mood of the city for me. For what it was worth, it could have been any city. (Authors with several books under their belt have done this with certain cities too.) I may just be more critical since I am still a Chicago girl at heart, or maybe it's just been too long since I last lived nearby.
Overall, this was a fun and engaging story about friendship and relationships and it will definitely keep you entertained this summer!
Movie casting suggestions:
Allison: Emily Wickersham
Neil: Matt Lanter
Jordan: Katharine McPhee
Eric: Justin Hartley
Stacey: Allegra Edwards
Kate: Shannon Woodward
Alistair: Justin Baldoni
Paige: Alison Sweeney
Suzy: Nikki Blonsky
Theresa (mom): Rene Russo
I really enjoyed this impressive debut! While the subject matter is cliché for this genre, Angela does a great job with keeping the story interesting and engaging. Allison was a sympathetic character throughout and I cared about what happened in her life. I found her relatable, even if we didn't have the same kinds of experiences. (However, I can sort of relate to one of her experiences now.) I really liked the supporting characters (aside from Allison's ex and her former best friend). While her mom tended to be annoying, it was just enough to make me angry on Allison's behalf.
I liked that the story took place in Chicago (as I grew up in the suburbs), but it didn't capture the feel and mood of the city for me. For what it was worth, it could have been any city. (Authors with several books under their belt have done this with certain cities too.) I may just be more critical since I am still a Chicago girl at heart, or maybe it's just been too long since I last lived nearby.
Overall, this was a fun and engaging story about friendship and relationships and it will definitely keep you entertained this summer!
Movie casting suggestions:
Allison: Emily Wickersham
Neil: Matt Lanter
Jordan: Katharine McPhee
Eric: Justin Hartley
Stacey: Allegra Edwards
Kate: Shannon Woodward
Alistair: Justin Baldoni
Paige: Alison Sweeney
Suzy: Nikki Blonsky
Theresa (mom): Rene Russo
June 23, 2020
Allison James is sweet and charming...to the point that her fiancé and maid of honor take her for granted and have an affair. Poor Allison comes home, fired, after 12 yrs at her job, on her 35th birthday, to find them in the act.
Allison begins going the local coffeehouse each morning. She meets the owner, hunky Eric, and begins to hit it off with him.
After several failed attempts at finding a job, Allison begins to look for salvation in the self-help aisle at the bookstore, a trip to Costa Rica and finds she may have found her ever after closer than she thought...
Allison begins going the local coffeehouse each morning. She meets the owner, hunky Eric, and begins to hit it off with him.
After several failed attempts at finding a job, Allison begins to look for salvation in the self-help aisle at the bookstore, a trip to Costa Rica and finds she may have found her ever after closer than she thought...
May 5, 2021
1.5/5 stars.
The beginning of the book was a promising set-up for a good chick-flick-esque story, but it all went downhill after the first 75-ish pages. The whole story is redundant aside from the (maybe) 4 chapters that take place while the protagonist is on vacation. Not to mention I got NO emotion from the protagonist, meaning everything was a play-by-play narration of her day-to-day life, all tell with no show. Since I also live in Chicago and do many of the same things, it made it even more plain. Maybe that’s a personal problem? I don’t know. Not to mention the end of the story? It just literally ended, and I flipped the page thinking, “Wait, that’s it?” (That’s not to be confused with “Wait give me more of this book!!”) Maybe we could have cut that ‘Say Yes to the Dress’ episode recap that had nothing to do with the story at all or the twelfth visit to Barnes & Noble to expand a little bit there?
Oh well, at least the cover is pretty.
The beginning of the book was a promising set-up for a good chick-flick-esque story, but it all went downhill after the first 75-ish pages. The whole story is redundant aside from the (maybe) 4 chapters that take place while the protagonist is on vacation. Not to mention I got NO emotion from the protagonist, meaning everything was a play-by-play narration of her day-to-day life, all tell with no show. Since I also live in Chicago and do many of the same things, it made it even more plain. Maybe that’s a personal problem? I don’t know. Not to mention the end of the story? It just literally ended, and I flipped the page thinking, “Wait, that’s it?” (That’s not to be confused with “Wait give me more of this book!!”) Maybe we could have cut that ‘Say Yes to the Dress’ episode recap that had nothing to do with the story at all or the twelfth visit to Barnes & Noble to expand a little bit there?
