Free-Falling

by Nicola Moriarty

Belinda's life is in free-fall after the sudden death of her fiancé Andy. But then ghostly signs begin to appear which suggest he might not really be gone. And Belinda begins to tumble even further - until she finds his final parting gift. But will it be enough to save her?

Evelyn McGavin, Andy's mum, is also struggling in her bereavement. She copes with her sorrow by shoplifting (once), hating Belinda (constantly) and jumping out of a plane. In her skydiving instructor, Baz, she finds an unexpected friend. But why is he so agitated when he hears how Andy died?

Two women, united in their loss, separated by their sorrow. And yet still linked in a most unexpected way...

Genres: Chick Lit, Contemporary, Audiobook, Family, Womens Fiction, Adult, Romance

308 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Nicola Moriarty lives in Sydney's north west with her husband and two small daughters. She is the younger sister of bestselling authors Liane Moriarty and Jaclyn Moriarty. In between various career changes, becoming a mum and studying teaching at Macquarie University, she began to write. Now, she can't seem to stop.

Hello there people in the world of books,
I Would love to hear from you either here on Goodreads or perhaps at Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/NicolaMoriart...

Reviews

[Sonja Rosa Lisa ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bei diesem Buch bin ich ein bißchen hin- und hergerissen.
Einerseits hat mir die Geschichte sehr gut gefallen. Sie ist sehr gefühlvoll und schenkt dem Leser ein wenig Hoffnung. Sie zeigt, dass es im Leben immer wieder auch gute Momente gibt, wenn man sie am wenigsten erwartet.
Etwas gestört oder irritiert haben mich aber immer wieder kleine Szenen, die ich nicht nachvollziehen konnte. Zum Beispiel gibt es auf Seite 76 eine Rückblende: Evelyns Mann Carl ist unheilbar an Krebs erkrankt. Trotzdem verspricht er seinen Söhnen, mit ihnen im Sommer angeln zu gehen. Und Evelyn macht ihrem Mann Vorhaltungen deswegen, weil er im Sommer nicht mehr leben wird. Es mag vielleicht nachvollziehbar sein, aber ich mochte diese Szene nicht.
Es gibt immer mal wieder kleine Begebenheiten und einzelne Dialoge, die mich etwas irritiert haben, einfach weil ich da ganz anders reagiert hätte und mich hier nicht in die Charaktere hineinverstzen konnte.
Im Ganzen ist die Geschichte aber dennoch wirklich schön, und ich habe das Buch sehr gerne gelesen!

[Suz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very sweet book. Funny, sad, light-hearted, and unexpectedly satisfying. It was also set around the corner from. Me. Hearing about ‘The Winsto’, Crestwood, the Hills Shire Times, it was familiar and easy to read. Initially I wasn’t connecting, but the more I listened, the more I wanted to.

Every time there is an evil and unlikable mother-in-law, this seems to ramp up the tension, spurring me on if she will get her comeuppance. Evelyn is unfairly blaming her son’s fiancé for his untimely death. She even accuses her of this in the eulogy, and no one stands up to her!

Belinda is navigating her world after this loss, breaks down in a very public way, and bravely picks herself back up again continuing with life and uni among her well-meaning but irritating friends. It was nice to see grief portrayed in a real but not utterly depressing way, and watching Belinda return to her groove, dealing with a most unexpected addition to her already complicated life.

Evelyn finds solace in sky diving and forms an unlikely bond with the instructor, who weaves his way into this sweet and contemporary tale of losing love, dealing with the aftermath, and finding the strength to deal with what ever life throws your way.

Not always realistic, but very readable, and as a debut this is a great book. I read a lot of heavy nonfiction, and this was a welcome read with likeable characters and fun moments. Even the evil mother-in-law found my heart in the long run.

I listened to this via the BorrowBox app and my public library. Proud of myself for sticking to my TBR. Have been adding way too many of late.

[Phrynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not generally too fond of romances but this one is a bit different and very catchy! Told from the perspectives of two very different people (girlfriend and mother) it is the story of what happens after a young man dies very suddenly. It is funny and sad by turns, well written and well paced, and very hard to put down. Belinda and Evelyn handle their grief in different ways but all ends well in true romantic style.
The Moriarty's are a very talented family. I find I am reading and enjoying books by all three of them! I hope they all keep on writing:)

[Nomes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hands down best book I've read this year. My gosh, I loved it so x

Oh, so you can see I liked it. More than just a lot.

Every now and then a book comes along that just is the perfect fit for me.

A book that reminds me how much I love to read.

How much I love falling in love with characters.

How much I love gorgeous and funny and whimsical and perfectly put together prose.

A book that I cannot keep away from. And when I have to leave it, I am finding any moments in my day to squeeze in a few more sentences.

Even better, this was a book where, upon finishing, I went back through for the next couple of days. Just not ready to move on from the characters and the world.

I truly, sincerely, crazily loved this book. Just thinking about it now has me smiling and sighing, remembering the good times the book and I had together.

This book is just so utterly charming.

It had it all for me. I ached (surprisingly, a lot) with genuine sadness and regret. I swooned (oh my swoon!). I laughed. I felt inspired. I loved every single thing about this book.

There's mystery elements, murder, sky-diving, manic-like shoplifting, grief, love, people behaving badly, mixed-messages, possible ghost-lingering, quirky coincidences and despair all wrapped up with humour, fun, sincerity and whole lot of heart. I loved the plot, original and true and slightly bizarre. But, more than that, I adored the characters. And when I fall in love with characters, that provides the ultimate reading experience, because for that moment, while I am with them, they are real to me. Very endearing flawed characters.

What a gorgeous, life-affirming, moving, whimsical, original debut. With one book, Nicola has bounded on to my all time fave authors list.

Things you might want to know:

Free Falling is my favourite book this year (followed closely by an Aussie YA novel which I plan to talk about next week ;))

Nicola is one of five sisters, two of whom you may be familiar with: YA author Jaclyn Moriarty, and author Liane Moriarty. I love all three of these Moriarty girls, they are SO my kind of authors <3

I plan on rereading this very soon. In fact, I feel nostalgic about it every time I think about it, haha.

Oh, so, no review-type synopsis from me. You can find them in reviews on goodreads. I much prefer to just chat (or in this case, gush) about how much I loved this book so.

[Shelleyrae at Book'd Out · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nicola Moriarty has an impressive pedigree, her sisters are well known Australian authors Liane Moriarty (What Alice Forgot, The Hypnotist's Love Story) and Jaclyn Moriarty (Feeling Sorry for Celia, I Have a Bed Made of Buttermilk Pancakes).
Free Falling is Nicola's debut novel and it is a wonderful story of love, family, grief and moving on. It begins when Andy is killed and his mother blames his grief stricken fiance, Belinda. While Evelyn rages, alienating her surviving son, refusing to return to work and taking up sky diving with a young man named Bazza, Belinda is falling apart. She is drinking too much, blaming herself and wakes each morning forgetting he is gone. When strange things begin to happen - a delivery of flowers, a repaired letter box hinge, Belinda thinks Andy may still be with her, and he is in a way. It is weeks before she discovers he has left her with a surprising parting gift. Both women must learn to let go of their anger, their sadness and their grief to create a new future in honour of the man they have lost.

I admit I was a little nervous accepting Free-Falling for review, as a fan of both Liane and Jacyln, I felt Nicola had a lot to live up to. Thankfully I was captivated by this novel from the first when we are introduced to Belinda in the rawness of her grief. Moriarty is not only able to capture Belinda's immediate grief, as the novel develops, she realistically portrays the range of emotions Belinda experiences. Her sadness, fear and courage create a well developed protagonist that I cared about.
Moriarty takes equal care in developing Evelyn who is not immediately sympathetic, especially after the events at the funeral, but as her character is revealed I began to understand her better, even though her behaviour continued to be unpleasant.
Moriarty slowly reveals the the circumstances of Andy's death, initially the event that led to his death is barely mentioned and it isn't until the near the end of the novel that we learn the truth. While we never meet Andy we get to know him a little through the people he left behind, Belinda and Evelyn of course, but also Andy's twin brother, James. Naturally enough James struggles with his brother's death especially given that James is the less responsible of the two, more likely to take risks.
Bazza, a sky diving instructor, becomes an unlikely confidante for Evelyn. I found him very likeable but I would have liked to have learnt a little more about him as he plays such a surprisingly pivotal role in the novel.
While Free-Falling is a character driven story, well grounded in human drama, it does have it's lighter moments and a touch of magical realism. I found the story well written and was quickly engrossed, reading it straight through, from beginning to end.

