The Year She Fell

by Alicia Rasley

The tragic mystery at the heart of their family has finally surfaced . . .
When Presbyterian minister Ellen Wakefield O Connor is confronted by a young man armed with a birth certificate that mistakenly names her as his mother, she quickly
sorts out the truth: his birth mother listed Ellen on the certificate to cover up her own identity, but also because Ellen is, in a way, related to the child.
The birth father is Ellen s troubled husband, Tom.
The secrets of the past soon engulf Ellen, Tom, and everyone they love. This drama of love, loss, family and betrayal will capture readers with its unforgettable power. "

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Romance, Christian Fiction, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Christian

318 pages, Paperback

First published November 15, 2010

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can't believe I read this whole book, but I am cheap (free on Kindle), stubborn (to a fault? perhaps), and curious (about how the author would make this work out). This started off pretty good, actually... and then it was like the author couldn't figure out how to fit it together, so she just flipped POV and trod over the same ground repeatedly until she got to the end. Kind of like what you might do as a writing exercise when you're stuck, not when writing an ACTUAL BOOK.

I also thought it very strange that she made several of the characters religious (a minister & a nun) and threw them into a major life crisis and did not evoke their faith at all. They could have been a baker and a candlestick maker.

[Fayth · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a free book, this really wasn't bad. It feels like a juicy day-time soap opera that's compelling and cheesy at the same time. It's a mystery set in a small college town in West Virginia. It's a bit trashy: who got who pregnant? did so-and-so die by accident? by suicide? by - gasp - murder?

The only thing that drove me nuts is the author recounted the exact same situations from different character's points of view. Although interesting to hear what the characters thought, it became very redundant.

So... if you're strapped for cash and want a fun, fast read, this is a good choice.

[Shari Larsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Ellen Wakefield O'Connor is confronted by a young man with a birth certificate that mistakenly names her as the mother, she quickly tries to get to the truth behind it. She learns the birth mother was trying to cover up her identity, but eventually, Ellen learns she is related to the child. The father is Ellen's husband Tom. Soon the secrets of the past threaten to tear them apart, and other long buried family secrets come to light also.

This story of love, loss, and betrayal is told by the point of view of several different characters; it really kept me guessing throughout. I had guessed who the birth mother was about halfway through the story, but there were plenty of other questions that still had to be answered that held my interest.

One thing that bothered me, and it's a mistake that should have been caught during the editing, was the in the first chapter, the young man's birth certificate says he was born in 1986, but later in the book, it states he was conceived in 1990, and later on in the book when his birth certificate is referenced to again, it is stated he was born in 1991.

I liked this book, except for the kidnapping plot, which felt implausible to me. The book had a lot of story lines, and I felt that one wasn't really necessary. I also felt that a few of the stories were tied up a little too quickly and neatly.

[Maribeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really debated whether I was going to give this one 2 or 3 stars. I settled on 2.5. The story overall is pretty good, but there are parts (such as the kidnapping) that just don't fit. The story is told from several different people's points of view. While I enjoyed this method of storytelling, the whole thing just wasn't quite interesting enough. I found myself speed reading through three quarters of the book so I could hurry up and find out what happens in the end - get it over with. So while it was good enough to actually finish, I figure it's never a good sign when I just want to hurry up and be done.

[DENISA HOWE · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing style of this particular book kept me turning pages well past my bedtime. The characters were brilliant and so very life real. The actual story is told from four main characters and each add something the other didn't as it was a different person. The mystery unravels as the story progresses and with each chapter you learn something new. Emotions and feelings from the character reach out to your own heart and you really know. The ending seemed a bit rushed compared to the pace of the rest of the story but I still enjoyed it very much. This book is about encrusted relationships, secretive pasts, and a real life relationships, good, bad and in between..

[Jody · Rating 5 out of 5]

A free download for my Kindle (that is no longer free!) & I was pleasantly surprised how good it was. Instantly hooked me..a young boy looking for his birth mother & finds the woman whose name is on the original birth certificate. She's a minister, but knows she's not the mother & can prove that because she had a daughter months before his birth. But why is her name on the birth certificate? Ah...a good read for the mystery, love, suspense & entertaining. I really did love this book! It would make a good Lifetime movie for sure!

[Sydney · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was 2.5 stars for me. It was a decent read... but I had a hard time getting past some of the inconsistencies at the beginning. The biggest one was what I assume was a mistake... the story begins with a young man looking for his birth mother, who was incorrectly listed on his birth certificate. The first time the birth certificate is referenced, the boy was born in 1986. Then throughout the rest of the book, Ellen, the main character keeps mentioning that the boy must have been conceived/born in the early nineties. There's a warped sense of timing throughout the book... one character will recall something that happened 10 years ago, but another character talks about the same incident occurring during a completely different time span. The story is relayed progressively through approximately five narrators.