Oh well, at least the cover is pretty.
August 9, 2020
I just adored this book by Angela Terry! 💕 I was absolutely hooked on the story from the very first chapter and found all of the characters (even crappy Neil and Stacey) so relatable that I really felt like I knew them all personally by the end of the book! I felt a strong kinship to the main character Alison and was so proud of her journey to self discovery and I also want Jordan to be my best friend as I just loved how strong their friendship was throughout! This was the perfect feel-good read that I needed right now during #lockdown2.0 and I look forward to reading more books from Angela 🙌🏼
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A big thank you to Netgalley and She Writes Press for this digital copy to read and review!
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A big thank you to Netgalley and She Writes Press for this digital copy to read and review!
October 31, 2020
Disclaimer: I received this ebook from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Charming Falls Apart
Author: Angela Terry
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: romance, click lit
Publication Date: August 4, 2020
Genre: Romance
Recommended Age: 18+ (romance, sexual content)
Publisher: Spark Press
Pages: 305
Synopsis: Allison James is a people pleaser and rule follower, but the day before her thirty-fifth birthday, that all backfires: she is unexpectedly fired from the public relations firm she’s worked at for twelve years, only to come home and find out that her fiancé has been sleeping with her maid of honor.
Feeling lost, Allison takes her friend Jordan’s advice and uses the time off for some self-reflection. Over the next few months, she devours countless self-help books (albeit skeptically), schedules a soul reading with an astrologer/psychic/magician, and goes on a meditation retreat in Costa Rica, where she finally starts to feel like she’s getting her groove back.
Back at home, her desire to escape the condo she once shared with her fiancé makes her a regular at the new coffeehouse in her neighborhood, where she finds some guidance from (and eye candy in) the attractive owner, Eric. Between Jordan’s support, the Barnes & Noble self-help aisle, and the Tao of Eric, Allison gradually discovers that her old life wasn’t as perfect as she thought—and that if she truly wants to find her happily-ever-after, she’s going to have to start writing her own rules.
Review: Overall, the book is really cute and if you’re into met cute and romance, then this is your book. The book has some fun moments and great characters. The book also does well to keep the pacing moving fairly paced.
However, I feel like the book is way too cliché for me and the plot didn’t really make sense for me. I struggled to get into this book.
Verdict: It wasn’t for me, but it might be for you!
Book: Charming Falls Apart
Author: Angela Terry
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: romance, click lit
Publication Date: August 4, 2020
Genre: Romance
Recommended Age: 18+ (romance, sexual content)
Publisher: Spark Press
Pages: 305
Synopsis: Allison James is a people pleaser and rule follower, but the day before her thirty-fifth birthday, that all backfires: she is unexpectedly fired from the public relations firm she’s worked at for twelve years, only to come home and find out that her fiancé has been sleeping with her maid of honor.
Feeling lost, Allison takes her friend Jordan’s advice and uses the time off for some self-reflection. Over the next few months, she devours countless self-help books (albeit skeptically), schedules a soul reading with an astrologer/psychic/magician, and goes on a meditation retreat in Costa Rica, where she finally starts to feel like she’s getting her groove back.
Back at home, her desire to escape the condo she once shared with her fiancé makes her a regular at the new coffeehouse in her neighborhood, where she finds some guidance from (and eye candy in) the attractive owner, Eric. Between Jordan’s support, the Barnes & Noble self-help aisle, and the Tao of Eric, Allison gradually discovers that her old life wasn’t as perfect as she thought—and that if she truly wants to find her happily-ever-after, she’s going to have to start writing her own rules.
Review: Overall, the book is really cute and if you’re into met cute and romance, then this is your book. The book has some fun moments and great characters. The book also does well to keep the pacing moving fairly paced.
However, I feel like the book is way too cliché for me and the plot didn’t really make sense for me. I struggled to get into this book.
Verdict: It wasn’t for me, but it might be for you!
