Falling All In

by Gia Kim

With her history of bad relationships, Mindy believes the closest she will ever get to marital bliss is standing up at her best friend’s wedding.
Then, she meets Austin.
The wedding photographer is sexy, charming, and completely unattainable. Still, Mindy is irresistibly drawn to him. Even though she's convinced she's setting herself up for another heartache, seeing everyone else around her find love prompts her to take the risk... one last time.

After a painful breakup in college, Austin made his career his sole focus. Photographing weddings seemed a far safer option than vowing himself to a lifelong commitment. While he couldn't deny his attraction to Mindy, he pushed her away out of fear of getting hurt.

He thought concentrating on work would chase all thoughts of the enticing beauty from his mind. But something seems to be missing from his life, there’s a hole in his heart no distraction can fill. Only when he sees Mindy in passing does he realize letting her walk out of his life was the biggest mistake he ever made. Can Austin convince her to give him a second chance? Or was their shot at happiness over before it even began?

Genres: Romance

179 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 8, 2021

About the author

Gia Kim runs on coffee and chaos.
The perfect day includes a cup of joe and a running to-do list.
With two littles and no personal space, she escapes into her romance novels to stay sane. Each chapter draws her more into a realm filled with star-crossed lovers and happy endings.
These novels and sweet escapes have inspired Gia to start the journey of being an author herself, with a debut novel releasing soon!
She wants to write stories of her own about everyday couples that have whimsical meet-cutes, where they fall in love and get their HEA.

Gia can't wait for readers to find solace in her novels, starting with Falling All In.

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Reviews

[caffe.and.books (Aimee) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

𝖳𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗂𝗌 𝖺 𝗌𝗐𝖾𝖾𝗍, 𝗌𝗍𝖾𝖺𝗆𝗒, 𝗊𝗎𝗂𝖼𝗄 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽 𝖽𝖾𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝗇𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗅. 𝖨𝗍 𝗂𝗌 𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗒 𝗐𝖾𝗅𝗅 𝗐𝗋𝗂𝗍𝗍𝖾𝗇- 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗉𝗅𝗈𝗍 𝖽𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗅𝗈𝗉𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗀𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗍. 𝖨 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗄 𝗂𝗍𝗌 𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗒 𝗐𝖾𝗅𝗅 𝗉𝖺𝖼𝖾𝖽 𝖾𝗌𝗉𝖾𝖼𝗂𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗒 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗂𝗍 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗂𝗆𝖾 𝗌𝗉𝖺𝗇𝗌 𝖻𝖾𝗍𝗐𝖾𝖾𝗇 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗌.

𝖳𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗂𝗌 𝖬𝗂𝗇𝖽𝗒 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖠𝗎𝗌𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗌 𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗋𝗒. 𝖬𝗂𝗇𝖽𝗒 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗄𝗌 𝗌𝗁𝖾'𝗌 𝗎𝗇𝗅𝗎𝖼𝗄𝗒 𝗂𝗇 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾, 𝖻𝖾𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗆𝖺𝗂𝖽 𝗈𝖿 𝗁𝗈𝗇𝗈𝗋 𝗂𝗇 𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝖻𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝖿𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖽𝗌 𝗐𝖾𝖽𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗌𝗁𝗈𝗐𝗌 𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝗁𝗈𝗐 𝗆𝗎𝖼𝗁 𝗌𝗁𝖾 𝗐𝗂𝗌𝗁𝖾𝗌 𝗌𝗁𝖾 𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖽 𝖿𝗂𝗇𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗈𝗇𝖾. 𝖠𝗎𝗌𝗍𝗂𝗇 𝗁𝖺𝖽 𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗁𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗍 𝖻𝗋𝗈𝗄𝖾𝗇 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗁𝖾 𝖿𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗌 𝗂𝗍 𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗉𝖾𝗇𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖺𝗀𝖺𝗂𝗇 𝗌𝗈 𝗁𝖾 𝗄𝖾𝖾𝗉𝗌 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗒𝗈𝗇𝖾 𝖺𝗍 𝖺𝗋𝗆𝗌 𝗅𝖾𝗇𝗀𝗍𝗁- 𝗎𝗇𝗍𝗂𝗅 𝗁𝖾 𝗆𝖾𝖾𝗍𝗌 𝖬𝗂𝗇𝖽𝗒 𝗐𝗁𝖾𝗇 𝗁𝖾 𝗉𝗁𝗈𝗍𝗈𝗀𝗋𝖺𝗉𝗁𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖾𝗇𝗀𝖺𝗀𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍 𝗌𝖾𝗌𝗌𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝖿𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖽. 𝖳𝗁𝖾𝗌𝖾 𝗍𝗐𝗈 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝗎𝗇𝖻𝖾𝗅𝗂𝗏𝖾𝖺𝖻𝗅𝖾 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗂𝗆𝗆𝖾𝖽𝗂𝖺𝗍𝖾 𝖼𝗁𝖾𝗆𝗂𝗌𝗍𝗋𝗒 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝖼𝖺𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗒 𝗌𝗎𝗋𝗏𝗂𝗏𝖾 𝖽𝗂𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗂𝗇𝗌𝖾𝖼𝗎𝗋𝗂𝗍𝗂𝖾𝗌?