I also found it odd that two of the main characters have religious vocations (Ellen is a Presbyterian minister and her sister Theresa is discerning a vocation to become a nun) but neither of them turn to their faith while facing enormous trials.

That said... it was a good read and while at times early on I wanted to give up, I still wanted to see how it turned out. The author did an excellent job of revealing the layers of the mystery as the story moved on. I would definitely be interested in reading her next book.

[kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I downloaded this for free as a Kindle book. I got caught up in it immediately, to the point that I was willing to read it on my small iPhone screen. The story begins when a Presbyterian minister is confronted by a young man with a birth certificate showing her as his mother. She proves to him that this is impossible, since her only child was born just a few months later, and then notices he looks exactly like his father.....her husband. She goes back to her small WV hometown to think things over, and discovers her mother, the town matriarch, is acting strangely and planning to leave her entire estate to the local college. She summons her 2 living sisters to town to help make some decisions. One is a nun, adopted into the family when she was 6 years old. The other is a bicoastal actress.
The story is told from multiple points of view and the plot is full of twists and turns as we learn the truth of the boy's identity, and look into the family's past. It may well be the best 'free' book I've read! Loved it!

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

So far this book is reminding of "Secrets Sisters Keep". Rasley talks a lot about Psychology, but it seems like her depth of knowledge on the topic doesn't go beyond a rudimentary online search of Adler's theories on sibling birth order and a quick overview of a high school Psychology text book.

I'll keep reading, and let you know what I think when I finish.

*Update*
After a few chapters of Ellen's story, it switches to Laurie's story. This was a nice change and I think Rasley did a good job of giving the different characters different voices. She continues to let the other characters speak for a few chapters, filling the holes where other characters' knowledge stops.

Interesting book and a decent read.

[Rachael · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book starts out interesting, but then just becomes unbelievable. Author tries to pack too many mysteries to solve in one book. One gets solved and then you are onto another one. Certain parts of the plot don't even make sense to me like the mystery of who is the character's mother that appears in the beginning. Also, the scene where one of the characters meets up with her brother is awkward and unrealistic and I can not even fathom why the author put it in the book. Some things happen too coincidentally to wrap up so many of the questions. I really dislike this book. Yuck.

[Michele · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh. I won't give a rundown of the storyline or give out any spoilers, but there were far too many characters and at the end I wasn't satisfied with the big reveal. It felt way too contrived. The story felt like it went on forever because just as you approach the end the character voice changes and brings you back to the beginning from a different point of view. Fine if it's done once, but not 4 times beyond the original character.

[Lillian Angelovic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable story with some mystery, told from multiple perspectives. I liked the different perspectives, and even though I figured out the biggest part of the mystery about halfway through, it kept me interested, wondering how it all came to be, as more mysteries unfolded. I felt like the characters were a bit cardboard, but I enjoyed the story.

[Noel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just too many secrets and too much going on. None of the characters were likeable.

[Jenna Whalen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot of this book was interesting. It starts right off with a mystery which then becomes multiple different mysteries from that one as the book progresses. Unfortunately, the story felt as if it stayed pretty shallow the entire time. The author changes between 5 different narrators throughout the book, and I think that what makes it feel like you never get too deep. With each narrator change, the new narrator spends a lot of time talking about events we've read in the previous sections, just with a different point of view. Sometimes the different points of view are helpful and add to the story, but many times they don't. I think it would have worked better if the author just told the story from the sister's points of view rather than adding in the other two people. The way things wrapped up in the end also felt a bit lackluster. There wasn't really any sort of "showdown" or "fight" that you're used to in the climax of thriller/mysteries.
A good and interesting book that could have been great, but fell short.

[Sonja · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked how this book was written in the POV of each character. It was confusing at first, but then I figured it out. I liked the story. My only gripe was the ending. It was wrapped up too quickly and I wanted to see a bit more resolution. I found it confusing when Theresa turned out to be Cathy's daughter. When it was originally 'put out there,' it was discussed with such indirect language that I wasn't sure that's what was going on. Thankfully, it was said so directly after that I thought, "oh, okay." I have to wonder about the mom, though. So many signs of dementia, then to have it explained away by the scheme she was trying to pull off was off-putting. There needed to be some discussion about that. Dementia happens to a lot of our population and to dismiss it (or let it fade away) does a disservice.
It seems like this is leading to a sequel. Which is unfair to the reader.