August 5, 2020
From the beginning, I connected to poor Allison and her life that has fallen apart in one day. We've all had the mini version of this day when every relationship and work seem to tilt off-balance at the same time. We can imagine the dread of losing a job, then having a fiance casually end a relationship like it's a conversation over what they're going to watch on TV. The stinger comes when he's actually in love with one of your best friends and that causes other friends to act like she's the plague. Anyone in this sort of desperate moment would turn to self-help books to search for a shred of hope. Anyone, that is, who is going to fight for a great and deserved future.
The problem was that I didn't feel that determination in Allison. She wasn't a fighter. She wasn't searching for inspiration in those self-help books to launch her into the comeback of her life. Things just sort of happened and then other things happened. She had a victim role that I wanted her to pull out of on her own but instead, the story lacked thrust for me. I mean, it was a decent story. It wasn't offensive or badly written, but it wasn't unique either. It walked the line of a typical romance trope when the cafe owner just happened to be cute and fit and they liked each other, and there were cute misunderstandings and lots of fretting. I was expecting a little more of a women's fiction flair with Allison becoming the grown-ass woman she should've been on her own. Sadly, I would not say it's a must-read but I will not discount future books from Angela Terry because she does have a style of writing that I liked. I will look for her other books.
The problem was that I didn't feel that determination in Allison. She wasn't a fighter. She wasn't searching for inspiration in those self-help books to launch her into the comeback of her life. Things just sort of happened and then other things happened. She had a victim role that I wanted her to pull out of on her own but instead, the story lacked thrust for me. I mean, it was a decent story. It wasn't offensive or badly written, but it wasn't unique either. It walked the line of a typical romance trope when the cafe owner just happened to be cute and fit and they liked each other, and there were cute misunderstandings and lots of fretting. I was expecting a little more of a women's fiction flair with Allison becoming the grown-ass woman she should've been on her own. Sadly, I would not say it's a must-read but I will not discount future books from Angela Terry because she does have a style of writing that I liked. I will look for her other books.
July 13, 2020
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book! I thought it was going to be purely a romance book, but the story held so much more depth than just the main character falling in love.
The first half of the book describes the pain that Allison experiences after losing her job and her fiance on the same day (yikes)! The romance snuck up on me, and didn't play a role until Allison did quite a bit of soul searching on her own. I was thankful for that––it showed that Allison didn't rely on a man to pull her out of her funk, but instead she found healing on her own. Plus, she continued to stand up for herself and not take any sh*t, even though her life was turned upside down in some really difficult ways. Her friend Jordan was so fiercely loyal and encouraging. Eric, the love interest, was very like-able, and I loved watching their friendship grow. I really enjoyed this book. Angela did a great job of writing characters that I could relate to and imagine while I was reading.
This book covered quite a bit: heartache, complicated family relations, female friendships, personal growth, and healthy relationships.
Rating: 4.5/5
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book!
The first half of the book describes the pain that Allison experiences after losing her job and her fiance on the same day (yikes)! The romance snuck up on me, and didn't play a role until Allison did quite a bit of soul searching on her own. I was thankful for that––it showed that Allison didn't rely on a man to pull her out of her funk, but instead she found healing on her own. Plus, she continued to stand up for herself and not take any sh*t, even though her life was turned upside down in some really difficult ways. Her friend Jordan was so fiercely loyal and encouraging. Eric, the love interest, was very like-able, and I loved watching their friendship grow. I really enjoyed this book. Angela did a great job of writing characters that I could relate to and imagine while I was reading.
This book covered quite a bit: heartache, complicated family relations, female friendships, personal growth, and healthy relationships.
Rating: 4.5/5
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book!
July 10, 2020
CHarming Falls Apart is a terrific read. Alison receives a double whammy all in one day: she is canned from her job and her fiancé dumps her for her maid of honor. She'all receive more bad news before she begins to turn her life around. She reads self help books, cancels the wedding, and reinvents her career, while hanging out at the local coffee shop. I thought she was way too passive with the dirtbag fiancé, and 'friend' Katie. The character I liked the most was Jordan. She was the only person who was there for Alison the entire time. Personally, I thought she stole the limelight from Alison's character. I wanted to read more about Jordan and less about Allison. Thanks to NetGalley and Sparks Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
July 6, 2020
What a fun read! I like books like this, where I pretty much knew where it was going from the beginning, but I still was anxious to see what happened! I found the main character, Allie, to be relatable and her issues to be ones we all face. Even though it was mostly predictable, I found that I couldn't put it down and read it in a single setting! Definitely worth a read!