𝖨 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗒 𝖾𝗇𝗃𝗈𝗒𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗌𝖾 𝗍𝗐𝗈 𝖺𝗌 𝗐𝖾𝗅𝗅 𝖺𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗌𝗎𝗉𝗉𝗈𝗋𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗌- 𝖨 𝗁𝗈𝗉𝖾 𝗍𝗈 𝗌𝖾𝖾 𝗌𝗈𝗆𝖾 𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗌 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗆 𝗌𝗈𝗈𝗇! 𝖶𝖾𝗅𝗅 𝖽𝗈𝗇𝖾 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝖺 𝖽𝖾𝖻𝗎𝗍!

**I am voluntarily reviewing an advance complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed are my own and I have not been compensated for this review.**

[Gina Salamon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful debut for this new author and I'll be watching for more!

Realistic characters, flaws and all and I always love a damaged hero. Gia's story took my emotions from one spectrum to another.

Sexy, full of heat, and just the right amount of tears!

[Love Books Addict · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars! A short, sweet and steamy read! Can't wait to read what Gia does next!

Mindy - she's always been unlucky in love, which becomes more obvious when she's asked to be maid of honour for best friend Nicki's wedding. Seeing how in love they are, really makes her crave her happily ever after. When asked to help with the engagement photoshoot, what she didn't expect was to fall for the photographer! Unfortunately he doesn't believe in forever. Can she help him lower his walls and truly fall in love again?

Austin - after having his heart broken he's spent the last few years focusing on his only love; photography. He's not looking for anything long time, in fear of being hurt again, but his current bachelor life is thrown into doubt when he sees the stunning maid of honour on a recent shoot. He tries to get her out of his mind, but when they're face-to-face at the wedding, can he walk away again?

You can't deny the unbelievable chemistry between these two! From the moment they meet you are really rooting for these two to overcome past heartaches and finally fall in love with The One. Even if I did really wanted to shake Austin at points! I only knocked a star off because I felt they were apart a lot towards the end, but I understand that Austin needed to really process what he wanted in life.

If you're looking for an sweet and yet raunchy quick read, then look no further!

**Honest ARC review**

No cheating. No cliff-hanger. HEA guaranteed.

[Rachel Tobin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek at Mindy and Austin's love story through an advanced copy. I loved the flirtiness from these two from the get-go. And that first video chat? H.O.T. Umm, Gia Kim? More of that, please and thank you. For anyone who has been in a long-distance romance, you'll recognize the tugs and pulls that come with fostering love across a gap...and the struggles that go with it. I love Mindy's outlook and love they found their happily ever after. It's a quick, fun read with just the right amount of steam and stupid boys!