Free-Falling is both a delightful and heart breaking story, described as a tragic - romantic comedy it is light women's fiction at its best. Free - Falling should be on your reading list and I am eagerly looking forward to her next book.

[Helen McKenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Told from the points of view of both Belinda and Evelyn, Free-Falling is a story about grief, loss and finding meaning in life when your whole world has imploded. The dual voice works really well – with alternating chapters further exploring each woman’s personal reaction to the death of a person they both adored. While Belinda is initially the more likable character and the one I felt more sympathetic towards, I was also drawn to Evelyn and increasingly curious to know what made her tick and why she hated a (seemingly) nice person so much.
Other characters in the novel – Andy’s twin James and Evelyn’s skydiving instructor Bazza also round out the story, with each injecting further intrigue as to what actually happened to Andy and how their involvement was all part of the series of interlinking events that have led Belinda and Evelyn to where they are. Even though the character of Andy is only explored through flashbacks, you also get a very strong sense of who he was and why those left behind are so devastated.
I thought the author illustrated the horrific (and varied) experience of raw grief really well, without being overly melodramatic or making the story too sad to read (and enjoy). I also liked the way she explored the guilt of those left behind, who grapple with the thought that ‘if only’ they had done something different the tragedy may not have occurred.
Sad but uplifting, bittersweet yet humorous, Free-Falling is a fantastic debut novel that kept me hooked right until the end. The pace is good, the writing concise and the overall feel is a positive one, that makes you realise life can move on in the most unexpected ways.

[Janina · Rating 2 out of 5]

At first, I thought I would put this book away unfinished after the first few pages - the writing style just didn't suit me at all. It was very jarring and the combination of third person and past tense made the characters seem very far away. This feeling subsided after a few more chapters, though - so maybe it was intended and supposed to underline the situation of two women after the death of their fiancé/son. I got lost in their story and actually looked forward to the outcome. Still, after about two thirds, it really started to drag. I had figured out a few things that seemed to be meant to come as a great surprise at the end - and was therefore a little bored and ready for the story to end.

A nice read for a rainy Saturday afternoon, but not one that made a lasting impression on me.

[Melissa-Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a little reluctant to begin reading Free-Falling considering that I had only just finished reading P.S. I Love You (which I was not a big fan of), but as soon as I started I found that Free-Falling was extremely well written and although both stories are about women coping with the death of a loved one, they couldn't be any more different from one another. The two main characters were so easy to relate to and I felt that their grieving process (which was quite different for each of them) were reactions, feelings and emotions that I could imagine my own grieving process to be (except for the whole jumping out of a plane business...I'm not so sure that I am as brave as Evelyn!). The story was interesting and kept me captivated the whole way through and I loved the fact that all the tiny little pieces of the puzzle came together beautifully in the end. I've read many a story where the build up is brilliant but the ending is a bit disappointing, however in this case Nicola managed to pull it all together and tie up all the loose ends into a neat bundle of perfect without being over the top or ending with a bang that really wasn't necessary.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

There has never been an author that I have related to the characters or plot more than Liane Moriarty. In the absence of more Liane books, I began looking for similar authors. Stumbled upon Liane's little sister! Same real, raw, laugh and cry situations and characters as Liane. Same little surprises in the plot that make your heart ache. How i would have liked to see that family when the girls were growing up!

