Review: FEELS LIKE FALLING by Kristy Woodson Harvey

Feels Like Falling by Kristy Woodson Harvey
Also by this author: Under the Southern Sky, The Wedding Veil

Published by Gallery Books on April 28, 2020
Genres: Fiction, Women's Fiction
Pages: 400
Source: Netgalley
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FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kristy Woodson Harvey is fast becoming one of my favorite authors when I’m in the mood for heartwarming stories filled with lovable characters.  For those who haven’t read it, I highly recommend her Peachtree Bluff series, which is wonderful, and I’m happy to report that her new novel, Feels Like Falling, is equally delightful, perhaps even more so.

I was drawn to the protagonists in Feels Like Falling right away.  Gray Howard is going through a messy and seemingly never ending divorce where her ex-husband, even though he cheated on her, is still trying to take half of the company she has built from the ground up as part of the divorce settlement.  Gray refuses to cave so they’re basically at a stand-off, with their 8-year-old son, Wagner, caught in the middle.  Our second protagonist, Diana Harrington, is also going through a messy breakup and, because her deadbeat of an ex gambled away all her money, is also currently living in her car.  When the two women cross paths and Gray accidentally gets Diana fired from her job, they have no idea that their lives are about to become intertwined in ways they never could have anticipated from that first meeting.

Both Diana and Gray are smart and resourceful women who are going through a rough patch and who are used to being completely independent.  What they start to learn the better they get to know each other, however, is that it’s okay to lean on others sometimes. You don’t always have to go it alone.  The friendship and the sense of sisterhood that grew between Diana and Gray throughout the book kept a smile on my face the entire time I was reading.

I also adored the secondary characters that made up the rest of Gray’s found family.  Her best friend Marcy and her gem of an assistant, Trey, really rounded out Gray’s support system and I loved that they pulled Diana in with warm and welcoming arms as well.  The banter between this foursome had me chuckling to myself every time they appeared on the page together.

There are also some weightier topics in Feels Like Falling.  There are some real family issues with sisters who have gone off the rails, mother-daughter issues, plus those dramatic breakups I already touched on. Harvey gives a very realistic portrait of just how messy and complicated life can be sometimes, which makes that support group of Gray’s (and now Diana’s as well) all the more important.

For those who love a bit of romance, Feels Like Falling has that too. There’s a fun summer fling that’s maybe more than a fling, and there’s also my favorite romance trope, a second chance romance.  Both romances are very well written and felt completely authentic, and yes, I was rooting for them both to work out. 😊

Feels Like Falling is a fun read that is sure to leave you with a smile on your face, but it’s also a story that is filled with heart and with so many important themes and life lessons.  I found it a very satisfying read on so many levels and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a heartwarming story about friendship and love.