[CK · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so loved this romance! It’s a sweet, passion-filled story that I couldn’t resist loving! Mindy and Austin meet in the most happen-stance way and their intense chemistry leads to some amazing steamy scenes! So happy I found this new author! I will be stalking her!

[Emma Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gia Kim's debut is so good! This fast-paced, fun read is one you will gobble up in a matter of hours. You'll love Austin and Mindy's story from start to finish!

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was an adorable, quick read. It was the perfect book for a night in with a glass of wine (or if you're like me, some White Claws). Mindy and Austin meet at a wedding and start a long distance relationship, and everything is going great until Austin's relationship baggage suddenly causes some issues. But their HEA is so worth all the ups and downs! I loved the characters in this, as well as their flirty banter. The steamy scenes were also I can't wait to read anything else Gia comes out with!

[Killing It Write · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly enjoyable read full of heat and lots of heart with characters you'll fall in love with. I know I did!

Wonderfully relatable story and characters, flaws and all. Sexy, sensual, and simmering.

[Felicity Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this read.
I found it fresh and light hearted.
I fell in love with the characters and really felt like I got to know them.
The romantic and Steamy scenes got all the right responses and I would definitely recommend the book as a really easy going, fun read.

[Michelle Duncan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gia Kim did such a great job with Mindy and Austin’s story! As someone who has lived the long distance relationship life, I found the flow and timeline to be incredibly accurate.

I love an awkward first encounter where both people are more intrigued with one another than they want to be.

Mindy and Austin made me crazy at times and then two pages later, I was melting with how sweet they were. Gia did a great job with not making the characters weak or predictable. Each had their own growth to do and I really enjoyed seeing that progression.

The HEA is much more satisfying for us readers when the characters have to work through their own shit and flaws to get there!

Such a great debut novel.

** I was provided a complimentary advance copy of this book. This is a voluntary review including my honest opinion. No compensation was provided for this review **

[Meg Dibble · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love reading author’s debuts.

Mindy and Austin’s story was filled with angst and bumps. Both had been jaded to love after failed relationships. After an unexpected meeting when Mindy is visiting her friend... Austin lights something in her that was lost. Austin is still holding on to a past relationship that destroyed his heart. When trying to navigate a long distance relationship they find that you have to put in the work to make it work.

This story had a lot of potential. There were some parts that were a bit too angsty for me. Both characters were their own worst enemies. I think would have liked to have more background on both Mindy. We got a bit of background on Austin but not a lot about Mindy.

All in all I enjoyed the story and can’t wait to see what this author gives us next!

[Elyse Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED Mindy & Austin! Their story was so authentic and realistic with a little bit of angst, human flaws, and emotion. But it was also romantic, swoony, and perfectly steamy.

This was a great book! Can’t wait for the next one!

[Read-a-lilsmsm · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 🌟 Gia Kim’s debut novella is passionate, sexy, and sweet. I enjoyed the chemistry between Austin and Mindy. Short and steamy, you will not regret this read! Can't wait to read more from this author!

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good debut novel. Meet-cutes always warms my soul, the end was wonderfully happy.

[Shannon Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Sweet, Sexy Long-Distance Love Connection
Almost anyone can relate to heartbreak and the time it takes to piece our lives together following it. Sometimes, it affects us a lot longer than we think it does. In “Falling All In,” the debut book by Gia Kim, we meet Austin, a sweet, handsome, super sexy photographer, who is completely blindsided by his instant attraction to the maid of honor at a wedding he’s shooting in Houston. Chicago-based nurse Mindy is the tiny, feisty beauty who catches his attention, and the two embark on a casual long-distance relationship that could have the potential for an HEA if not for the fact that Austin is gun-shy after having his heart broken back in college. Their chemistry is potent, and the text exchanges between them as they get to know each other are so sweet. And when they’re together – holy smokes, they’re hot!!! I love the writer’s ability to create likeable, human characters with flaws, insecurities, and normal lives. Side characters like Mindy’s best friend, Nicki, and Austin’s buddies (love Willow!) make the story so much fun. At times, the dialog didn’t feel genuine, even a bit on the juvenile side in the interactions between Mindy and Nicki, and it could’ve been a bit more descriptive, but overall, it was an entertaining launch for this new author.