I loved this novel. It was funny, sad, both real and unreal, with just a little bit of a wink at the end. If you don't understand what I'm saying, just read it! I actually would give this book 4.5 stars. It barely missed my criteria for 5 stars, which is rather strict.

[Pixelnische · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meine letzte herzerwärmende Lektüre ist schon eine ganze Weile her. Früher bin ich gerne in Nicolas Sparks Büchern versunken oder habe Liebesgeschichten gelesen, das ist aber schon wirklich lange her und so wurde es mal wieder Zeit für ein schönes, gefühlvolles Buch zum Abschalten, Füße hochlegen und abtaufen. Genau das konnte mir die australische Debütautorin Nicola Moriarty mit ihrem gefühlvollen Roman »Mit dir in meinem Herzen« bieten. Das Buch hat mich nicht himmelhochjauchzend begeistert, aber es war unterhaltend und ging mir nahe…

Liebe, Verlust & Hoffnung

Belinda und Andy sind verlobt, glücklich und wollen ihr Leben gemeinsam verbringen. Doch von einem Tag auf den anderen wird ihre Welt in Stücke gerissen, als ihr Zukünftiger bei einem Überfall erschossen wird. Die junge Frau weiß nicht aus, nicht ein und steht vor den Trümmern ihres Glücks. Auch Andys Mutter Evelyn weiß nicht, wie sie den Tod ihres Sohnes überwinden soll, hat sie doch schon ihren Ehemann verloren. Sein Zwillingsbruder James, seine Freunde, Arbeitskollegen – alle trauern auf ihre Weise und das Schicksal führt zusammen, was zusammen gehört…

Endlich mal ein Cover, das nicht mit Blümchen überladen wurde oder auf das man Treppen nach oben, unten, links oder rechts besteigen muss. Nein, ein gemütlicher Korbstuhl, auf einer Holzterrasse, auf dem Boden liegt ein Stapel Bücher, darauf eine leckere Tasse Tee und in der Ferne geht über einer grünen Wiese die Sonne auf. Ja, ich interpretier das als Sonnenauf-, nicht als Sonnenuntergang, denn das Foto auf dem Cover vermittelt Hoffnung und spiegelt somit die Message des Romans wieder. Das Cover der australischen Originalausgabe, die ebenfalls bei Randomhouse erschien, gefällt mir auch ganz gut, ich mag diesen Aquarellstil.

Nicola Moriarty hat ein Buch geschrieben, das gefühlvoll aber nicht kitschig ist, das mich berühren konnte aber nicht aufdringlich wirkte. Die Autorin erzählte die Geschichte zwischen Liebe & Tod, Hoffnung und Verlust aus der Perspektive der verschiedenen Charaktere. Zeitlich parallel wurde das Geschehen aus der Sicht der Protagonistin Bellinda und ihrer Schwiegermutter Evelyn, Zwillingsbruder & Schwager James sowie einer weiteren für die Handlung sehr wichtigen Person erzählt – den Namen verrate ich nun nicht, das würde spoilern.

Sie sah den Ausdruck im Gesicht ihres Sohnes, als er seinen letzten Atemzug tat, und dabei wurde ihr klar, dass sie sich getäuscht hatte. Weder Angst noch Entsetzen hatte sie in seinen Augen gelesen, und er hatte auch nicht verzweifelt, schwach oder mitleiderregend gewirkt. Im Gegenteil. Er hatte stark, mutig und stolz ausgesehen, den Eindruck eines Menschen auf die gemacht, der für sein Schicksal bereit gewesen war, es angenommen hatte und sich von dieser Welt verabschiedete. – Seite 255