August 4, 2020
From the very beginning of the book our main character Allison is down on her luck. She gets fired from her job, dumped by her fiancé and to top it all off he’s cheating on her with her maid of honor! All of this happens within the first couple pages. If that doesn’t make you invested then I don’t know what would. We follow Allison as she tries to pull her life together and move on. You throw in the mix a nagging demanding mother, a crazy best friend and a possible new love interest for the perfect combo. What I really enjoyed was how relatable the characters were to ourselves or someone we know. I could easily place myself in some of her situations. It had a slow burn romance of Will they or won’t they get together. A great love story tied in. Overall it was a fun read! I’d really like a second book that gets into the life of her crazy best friend Jordan. She was a hoot! I highly suggest this book if your looking for a feel good comfy rom com. I received this ebook for free in exchange for my honest opinion.
July 20, 2020
Alison has just turned 35 and her life is falling apart. She’s been fired from her job and her fiancé tells her just weeks before the wedding that he’s been having an affair with her maid of honor. Alison feels lost and confused. Through many self help books, some spiritual retreats, and the owner of a new coffee shop Alison starts to realize the life she thought was perfect was merely boxes checked off on her list. Alison has to rediscover herself and learn how to be happy on her own first first time in years.
This was a really cute book. I wish the self discovery came before 90% of the book was over though. I would have liked more on her life after discovering what she wanted to do with her life and deciding she was ready for dating. Overall I still enjoyed it and felt very empathetic towards Alison as a character. I couldn’t imagine going through what she did and she handled it with such grace. I enjoyed her relationship with her best friend, Jordan, as well and how she constantly was there when Alison needed it.
Thank you to Netgalley and Angela Terry for those e-ARC. Charming Falls Apart is out on August 4, 2020.
This was a really cute book. I wish the self discovery came before 90% of the book was over though. I would have liked more on her life after discovering what she wanted to do with her life and deciding she was ready for dating. Overall I still enjoyed it and felt very empathetic towards Alison as a character. I couldn’t imagine going through what she did and she handled it with such grace. I enjoyed her relationship with her best friend, Jordan, as well and how she constantly was there when Alison needed it.
Thank you to Netgalley and Angela Terry for those e-ARC. Charming Falls Apart is out on August 4, 2020.
June 16, 2020
This was quick and fun read. Alison has it altogether until u
It all falls apart. She loses her job and fiancé in one day. Instead of wallowing she picks her self up and makes a plan. With some help from her best friend and a cute coffeehouse owner she finds her way and discovers a better life for herself. I enjoyed Allison’s story and her slowburn friendship turned romance with the wise, sweet and cute Eric.
It all falls apart. She loses her job and fiancé in one day. Instead of wallowing she picks her self up and makes a plan. With some help from her best friend and a cute coffeehouse owner she finds her way and discovers a better life for herself. I enjoyed Allison’s story and her slowburn friendship turned romance with the wise, sweet and cute Eric.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 17, 2020
Loved it!! Amazing book you will love from front to back. You will not want to put this one down. I read it in one afternoon.
December 28, 2020
This book was fabulous from the first sentence. I never wanted to put it down. Allison’s circumstances are everyone’s nightmare so I needed to see how she got through them, one by one! I mean, seriously, oh my God! Just when you thought it’s the final straw, more happened. This story was inspiring, humorous, emotional, and relatable. The author did a wonderful job with a beautiful story of a woman’s growth and wrote an easy to read masterpiece. I adore it!
