Famously beautiful model Willow Bradford is taking a temporary break from her hectic schedule to work as the innkeeper at her family’s small-town bed-and-breakfast. She was enjoying the peace of her hometown, Merryweather, Washington, right up until she came face-to-face with Corbin Stewart, the man she loves to hate. A thoughtful rule-follower by nature, Willow threw caution to the wind four … years ago when she entrusted her heart to Corbin–and suffered the consequences when it all fell apart.
Former NFL quarterback Corbin is forceful, charming, and accustomed to getting what he wants . . . except where Willow Bradford is concerned. Unable to forget her, he’s never stopped regretting what happened between them. When their paths unexpectedly cross again, he’s determined to make her give him a second chance.
When a decades-old missing persons case finds Corbin and Willow working together, they’re forced to confront their past and who they’ve become–and whether they can risk falling for one another all over again.
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This is a book that I could just fall into, and feel a part of the world and story and characters. I love the author’s subtle writing style that drew me in and allowed me to connect with Willow and Corbin without overwhelming me with description or repetition. Willow and Corbin both have big walls up that are slowly eroded when they are compelled to spend time together, helping Corbin’s niece Charlotte solve a decades-old missing person mystery. Investigating the case, step by step, brought a steady pace to the book as Corbin also struggles with the inevitable death of his sick father and Willow deals with unwanted attention from fans and her own waning interest in modeling. There is a perfect balance between all the plot threads and the redevelopment of Willow and Corbin’s friendship and romance. They share fun banter, even (especially) when they are at odds, their chemistry is crackling with passion, and their relationship develops greater depth as Corbin is determined to show Willow how devoted he is to her. Willow’s sisters play an important role in her life and help her as she helps them. We even see a couple chapters from Britt’s perspective as a lead-in to the next book, which I can’t wait for! I love the spiritual themes that are woven in seamlessly of forgiveness and the importance of turning all our worries over to God and allowing him to guide our lives. Even though this is the second book in the series it can definitely be read as a standalone. Highly recommend!
(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions expressed in this review are my own)
I think this is Becky Wade’s best yet! That’s high praise, considering she is one of my very favorite authors. Don’t miss this touching romance!
Although fashion model Willow Bradford would like to keep the mistakes of her past behind her, it is difficult to ignore former boyfriend Corbin Stewart who she is forced to spend time with in order to help a precocious young Charlotte solve a family mystery. Most romance readers know from the git-go that sparks are sure to fly and the former sweethearts are certain to be reunited by the end of the story. Yes, that’s a given but the fun is in discovering how they get to that point.
Falling for You is the second novel in the Bradford Sisters series and it met all my expectations. It was fun seeing familiar characters show up during the story but most enjoyable was the verbal interplay between Willow and Corbin not to mention the adorable Charlotte. An added layer of interest was added by the family mystery the three of them were attempting to solve.
All-in-all, the story was wonderful with a steady plot, vivid characters, and plenty of romance. The spiritual thread could have been a bit stronger but nevertheless, a strong theme of forgiveness and restoration is woven throughout. I loved Falling for You and I believe most fans of contemporary Christian romance and Becky Wade would agree.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
Falling for You begins with the intrigue of a missing woman, and Becky Wade weaves the suspense and mystery beautifully throughout the book. The banter between Willow and Corbin is perfection, and 12 year old Charlotte is delightful and endearing. Plus, for those who have read True to You or Then Came You – Grandma is back (need I say more?). 🙂 Falling for You is a perfect blend of humor and romance and mystery and faith. Go ahead and plan on a book hangover because you won’t be able to put this one down!
I received an ARC for this book at #PLA2018 and couldn’t wait to dive right into it. The Bradford sisters are so delightful and very real. None of them are perfect and they each have their own struggles. This book focuses on Willow, the eldest of the sisters, who is a model. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but Becky Wade handles some pretty big topics in this book and she does it amazingly well. She doesn’t shy away from the sensitive (and sometimes controversial) topics. I always walk away from her books having learned something about myself and God in the pages. This book did not disappoint in that regard. In fact, a few days later I still have one particular phrase from the book running through my mind: “God could still be trusted.” So #WadeIntoAGoodBook and have fun with the Bradford sisters!