Den Aufbau des Buches empfand ich nicht als störend oder den Lesefluss hemmend. Was mir aber nicht so gut gefiel war, dass es bis ungefähr zur Hälfte des Buches dauerte, bis sich bei mir das gewisse Feeling einstellte, mittendrin zu sein. Die ersten Seiten, fast bis zur Hälfte, lasen sich sehr gut, keine Frage. Aber da wäre ein wenig mehr drin gewesen, ein wenig mehr Tiefgang. Ich konnte mich gut in die Gedankenwelt der Hauptfigur hineinfinden, teilweise wurde mir wirklich schmerzlich bewusst, wie sehr. Die Verzweiflung, nach dem Tod des geliebten Verlobten allein zu sein, die Tatsache, dass er seine Zukünftige nie wieder im Arm halten kann brachte Nicola Moriarty authentisch und gefühlvoll rüber. Wutgefühle, Ohnmacht gegenüber dem Geschehenen, all das was einen Menschen bewegt, der in Trauer ist, konnte die Autorin wortgewandt vermitteln. Da kullerte nach einer Weile auch das eine oder andere Tränchen, weil mich die Handlung doch ein wenig mitnahm. Das Buch war viel zu schnell vorbei. An der einen oder anderen Stelle hätten ein paar Seiten mehr sicher gut getan, es wirkte ein wenig gehetzt und zu schnell abgehandelt.

Tod & Leben, Gegenwart & Zukunft

Für Überraschungen sorgte die Autorin jedenfalls, denn als ich den Prolog las, stellte ich natürlich meine ganz eigenen Vermutungen an, die jedoch im Laufe des Lesefortschritts in alle Winde verstreut wurden und am Ende für große, aber freudig blickende Augen sorgten. Meine Befürchtung, dass mich der Roman emotional zu sehr depremieren würde, blieb aus, denn hier steckt viel Hoffnung, Lichtblicke und Glück zwischen den Zeilen. Menschen kommen, Menschen gehen. Menschen sterben, andere werden geboren. Wenn sich eine Tür schließt, öffnet sich eine andere. Das Grundprinzip ist einfach und wirkungsvoll umgesetzt. Ich habe mich sehr gut unterhalten gefühlt, musste ein ums andere Mal auch lachen und hoffte für die Protagonistin nur das Beste.

Mein Fazit: Ein gefühlvolles Buch über den Verlust eines geliebten Menschen und den Weg, damit zurecht zu finden und positiv weiterzuleben, empfehlenswert für alle Freunde der emotionalen, zeitgenössischen Literatur, die nicht im Sumpf des Kitsch versinken wollen!

© www.buechernische-blog.de 2013

[Bree T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Belinda is reeling after losing her fiance Andy in a terrible event. She’s left alone to pick up the pieces of her life without him, struggling to move on. At only 24, they had their whole lives stretching ahead of them and now their future together has vanished. Belinda finds herself starting to spot little signs that maybe Andy isn’t entirely… gone. She seems them everywhere, believing that he’s sticking around to give her a little help. And soon she’s about to discover that Andy may have given her the most amazing parting gift of all.

Evelyn is Andy’s mother, who is struggling to cope with the loss of her golden boy. Needing someone to blame, she launches into Belinda, hating her privately and denouncing her publicly. A dignified, straight-laced sort of woman, she finds herself shoplifting and taking up skydiving as ways to deal with her grief. To her surprise, she makes a friend in ‘Baz’, her sky-diving instructor who couldn’t be more different from her. Not the sort of person Evelyn would normally associate with, she finds that she can confide in Bazza and she enjoys his frank comments and attitude to life, even if he does insist on being called such a ridiculous nickname.

Belinda and Evelyn, linked by their overwhelming grief at the loss of a man they both adored but yet divided because of the sheer overwhelming pressure of it. Can they ever find a way to reconcile and come together in order to look towards their future?

Free-Falling is the first novel from Nicola Moriarty, sister to already well known Australian novelists Liane and Jaclyn Moriarty. I’ve read books by both Liane and Jaclyn and jumped at the opportunity to read and review Free-Falling and also interview Nicola. I had some expectations going into Free-Falling and I’m happy to say this book lived up to every one of them.