[MJ's Book Blog and Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review by: Jennifer
(4 stars)

Mindy heads to Texas to watch her best friend's engagement shoot and while there she meets Austin, the photographer, and after a few sparks gets turned down when she suggests meeting later. She is a bit confused giving the flirting that had been going on, but she accepts it and moves on. Months later when she is back for the wedding, she sees Austin again and its Austin this time who asks Mindy out. When Mindy heads back to Chicago, she also leaves with Austin's number in her phone and the two start a back and forth type relationship. But can long distance relationships work? What about the past that Austin is still haunted by, will he let his past experience ruin something great?

What a cute read this turned out to be. With some really good drama, nice naughty bits and a few moments of WTH, this has all the things to be a quick, entertaining read. I give this 4 stars.

[Amy Crull · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before I start this, I will say yes I know she's a debut author and I know she did the best she could. I do not mean any of this to sound mean or hurtful but I want to help the author get better in her writing.. Also it's my opinion..Now that I've said that, here is what I think about this book..I liked Austin and Mindy but there's some dialogue issues I had in here. With Mindy and Nikki, I felt like it was two teenage talking about their crushes and considering their ages were much high then that, I just felt like it didn't work. Also there were times with Mindy and Austin that it felt the same way. Granted the dialogue got better towards the end and I liked that. It was as if the author realized they were maturing and needed to talk more adult. Also I hate to say this but the sex scenes were seriously lacking.. I know not all scenes need to be pornos but these could have been more but it felt more like two teenagers going at it. The story line was good but with a little bit more description on certain parts, it could have been amazing! It shows the ups and downs of a long distance relationships and I will admit, the meet cute was adorable. I also enjoyed Austin finding peace with the past and going after what he really wanted. There was some hardships and they were handled well. Austin and Mindy were great characters. This is more like a 3 and half star review..

[Breen · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I didn’t knew how much I needed this story until I finished it. A huge thank you to the author for this fast-paced romance. Recently, I’ve been diving myself in super extreme slow burn romances that I almost forget how much I love fast-pace stories. Sometime lots of pages of angst have you on the edge but there’s a time that you need something fast and instant or well at least myself. Anyway, back to Austin and Mindy’s story was a path of sweetness, passion, desire and love. Their chemistry was explosive and even though their journey wasn’t free of challenge their instant attraction and connection was worth fighting all the obstacles on their way. A mix of humor with angst that was beautiful to read.

[Wendy Livingstone · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great debut, and this is certainly an author to look out for in the future. Mindy is unlucky in love and has almost given up on relationships, and she is now the maid of honor at her best friend’s wedding, Austin has had his share of heartbreak which has him now solely focused on his career as a photographer. These two are instantly drawn to each other, and they are engaging and realistic characters. This is a well written fast paced story which is light-heated, sweet, romantic, and with emotions, a tad angst, and love, which all leads to a steamy and all-consuming tale. I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I recommend.

[Jessa Harmon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet and satisfying.

If you’re looking for a sweet but steamy romance that gets right into the action you should give this one a try!

It’s a quick read with plenty of humor and heat. Mindy and Austin are a delight to read and their happily ever after is well earned. The hero’s conflict is resolved in such a satisfying way.

Looking forward to reading more from Gia Kim.

[Amie J. Lech · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

Wow, I loved this story! The characters felt real, like I could hang out with them. They weren’t perfect people. We could be good friends if only they were real! lol I’m definitely following this author and reading anything else she puts out.

[Phuong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second chances

This one has a lot of push and pull. If you love second chance romances, read this book! Characters are likable and realistic.