Just a quick note: my reviews are subjective and represent my personal opinion. It’s not meant as a personal critique of the author or anyone who loves the book—just my take on it, to help others decide if it’s something they might enjoy too.
Title:
Falling (North University #1)
Author:
Janisha Boswell
- I found this author through her instagram account and this is the first book I’ve read by her. Through a bit of online searching I deduced she’s a young author who primarily writes romance books that cover love, diversity, goals and growth.
Star Ratings
- Overall Rating: (3.5/5)
- Spice Rating: (2/5)
- Impact: (1.5/5)
Disclaimers
- Trigger Warnings: A few sensitive topics are touched on in this book: mental health struggles, emotional abuse and neglect, addiction, manipulation, drunkenness, eating habits, and weight loss. I’m sure there are others that I’ve forgotten but if your planning on reading the book, a quick search on the triggers might help.
- Note on Language or Content: This book does contain explicit scenes and language.
Summary
Wren Hackely, a collage figure skater at North University has had some trouble coming back from last season’s humiliating end (thanks to her ex) and needs a major comeback. Interest and team morale has been dropping so she is pressured to get more good publicity. Also pressured to make a comeback is MIles Davis, the hockey star of North University. Miles and his team are impacted by a tragedy, and it left him unmotivated to keep chasing his hockey dreams. Together they make a fake dating pact that gives very much Peter and Laura Jean from To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before vibes and will help them both get back on track. But as the story develops they realize that there might be more feelings involved than anticipated and face that they might not want it to be fake anymore.
**Spoilers Ahead!**
Main Characters Overviews
Wren Hackely
- Wren is a dedicated, sarcastic, strong minded, and smart character but she has trouble making up her mind. She’s one of the main love interests and is interested in reading, she loves to write, and of course she’s obsessed with figure skating. She has three close friends, two of which she rooms with.
- Throughout the book she devops independence and bravery, shown by standing up to her mom who manipulated her and who she resents. Also her view of love shifted, whereas she previously believed that love was selfish and harsh she saw love through a different lens with Miles.
Miles Davis
- Miles is a sweet, popular and golden retriever type person. He’s the other main love interest and is friends with many of his hockey teammates and likes music. I feel like this quote sums up the goofy side of him pretty well “I don’t know what demon possessed me to let Miles have the AUX because he plays the most obnoxious music I’ve heard in my life. I almost crashed multiple times while he screeched every lyric to the Hamilton song Non-Stop.”
- He grows throughout the book and becomes driven again to support himself and pursue hockey because of Wren and being with her gives him hope. Also he heals his relationship with his family, his mother especially, and learns how to forgive her mistakes and the lies he was told.
My favorite character would be Miles because of how loving and open he is to his girlfriend, but I also see myself in Wren with her struggles with anxiety and depression and being a book lover.
My favorite friendship in this book was Wren and her roommates Scarlet and Kennedy; The amount of support and love they have for eachother is amazing. From their movie nights, to listening and auditing Wren’s book, and comforting her after hard days. I know one of her roommate’s books is next and I’m excited to see what’s in store for her.
I Would Recommend It To This Specific Niche
Ok here it goes, I would recommend this to Taylor Swift lovers, Hockey Romance girls, lovers of the book From Lukov With Love and The Sin-Bin, people who crave a caring and touchy book boyfriend, and minimal second hand embarrassment.
Favorite Quote
- “If I had Wren Hackely for real, she wouldn’t spend a second doubting if I really cared about her. I’d worship the ground she walks on. I already do. ” – said by Miles Davis
- “ I highlighted a few of the scenes I actually enjoyed, and I plan on giving it back to her – you can’t tell me this is not giving Jess from Gilmore Girls
- “You have no idea how special you are, Wren, and it breaks my heart every time I hear you speak like that. I would give up everything I have for you to realize that you’re perfect in every way that counts.” – another quote by Miles Davis that warms my heart,
Plot Holes/ My wishes
This is a good book but not without faults, and here are a few big ones I either wish were clarified or included.
To start, I wish Miles had another conversation with Carter’s parents since I feel like both slides were deeply affected and could have used the closure.
Next, WHAT THE FLIP HAPPENED TO CARTER!? It is so avoided and ominous but I was waiting for some big reveal that never came. Miles has survivors’ guilt and wishes they could have switched but no one talks about it. It led me to a few crazy theories ranging from— the Plague? A murder? A Greys Anatomy style plane crash?? I know that it’s a sensitive topic for the characters and it’s not that I overly care about it just that the amount it was inferred to but we were never told what happened and i’m very curious.
When there on vacation there’s an odd scene in a bar that Miles thinks he saw a friend and was going to be told a story, and it’s NEVER touched on again. I was again very curious and didn’t get how it fit with the story.
I wanted more background on what happened during the last season where she was with Augustus. I know a video was talked about but it felt rushed.
I felt like Wren’s mental health brushed and she never really sought out help even though she was described as having deep depression episodes and panic attacks. Then after she’s “dating” miles for a while everything just disappears.
Nothing about either of them in class which I thought was weird considering we see a scene of Wren studying and they are both at college.
What actually happened in barcelona???
Overall I felt like there were some loose ends that could have been resolved and quite a bit of fluff in the middle.
Extra things I feel like I should mention
There were a million Taylor Swift references, from direct song titles to subtle references like, “A knife to a gunfight” (page )which is a lyric from Call it what you want by Taylor Swift and multiple others like “screaming color” and Christmas Tree Farm.
Plus there’s one part in the books where Miles says something to Wren along the lines of ‘for keeps’ and it reminded me of Shannon and Johnny in The Boys Of Tommen series
I’ve Concurred….
I thought this book was pretty good. I know that there are some irritating unfinished plot points but Miles is a cute book boyfriend and I laughed a few times while reading this. I would recommend this read to those who REALLY love college romance books but it wouldn’t be my first choice.
Book Nook Girl 
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