Split into three narratives, this novel is beautifully written in that over the course of the time it took me to read it, I giggled, I cried (more than once) and I couldn’t put it down. I read it in one sitting, totally immersing myself in the lives of Belinda, Evelyn and Bazza. Andy’s death is a tragedy, he’s so young and it’s an utterly senseless and unnecessary way in which he dies. We learn about him and Belinda as a couple in flashbacks, memories and thoughts she has of their time together.After he is gone, she stays in their apartment, surrounded by these memories, using them as a blanket. She drinks too much, she doesn’t always take care of herself whilst she is moving through the stage of crushing grief. By the time she gets some startling news, she has not a lot of time to prepare for it but the way in which she copes with this little gift shows her strength of character.

Evelyn is difficult to like at first, which is I’m sure, the aim. She’s cold, unforgiving and what she does to Belinda is so terrible it makes you want to jump into the book and slap her! But she’s a grieving mother too, having already lost her husband she has now lost one of her sons as well. She funnels her grief into jumping out of planes, an endeavor that leads her to meet Bazza, a young and experienced sky diver with whom she strikes up a very unlikely deep friendship. Some of the scenes between Evelyn and Bazza were the highlights of the novel for me – watching them connect and seeing Evelyn relax a little of her icy exterior and start to open up to Bazza was a lovely experience. I really enjoyed watching Evelyn become changed, little by little, through her association with Bazza, who provided a sympathetic ear and was someone that knew nothing about her, didn’t judge and didn’t coddle her either.

I have to admit I was a little wary of the story line where Belinda believes that Andy is hanging around, due to such things as mysterious flowers turning up on her doorstep, her shopping being brought upstairs to her apartment one day from her car, because those types of things rarely register as believable for me! I can understand it – if I lost my fiance/husband/etc in the tragic way in which Belinda did, I would cling to any hope that he was still around, in any capacity. But I’m quite a skeptic from way back so I was happy that I really enjoyed the way in which this story unfolded and although it wasn’t entirely hard to guess what was happening, the way the three narratives (Belinda’s, Evelyn’s and Bazza’s) all married up and presented events from different points of view was very well done.

Free-Falling is such a lovely novel, even though it’s based around a tragic and sad event, there’s a lot of warmth, humour and hope within it too. It’s the kind of story you can get lost in, where you end up caring for all the characters (yep, even Evelyn!) and become invested in their lives and you find yourself mapping out their futures in your head. A highly impressive debut and I can’t wait for her next novel.

Recommended!

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first read of anything by this author, and it certainly won't be my last. While this story deals a lot with the issue of grief, it is written in a lovely and respectful way. While the experience of grief is different for everyone, the characters in this story present some of the realities of grieving.

There were some light-hearted moments, some humour, and some 'tear-evoking' moments. Overall, this is a very engaging story and it kept me turning the pages.

I also liked the mix of first-person, and third-person points of view - for me it worked.

I also loved this story because I am an Australian and I related to it so easily.

Lovely, intriguing, engaging story - give it a go.

[Elke Eelbode · Rating 3 out of 5]

leest vlot, verschillende delen over de verschillende personages maar hou er geen wauw gevoel aan over.

[Natasja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hoe ga je om met het verlies van je zoon of verloofde?Je leest het allemaal in dit mooie boek.Je krijgt steeds een verhaal te lezen van Belinda en dan weer van Evelyn en ook nog enkele andere personen dat erg goed afgewisseld word.Het is vrij luchtig geschreven en toch voel je het verdriet en pijn van iedereen.Ik had dit boek dan ook vrij snel uit en dat wil wel wat zeggen want je wil alleen maar doorlezen.Komt Andy spoken of draait Belinda helemaal door?Het waren allemaal leuke karakters die je niet snel zal vergeten,zoals op de samenvatting al staat dat het geschikt is voor de lezers van Jojo Moyes, kan ik me wel iets van voorstellen want ook dat boek was toch ondanks het verdriet luchtig en prettig geschreven.Dit soort boeken mogen er voor mij dan ook meer komen.

