Free Fall: A High School Bully Romance (Spring Hill Blues) Paperback – August 27, 2019

Prepare yourself for an emotional rollercoaster with Free Fall. This book took me completely by surprise—not in the way I expected, but in the best way possible. What I thought would be a typical RH (Reverse Harem) bully romance quickly revealed itself to be so much more—and infinitely more heart-wrenching.At its core, Free Fall is a raw and beautifully emotional exploration of grief, love, and healing. Briar is struggling with the overwhelming loss of her brother Brady, and her spiral into darkness is both painful and real. Enter Brady's best friends—Cade, Reid, and Lex—three alpha personalities who, in their own way, are determined to pull Briar back from the edge. Each one brings something different to the table: Cade, the charming jokester; Lex, the sweet, sensitive soul; and Reid, the ultimate “alpha” with a bite to his personality that sometimes makes him hard to love. Reid’s intense, in-your-face approach is definitely a standout, but there were moments when I wasn’t sure if he was helping or pushing Briar further away.As Briar battles her inner demons, the tension between her and these three men shifts and evolves, creating a dynamic that’s intense and multifaceted. Though the romance isn’t what I initially expected (and be warned, it’s not RH), the journey to Briar finding herself—and finding love—is a journey worth taking.The emotional stakes are high, but the book doesn’t stop there. Alongside the turmoil of Briar’s grief, there’s a toxic ex-girlfriend who’ll have you shaking your head and an online boyfriend who adds a layer of suspense that keeps you guessing. While I had a hunch about the boyfriend’s true nature from the start (and my suspicions were spot-on), I would’ve loved a little more of a twist to keep things even more unpredictable.All in all, Free Fall is a captivating read that held my attention from start to finish. While it’s not the typical RH story many might expect, it’s a beautifully crafted F/M romance with deep emotional resonance and a story that lingers long after the last page. If you're ready for a story that tugs at your heartstrings and delivers more than just a romance, this one’s for you. Just go in with an open mind and a box of tissues—you’re going to need them.

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️Trope: brothers best friend, love triangleTension: 3/5 FMC just keeps getting abused by high school bully and people allow it.Pro: handles teenage angst well and shows good insights in Briars mindCon: only in one perspective, I really wanted to also be in Lex and Reid’s mind bc some of their reactions were baffling

3.5 starsE.M. Moore became another new to me author this year, because I get the chance to meet her at a signing this July and I decided to start with her Spring Hill Blues series.Free Fall is a young adult story that deals mainly with loosing a person you love. How a young person deals with grief and about finding first love. Even though there are three guys with Cade, Lex and Reid who's lives revolve not only around football but help the sister of their best friend, after he died, this is not a RH story. It might have vibes of a love triangle, but IM it's far away from being actually one.The beginning was full of repeating things and phrases and I wasn't sold until about 40% into the book. I can't consider it a full bully story either. Might because the reason why Cade, Lex and Reid pushed Briar.I actually missed some parent interaction in this book. Because Brady's best friends and his sister weren't the only ones losing him. As well as Briar's behavior should have brought her parents more into the story, not leaving three teenagers dealing with it.I also had trouble believing Reid that he loves Briar, quite the contrary to Lex.Nevertheless, the story itself and how everyone was dealing with their grief was what kept me reading. I found myself invested in the characters and wanted to know how Briar develops. Luckily I didn't have to wait for the second book and could continue right away.

Very interesting and catching book on turmoil after the death of a very dear loved one. I loved it, for the emotions it made me feel.

What happens when the one person you could count on is gone? Just like that, snap. How are you supposed to go on living in a world that suddenly is like the Twilight Zone? How do you move forward? How is everyone else living life without him?Briar Page may not know the answers to any of these questions, but she sure as hell has to find out. With the sudden death of her older brother, Brady, she is thrown into a world that no longer makes sense. She has to move forward, but she CANNOT fathom a world where he no longer lives. Everything hurts, and no one seems to understand except Ezra.Cade, Lex, and Reid were her brother's best friends who step up no that he longer is around. They push, and Briar pushes back harder. Along with Juliet, her brother's girlfriend, she learns that while life will no longer be the same she does have to move forward. This group of guys and Jules help Briar see just how much they care about her. Briar gets to see that not everyone is exactly who they portray and gets to know people at school as more then just Brady's sister. This doesn't always go good for her now that her number 1 is no longer around to support and protect her.The chemistry that E.M. Moore writes between the characters is phenomenal. E.M. writes about a very tough subject, but does it in a way that is real and raw. There were definitely times that I felt what Briar felt, and wanted to go through the book and help h er out. There are only a handful of authors that I can truly get lost into their books, and E.M. Moore has become one of them for me recently. I can only sit on the edge of my seat as I wait for book two to see what happens with the group from Spring Hill!