Feature Friday : FALL by kristen callihan

What does it mean to be Jax Blackwood of Kill John. It means having to live the rest of your life as “that guy who attempted suicide” It means the brother you once were has to be treated with kid gloves by his brothers. It means being disowned by your real family from Great Britain. It also means shopping for ice cream – alone and late at night at your local grocer.
First of all, there is an author note at the beginning of the book. I skipped it. I don’t need to read it. I don’t want to read it. To me, its like a prologue aka spoiler alert for me.
So, instead I jump into Chapter One. I immediately knew my reading interest will be totally engrossing. If you follow my blog or social media, you may know I love a great rock star romance. Its the groupie love, the fan adoration and the girl next door who grabs the rocker’s attention without any effort. FALL hit every box on that checklist.
I remember Jax from IDOL and how the group dynamic fell apart for Kill John and its member after his attempted suicide. Yes, this is one of the running themes throughout the story. But its not a dark and gloomy theme. Its a theme of living in recovery and remembering how much to appreciate life moving forward.
Jax is back to his normal self mostly, however he approaches life one day at a time and doesn’t dwell on the negative. He still enjoys the sex and rock n roll side of his lifestyle. He is funny, irresistibly sexy, chiseled to perfection, and ozzing with sex appeal through the roof.
That is how I describe the meet cute at the beginning of the story with Stella. He laughs loud, hard and often and that’s the trait his friends love to see from him once again. All this as a result of Stella dropping into his life and melting his heart quicker than ice cream on a hot summer day.
Their friendship sizzles when it needs, supportive when it should be and sexy when they can’t help themselves.
I love Stella as the perfect heroine for John. She is a woman who knows how to enjoy sex and doesn’t shy from telling John how she feels and what she wants. She enjoys her life and devotes herself to helping others not feel so alone in the world because she understands how it feels. Its downright charming that he is the one to pump the breaks and “woo” her in the way she deserves.
A few angst moments arrive in the story but quickly squash. Just enough dynamic to show a peak into Stella’s past and how it shapes her today.
The story is its most powerful and emotional when John slips back into his depression and anxiety and pulls away from Stella. Its powerful because instead of Stella walking away, she contact his brother (from another mother) and tells him to get his ass home right away because John needs him.
The story is its most romantic and hot when John and Stella are together, gazing into each other eyes, enjoying the afterglow with enough sex and lovemaking to melt your kindle. When John declares his love to Stella in a moment that was so shocking to even him – it touched my soul where I felt every emotion within my body. It was a heartwarming romance worthy of the happy tears I may or may not have shed.
Fall is its most comedic when the group is together with its fun-loving, belly-jiggling jokes and laughter. Put all the above together and you have a great love story.
In closing, FALL is everything I love about reading romance. It is epically lovable, beautiful and healing. A breathtaking romance for everyone who enjoys rock star romances should this book.
MILE HIGH KINK BOOK CLUB highly recommends this book and the entire series for your carryon.