[Dora Okeyo · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I learned from this book is that everyone has secrets.
Some keep them better than others(Mrs. Wakefield, Tom, Cathy and President Udrich), but some once they sniff it, cannot rest until they discover the truth(Jackson, Ellen, Brian, Theresa).
The first chapter piqued my interest and I stayed on till the end, in search of answers that were there in the very beginning.
If you are into women's fiction and love some family drama, then this is the kind of book you'd love to have on your tbr list. I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Jeanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ellen is approached by a young man who claims she is his mother and shows her a birth certificate to prove it. I picked up this book because this actually happened to s friend of mine. Ellen knows she isn’t his mother but she recognizes her husband in him. From here there are too many twists and turns and characters. The story is told from different view points and at times parts of the story are repeated verbatim. It just got ridiculous.

[Cindy Stavropoulos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unexpected

This book is written in such a way that the character is giving his or her description by each chapter. I loved it because it gave perspective from all sides....rich, poor, etiquette, power, secrets, etc. A tragic fall unveils many hidden secrets of the Wakefield family. Rich in money and power in the Wakefield community, this family unites when truths are unraveled. The truth was unexpected for me.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once I started, the characters had me hooked and the plot twists and turns made for a very enjoyable read. The technical errors of missing words in sentences were a little annoying as was the fact that one of the main characters was driving a Volvo throughout the book until the end when it mistakenly became an Audi?! Minor annoyances and I still enjoyed the read but aren’t there supposedly editors out there to catch these types of things.

[Dannie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why am I so determined to always finish a book to its end - even a freebie? It’s like torture and this book mostly was, sadly to say. The premise was interesting as were some of the characters but it dragged on for waaaay too long. This seems to be written on a high school level so you won’t be challenged. It’s redundant which is probably one of the main reasons it was frustrating to read. I’ve really got to work on not feeling like I HAVE TO FINISH EVERY BOOK I START!

[Tiffani]

DNF - This book has been on my kindle since I first got it bc I can’t say no to free books. I read the first chapter. Meh. Infidelity is a bit of a trigger for me and in general makes me extremely uncomfortable, so this is going to be a no for me.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly was shocked to see poor reviews, but it does have a slower start? I really didn’t find this as a negative. The twists and turns this book took were so well written that it kept me guessing until the end. I would love to see this translated to a movie / limited series

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I’ve ever read

[Patti Gaddis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

I read 75% of this book without hardly putting it down!! There were many unexpected turns as the story unravelled!!!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

story line good

I liked the story, but retelling it over and over with each character made me bored and I just passed through most of it.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The depth of character plot and development makes this an excellent read. Just when I thought I had it figured out, I learned I was wrong. I LOVED IT!!

[Glorey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I listened to the book. Credit to me that I listened for 10 hours then skipped to the end. Save yourself the time and pass on this one.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting

Everyone has a secret! Some more than one. Family divided but still they stick together.
This is one you won't want to put down!

[Rose Cimarron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. The main thread, the search of a birth mother, a cause of death and the truth, was revealed in surprising twists and turns, and with some amusing diversions. I worked out the cause of death quite early on, and was surprised when no-one picked up on the massive death scene clue (not even the author, apparently). I took longer in working out the birth mother, but that was due to information availablility.

To contrast with the main story threads, there were lighter moments. I have to say I found the relationship between Laura and Jackson to be more Mills and Boon than anything else, but that was ok. It was all surface and little substance. They were pleasant characters. Mother was something of a cipher, who never had the chance to speak to us herself in this book.

Alicia Rasley's use of changing narrator and technique of overlapping their telling of parts of the story whilst moving the plot on was enjoyable. Alicia's use of classical family dynamics theory underpins many of the interactions and character traits in the story.

There were a few inconsistencies and, as I read it on a kindle, flicking back to check details like dates I found inconvenient (hhmmmm...guess I should look at the search facility!) and there were a couple of baggy bits in the plot. I forgave the baggy bits as Alicia's exploration of the effects of uncovering old lies on the various members of the family was interesting.

A little more on how those effects manifested themselves in how the characters saw themselves after the revelations would have been interesting.

All in all a very enjoyable read and a book I would recommend.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book starts out from the point of view of Ellen (Wakefield) O'Connor, as she finds out a deeply buried secret about her husband Tom. From there it moves through several different characters points of view, as more secrets are unearthed about the old rich family that Ellen belongs to in West Virgina.

I'll be honest, the jumping around of points of view annoyed me. I normally love it when a story is told by many characters, but in this instance once you left a characters point of view, you never came back. That left a lot of unresolved story lines, in my opinion. In addition, each time there was a character shift the story started from the beginning and you were retold the SAME story from a different angle, learning a bit new each time. Unfortunately, the story was pretty old by the time you got to the 5th or 6th person.

The story was a mystery, which for the first part of the book moved slowly and was pretty predictable, but did pick up for the last 1/3 of the book. It ended rather unsatisfactorily, in my opinion.

Overall, I enjoyed the characters and the location of the book. The mystery was mediocre at best. I'd say this a 2.5 - 3.