[Saskia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ik wist eigenlijk niet goed in welk boek ik moest beginnen en dacht bij deze even 1 hoofdstukje lezen, kijken of het bevalt. Het is dus niet bij 1 hoofdstuk gebleven, voordat ik t wist was ik al op de helft. Wat een prachtig ontroerend verhaal is dit, beetje vergelijkbaar met Versplinterd van Dani Atkins en Voor jou van Jojo Moyes, als je die boeken mooi vond dan is dit boek ook zeker een aanrader! Het verhaal word grotendeels door twee personen verteld, Belinda, de verloofde van de overleden Andy en Evelyn de moeder van Andy. Beiden worden geconfronteerd met het verlies van Andy en allebei gaan ze er anders mee om, ik kon me eigenlijk in beide personages goed verplaatsen en leefde met ze mee. Geweldig hoe uiteindelijk de verhaallijnen weer samen komen, ik heb enorm genoten van dit boek.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

Easy to read but not going to leave a lasting impression. I found Belinda very naive and vacuous. I was surprised that the author had children as Belinda’s experience of pregnancy and short description of life with twin babies was very unrealistic (particularly as a single mum, experiencing grief following the violent and sudden death of her fiancé)- I found it hard to believe that a group in their early 20s would provide around the clock help with newborn babies, and that a first time mum would invite a complete stranger to the birth. The birth itself was super unrealistic.

It was nice how it had a happy ending and everyone’s stories resolved pleasantly, but it was unbelievable.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story about grief, but it isn't unbearably sad. It is told from two characters points of view - a mother who has lost her son, and a young woman who has lost her fiance. Their respective journeys are believable, they are both sympathetic, and despite the fact that the reader knows what happens - a young man dies - there is enough interest to keep turning the pages. I won this book and put of reading it because I thought it would be a tale of misery and woe, with much wailing and gnashing of teeth. Instead, it was a tale of hope, with tears and smiles in equal measure.

[Nathalie Bakelandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zeker een aanrader. De titel beantwoordt ook de inhoud van het boek. In vrije val: als iets je plots overvalt dan valt de grond weg onder je voeten zo ook bij de twee hoofdpersonages: Evelyn de mama en Belle of Belinda de verloofde van Andy. Er is dan ook nog een derde persoon bazza en die zorgt voor de werkelijke vrije val. Benieuwd? Lezen is de boodschap of zeker toevoegen TBR lijst. Aan allen veel leesplezier, ik heb genoten.

[Karin Pearson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite a nice story about grieving the loss of a loved one, how two women cope and how tragedy brings them together. The subject matter is told in a light hearted way and there are some quite funny moments. For the most part I enjoyed this, but a few too many unlikely coincidences and cliches for my liking.

[Aletha Annema · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wat een heerlijk lief boek! Fijne schrijfstijl en de verschillende verhaallijnen lopen mooi in elkaar over en komen aan het einde bij elkaar. Aanrader wat mij betreft...

[Suzy Dominey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Predictable chick lit mmn not my cup of tea

[Annette Chidzey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another library loan from my daughter while on a brief holiday in Newcastle. This author is the sister of Liane Moriarty and there was some similarity in the genre and style of writing.
The structure centred around two main characters - Belinda and Evelyn - developing the storyline from contrasting perspectives.
Both women disliked one another intensely at the commencement of the novel but came to reconcile their differences by the end. Though it was somewhat Hollywood like in the latter stages drawing loose ends together so it ended very harmoniously for most of not all characters including the two protagonists, it was uplifting and enjoyable to read.

[Laura C · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I had read the blurb for this book I wouldn’t have wanted to read it. Luckily I only read it afterwards.

I was interested from the very beginning and all the way through. The author did an amazing job of piecing this story together from the POV of different characters going back and forth from past to present. It sounds confusing but it was so well written that it actually wasn’t. An amazing and unique story. To me it felt like it was a combination of Liane Moriarty and Jodi Picoult. I’m definitely reading more books by this author.

[Lieve Berckmoes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jaaaaa dit lees ik graag! Toevallig meegenomen uit de bib omdat ik niets anders vond en na een week uit :-) Ik hou zo van de Moriarty stijl. De boeken van Nicola zijn ook wat meer behapbaar dan de kleppers van Liane soms en daardoor voor mij ideaal. Grappig, luchtig, vlot maar toch meeslepend en pageturn materiaal. ♥️

[Kylie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uplifting and emotional. I really liked the family dynamics and how relationships were explored.