August 14, 2020
This book was exhilarating and confusing for me. The only thing I was clear about was the journey of self discovery that the main character went through. And the fact that this was the book which made it easy for me to get out of my reading slump. Starting with Allison, I really loved how her character developed throughout the book. While the book did start with a tragedy, I am so happy that the major focus of it wasn't Romance. Honestly, that was a big relief for me because at the end of the day in a lot of romantic comedy it comes down to romance and not self discovery. So many plus points for that!!
So I'll give a brief description - Allison loses her job one day before her 35th birthday because of false rumors. Moreover, her fiance confesses that he's in love with her maid of honor when only a month is left for the wedding. Suddenly her life collapses around her and she doesn't know anything anymore. With the help of her friend Jordan, the self help book aisle at Barnes and Noble and the coffee shop owner, Eric, she's able to find herself again and the illusion that she had of having a perfect life before clears more and more.
Now here's the thing, the book was really good. I absolutely loved how Allison slowly understood herself better and how she didn't lose hope at all. It was all very like Eat Pray Love, with her journeying through different levels of self discovery and understanding. The only problem, not exactly a problem but more like situation, that I had was the sudden surge towards the end. Starting from the trip to Costa Rica, everything was happening very quickly and to be honest, I was really liking the previous slow pace of the book. And there's one more thing - this book made me think a lot. Like a lot, lot. I mean I'll need two times my age to actually have a midlife crisis but it still made me question a lot of things around me. It was quite an experience!
I was provided with an arc by the publisher in exchange for an honest review!
So I'll give a brief description - Allison loses her job one day before her 35th birthday because of false rumors. Moreover, her fiance confesses that he's in love with her maid of honor when only a month is left for the wedding. Suddenly her life collapses around her and she doesn't know anything anymore. With the help of her friend Jordan, the self help book aisle at Barnes and Noble and the coffee shop owner, Eric, she's able to find herself again and the illusion that she had of having a perfect life before clears more and more.
Now here's the thing, the book was really good. I absolutely loved how Allison slowly understood herself better and how she didn't lose hope at all. It was all very like Eat Pray Love, with her journeying through different levels of self discovery and understanding. The only problem, not exactly a problem but more like situation, that I had was the sudden surge towards the end. Starting from the trip to Costa Rica, everything was happening very quickly and to be honest, I was really liking the previous slow pace of the book. And there's one more thing - this book made me think a lot. Like a lot, lot. I mean I'll need two times my age to actually have a midlife crisis but it still made me question a lot of things around me. It was quite an experience!
I was provided with an arc by the publisher in exchange for an honest review!
July 12, 2020
Charming Falls Apart by Angela Terry
SparkPress
I was so happy to have the chance to review this ARC novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Allison, the book’s main character, has the picture perfect high achieving life. When everything comes crashing down on her at once, she is left questioning her life choices. Allison begins a journey of self-reflection which is central to the story’s arc. She relies heavily on a wise friend and becomes well-acquainted with the Barnes and Noble self-help aisle. A budding friendship with a cafe owner becomes a source of anticipatory tension and unexpected wisdom. He is also quite obsessed with Cross Fit, the results of which conjure pleasant images.
This novel was a fun one to read. The pacing was good and the characters were generally relatable. Plot twists, although somewhat predictable and convenient, kept the story moving along nicely. I can’t honestly say that I think this is the best title for this book. Perhaps Allison can use her sharp PR skills to come up with another! Regardless, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a light, fun summer read. You won’t be disappointed.
SparkPress
I was so happy to have the chance to review this ARC novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Allison, the book’s main character, has the picture perfect high achieving life. When everything comes crashing down on her at once, she is left questioning her life choices. Allison begins a journey of self-reflection which is central to the story’s arc. She relies heavily on a wise friend and becomes well-acquainted with the Barnes and Noble self-help aisle. A budding friendship with a cafe owner becomes a source of anticipatory tension and unexpected wisdom. He is also quite obsessed with Cross Fit, the results of which conjure pleasant images.
This novel was a fun one to read. The pacing was good and the characters were generally relatable. Plot twists, although somewhat predictable and convenient, kept the story moving along nicely. I can’t honestly say that I think this is the best title for this book. Perhaps Allison can use her sharp PR skills to come up with another! Regardless, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a light, fun summer read. You won’t be disappointed.
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