How We Fall

By: Melissa Toppen

Narrated by: Clarke Bellflower

Length: 8 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

I remember the very first time I laid eyes on Cole Lincoln. It still feels like yesterday when he stumbled into my life with his messy brown hair and dark eyes. Even though I was only 10 years old at the time, I knew right then and there that he was going to change everything.

From that point on, Cole and I were always together, inseparable, and I naively believed we'd be best friends forever. But forever didn't last nearly as long as I expected.

We grew up and grew apart, life driving the distance between us, but my love for Cole never faltered. Even long after he moved away, leaving me and our little town behind, I still carried a piece of him with me every single day. Because Cole wasn't just my childhood best friend - the boy who knew me better than anyone else in the whole world. He was also my first love - a part of my very core.

When a tragic death brings us face-to-face again after six years, every single memory comes rushing to the surface. Only this is not the boy I fell in love with all those years ago. The man before me is hardened, intimidating, and so damn sexy I practically melt when those dark eyes meet mine for the first time in six years.

And like the first time he walked into my life, I know with complete certainty that everything is about to change.

©2017 Melissa Toppen (P)2017 Melissa Toppen

Great story

Enjoyed the book. Normally I read the book first, but I listen to this book first.

I did not enjoy the dual POV narrated by a woman only.

Friends to Lovers

The beginning started off pretty good, especially since I'm a sucker for a friends to lovers romance. Their friendship as kids is skimmed through bringing us to the present with both of them having flashbacks here and there. I didn't dislike this, but I didn't necessarily love it either.

My issue with this book was the fact the only air they truly cleared up was the fact that neither of them realized that they were both in love with each other. Cole apologizes for being the typical douche who dates the girl he's in love with best friend and the reason why they were no longer close. Melanie ups and leaves her boyfriend of two years to get with Cole the first chance she gets. I don't feel like she felt all that bad and just justified everything because she didn't love Nate and he didn't put her first over his work. She only admitted everything when Nate called her out on her feelings. Cole and Melanie fall into insta-love that it was too much for me to take. I understand you guys have always loved each other, but I really wanted them to explore what could be slowly and getting to know each other all over again.

Clarke Bellflower was nice to listen to as the voice of Melanie, but I would have preferred duel narrators to voice Cole. It wasn't all that easy listening to Clarke voice Cole and I often got mixed up as to who's pov I was listening to. That's really the only thing that annoyed me about the narration. It really killed Cole's pov for me.

I really wanted to like this book and thought that I liked more than I did until I started writing this review and realized there were things that I really bothered me about this book. I can completely understand why so many people love this book, but idk it just missed the mark for me personally.

Sweet

*May have spoilers*

First, I listened to the audio version with the Audible Romance Package. I liked the narrators normal voice, but her guy voice was terrible. So, emotionless and bland.

I enjoyed this story for the most part. It's really sweet and the connection between the characters is great. This is a friends to lovers storyline. Both were too scared to tell the other how they feel, so it took over 6 years for them to finally start being real with each other. They met as kids, then into high school, but separated for 6 years during college and such and now they are back in the same town for the funeral of a mutual friend. The main male character, Cole, got with their mutual friend when they were younger and that really hurt the heroine, Melanie. He used the whole I was a stupid boy excuse, but he continued to pick other girls over Melanie for years, so he sucks for that. He always went with the vain, stuck-up girl too, so annoying. Why are guys so blind? I liked that Melanie didn't wait around for him to catch a clue, and she actually matured throughout the years and realizes that the high school junk isn't something she needs to hold on to. There's some flashback scenes, which I could've done without. They didn't add enough to the story for me. When they meet back up after the 6 years apart, Melanie has a long time boyfriend and Cole has some rando that he's sleeping with, so there's a little drama with that. Melanie really dragged her feet with her poor boyfriend, so I wish she wouldn't have strung him along for as long as she did and leave him with some hope. I wish she would've woman upped a lot sooner. There's very little angst in this story, it's more about Cole and Mel re-connecting. The chemistry is wonderful between them and there's a great depth to their feelings for each other. That's the main thing I loved about this story. Overall, sweet, heartfelt friends to lovers story.

Great story.

My first book by this awesome, I’ll probably buy more of her books. This friends to lovers story is beautiful, their friendship from childhood to adults is well written, the story is never boring, I adore Cole, sweet, kind, protective, caring and he puts Melissa first above everything. I love Melissa’s independent spirit and caring nature. Very enjoyable book.

Super Sweet

This story between Cole and Melanie was so sweet. Best friends growing up to miscommunication as teens to finding their way back together. Life came full circle for these two.