[Sally Sutton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audiobook, fairly predictable romance and I can’t decide whether I enjoyed it or if it was just too annoying. I am glad everything worked out well and I cared enough to finish it but it wasn’t a great listen.

[Michelle Hutchins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story and couldn't put it down- a major twist at the end
I would highly recommend 👍😏

[Tien · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whilst I prided myself to read pretty much everything, there is actually a type of book I usually try to avoid and that’s any contemporary chick-lit type of story. Nevertheless, I think I still read an average of 2-3 a year (out of my usual 200+ books). So why did I choose to read this obviously girly book?

The first seed of interest was sown when I first read the blurb, it brought to mind PS I Love You by Cecelia Ahern which I have a read a couple of years ago (after the movie) and absolutely loved, mostly due to the supernatural possibility it represent. After the read, I can confirm that whilst the blurb made them sound similar, it's a very different story whilst tackling same topic (grief).

I actually found out about this book from a flyer at my local library promoting a book launch. My interest was piqued even further when I found out that Nicola Moriarty is a local. I mean that she lives 2-3 suburbs away from me (approx 20 mins drive). This got me totally excited and in a bid to support a truly local author, I took the plunge.

The first line of chapter 1: I really didn’t know whether I was supposed to laugh or to cringe knowing that something is bound to go wrong.

The day after her fiancé died, Belinda drove to the RSPCA and picked up a puppy.

I totally get it why this makes complete "sense" but… if you know me, you know that I’m a proud mother of a gorgeous pug so whilst I wanted to snicker knowing something is bound to go wrong (this is soo not why you get a puppy), I also wanted to cringe for the poor puppy. You’ll have to read it to find out what actually happen ;)

To begin with, I didn’t like Belinda at all due to the way she was dealing with grief however as she dealt with it and her real-self started to show about mid-way of the novel, she grew on me. She was actually quite a sweet, confident, and capable young woman.

This book is told from 2 main perspectives: Belinda and Evelyn. Evelyn was Belinda’s mother-in-law-from-hell-to-be. She doesn’t sound very pleasant at all, huh? But, actually, she’s the one I like from right near the beginning. This is because I feel that I can relate to her better. Okay, not the criminal inclination nor the skydiving but her way of dealing with grief; of anger, of shutting everybody out and yet still seem to be altogether in public. I can understand this and sympathise with her but I just couldn’t sympathise with Belinda’s break-down.

Most memorable bit for me:

But then that moment passed and Evelyn remembered why it was that she kept doing this [skydiving]. That feeling of absolute freedom exploded from within and a gleeful smile was pasted across her face – despite the fact that her cheeks were rather unattractively flapping in the wind and her skin was being stretched back as though she’d just had an intense does of Botox.

Despite my initial reluctance, this was an easy book to read and love. 60 pages from end, I found myself thinking that I didn’t want it to end. It’s a very sweet and heart warming story which tugged and squeezed not only your heart but your tear-ducts. (Disclaimer: I cry pretty easily whilst reading :p) So, what does it say when someone who doesn’t usually read chick-lit type books like a chick-lit type of book? I say, you should give this book a fair go ;)

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. It takes the topic of grief and explores it in an interesting but real way. I really felt for both of the female characters who were struggling to deal with the death of their partner and son.

I also really loved the main 'supernatural' theme of the story, which kept you guessing and wondering (and hoping) it really is Andy sending those signs to grief stricken Belinda.

A really great book that had me hooked from start to finish.

[Sallyann Van leeuwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Finally, some well structured three dimensional characters! This story is told in alternative chapters by two women, a mother and a fiancé of a young man killed suddenly. The story details their grief, loss, anger and denial in the year following his death. There were moments to laugh, cry, sigh and smile. Fab first book, but of course it would be as it's from the talented Moriarty clan. Am already tracking down Nicola's next book.