Loved every second of this! 20 s2 comments J.E. LeakAuthor 4 books108

Sometimes a book comes along that just carries you into its world and wraps itself around you a warm blanket. Falls from Grace by Ruby Landers is that kind of book for me. I was first introduced to one of the main characters, country music superstar Savannah Grace, in Landers’ debut novella Two Tickets (which is also lovely). It was a brief appearance (along with her philandering co-star husband) and it intrigued me enough to want to read Falls From Grace in what was sure to be a messy, heartbreaking journey for Savannah as she goes through a very public breakup of her marriage, which dissolves one of country's top musical acts.

This is where Falls from Grace begins. A few years after her appearance in Two Tickets, Savannah’s aforementioned jerk of a now ex-husband is also an absentee dad, and Savannah is left with a career to revive and a precocious two-year-old to raise on her own.

I’m going to pause right here and interject something about me as a reader: On country music … unless your name is Dolly, Patsy, Loretta, or Tammy, I am not a country music fan. I am also not a fan of small children in fiction. If this is you as well, I urge you to put all that aside and read this book. You might even change your mind about small children (you thought I was going to say country music, didn’t you?). But seriously, don’t let either hold you back. And the child? Absolutely delightful. So often when a child is brought into a scene, the child overpowers the scene. In this case, Landers has cleverly kept the focus on the main characters so their interaction with the child moves their relationship and the plot along. It’s seamless, and lovely, and one of the reasons this book warmed my (admittedly cynical) heart. If you love country music and small children in fiction, then run, don’t walk to this one!

Okay, on with the review. We’re introduced to Brynn Marshall as a woman who has had her share of hard times and is searching for her place in the world. As a final straw, she has just lost her apartment. Brynn’s best friend, Noah Lyman, has just been hired as Savannah’s new co-writer and is off to Savannah’s beautiful Vermont estate to work on her new album. Noah has the brilliant idea of bringing Brynn along, but to make sure Savannah won’t have a problem with him inviting a plus one, Noah tells her Brynn is his wife. So we’ve got a little fake relationship trope added to the mix!

The slow burn starts as soon as Brynn and Savannah meet. Through a series of twists and turns, their off-the-charts chemistry evolves from tentative friendship to something much more profound. Falls From Grace is about finding love in unexpected places, bravely confronting the past, and conquering the fear that comes with opening up to another person. It may start out as a slow burn, but when that smolder catches fire … hoo, it catches fire!

Landers has created compelling main characters and side characters, and the themes of love, loss, and the search for identity are so well written that, regardless of interests or background, they resonate and pull us in. As this is part one of a trilogy (it is standalone), I can’t wait to see where the author takes these characters!

A big thanks to the author for the ARC!22 s Sterling Sapphic Reads256 87

BRB - I'm a mess. This book was phenom! - Okay, I'm back. Whew. It's taken me a minute to review this book b/c life got busy but this book stuck with me. This is an incredible debut novel from Ruby Landers. I'm honestly in awe that this is a debut. When I first read the synopsis about a lesbian "fake marriage" to her male bestie, I wasn't really sure I was in the mood for that kind of story but I'm oh so glad that I jumped in. This book made me laugh, made me cry, and made me so frustrated I was ready to throw things across the room. I'm so lucky I had a friend reading this at the same time (@Lez_be_readin_ya - check out her review too) because I NEEDED someone to talk to about this book. Landers had so many feelings bubbling up out of my chest that I couldn't function, literally, for a whole day while I devoured this book. This is an ANGSTY SLOW BURN NOVEL. When I say slow burn, bundle up kids, because we're watching this fire start from the woodchopping stage all the way through to the blaze of this sapphic fire. It's so freaking good.

Savannah and Brynn are such incredible characters. Their magnetic pull to each other is so incredibly strong. There's something about celebrity romances for me right now - I'm all in. I can't seem to get enough of the behind-the-scenes storylines. Landers did an amazing job with everything from the songwriting sessions to the recordings to the tour - it felt so authentic every step of the way.
I adored how Brynn was with Savannah's son. He was such a light for Savannah and a wonderful connection between the two MC's.

For me, this book was a romance, yes, but it was also about healing. Healing childhood traumas and healing wounds from a relationship that was nothing we thought it was. I really valued the healing journey that each of these characters took together and apart. Landers took an interesting approach to boundaries and respect that you don't often see in the genre and romance. She took a chance and it absolutely paid off, in my opinion. It was a refreshing take on space and forgiveness that was heartwrenching to read but also felt very necessary and healthy.

I'm beyond ready for the next two installments of the Grace Notes. This book was just absolutely wonderful. I highly recommend this for anyone who loves a slowburn romance novel. This was such a refreshing unique read for me.

Thank you to Ruby Landers, for an e-arc of this book. It was an honor and a privilege to read this novel.
202four arc-s-giveaways kindle ...more15 s Bookish26 3

There are no words - this made me feel all the feelings. The characters were believable, pace was appropriate, dialogues were crisp, humor and romance was infused in everything. Some parts made me cry just by thoughtfulness of them. I savored this book, read it slow, didn't want it to end.faves11 s KateJoanna304 7

Life — a series of rock bottoms. A ridiculously perfect, adorable and heartwarming sapphic romance from Ruby Landers, debut where?
Coming ambitiously away from her Aussie roots and all the way to Nashville for a swoon worthy country music romance. Absolutely chock full of inclusive and very loveable characters, with various LGBTQ, non-binary and POC characters.

It really is impossible to believe this author wasn’t even published yet at the time I read this, her writing is this good and flows so naturally, I would sooner believe she had written a million bestselling books. This was too flawless for an unpublished and supposedly unfinished book! I can’t wait for it to hit shelves so everyone can read this stunning story, and of course, I can get my hands on the final version/physical copy myself for a reread!

The whole dynamic of Savannah, Brynn and Noah writing songs with Tucker racing around them is just so perfect and charming. Seriously this book just has all the feels. It had me hooked from the start, falling head over heels for the characters and pulled right into the story.
Slow, slow, slow burn but sooooo worth the wait ;)

*** I received and read this as a Beta and all opinions are my own ***my-physical-library11 s Lez_be_readin_ya202 39

Firstly, thank you, Ruby, for this #ARC and the amazing opportunity to review your incredible debut book. 

What a book! This is one fantastic slow burn that keeps you wanting more! The mutual attraction and longing Brynn and Savannah have for each other is WOW
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