I cannot ever recall having a favorite Becky Wade book. Of course, if you’ve read my previous reviews on her books you’ll know that I just adore them all! Falling for You, however, the second full-length Bradford Sisters Romance, changed that. I absolutely fell in love with Willow and Corbin and their story.
This book tells the story of two exceedingly successful people who share a hurtful past together and who also have very painful pasts apart from one another. The combined pain has caused trust issues and placed them both in a very vulnerable place where they learn to truly trust God with everything.
Becky Wade’s characters walk right off the page and into your heart. They are genuine, believable, flawed and scarred…as we all are. Although I cannot relate to their wealthy lifestyles or their glamorous jobs, I can relate to some of the struggles and concerns that Willow and Corbin have. Their struggles are real and don’t come with easy answers.
I very much enjoyed the new mystery element in Falling for You. It was a fantastic addition to Becky Wade’s writing. The mystery itself and the way it worked into the story were well done and left me wanting more.
The love of Christ is consistently and eloquently shared in each of Becky Wade’s books. In this book I especially love the raw conversations between Corbin, a new believer, and his unbelieving dad. Whether a new believer or a mature believer, we can feel ill equipped and scared to share our faith. These conversations are approached in this book in a way that encourage believers to share and trust God with the outcome.
It’s always such a joy to see how God works in and through Becky Wade’s books. I always come away having learned something about God and what He wants of me. The end of this book drew me right into conversation with my Savior. When that is your response after reading a fictional book, you know you’ve found a new favorite.
I highly recommend Falling for You. And if you haven’t read the previous books in this series, I recommend that you begin with the prequel novella, Then Came You.
This is the second book in the series, and I worried that I wouldn’t like it as much as the first one (which i adored!!) and while this one was different, I can say that I enjoyed it as much. Once I finished it, I immediately started reading it again (I only do that with books that I really enjoy). Great story and I can’t wait for the third one!
Falling for You is the newest novel in the Bradford Sisters series. I absolutely loved this addition.!!
This novel focuses on Willow Bradford, a model, who comes home to run the family inn while her parents are away. During her time at home, a missing persons case reconnects her with her ex-boyfriend and former NFL player, Corbin.
Readers get to walk alongside both of the main characters as they get to know each other again as they have to push aside past heartbreaks and failures. They have to learn to forgive each other and most importantly themselves. Yay for second chances!! As a lover of mystery and suspense, I really enjoyed the missing persons aspect of the book. Charlotte, Corbin’s niece, has discovered a family secret and enlists Willow and Corbin’s help to solve the mystery of the disappearance of a family member many years ago.
I have been a devoted reader of Becky Wade’s books for years and loved My Stubborn Heart and the Porter Family series, but she continues to outdo herself with this series. Fans of the series will be happy to get updates on Nora from book one as well as get to know Britt a little better before her story releases next.
I was given a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
How do you deal with stress? Some people eat, some like to exercise. Some set rules in an attempt to control their environment. Jesus told us that we shouldn’t worry, that worry doesn’t accomplish anything. Then he reminded us of how much the Father cares for us. We should be continually casting our burdens on Him. . .
Of all the quirky habits she could have, Willow had an addiction to buying housewares. Whenever stress got the better of her, she visited one of her favorite online stores and shopped. Although this actually makes sense due to her feeling that she needed a place to belong. A home. She also struggled with a need to be perfect and in control.
Corbin was nothing if not determined. When Willow set up ground rules for their living in the same town, he determined to break them all. Which made for some very humorous moments. After he had spent time with her, he knew he needed to channel his determination towards winning her back. His love and care for his father touched me deeply, especially after I learned about the difficulties they had faced in his childhood.
Falling for You shows so much insight into human nature. The things that motivate us, the fears we face, and the difficulties we have in accepting forgiveness. The message of salvation comes through clearly as as other spiritual truths that are so important for us to accept so that we can walk in freedom.
While there are some discussions about temptation and serial murders, the story is quite clean and appropriate for teens as well as adults.
This review was originally posted on AmongTheReads.net.
Get a preview of Falling for You at AmongTheReads.net
Falling For You Is a story of childhood love rekindle. A chance for that proverbial second chance. They also during all that try to solve a 10 year old mystery – will they be able to solve it? What is the mystery? Wouldn’t you like to know you – have to read for yourself -. In this book you have love, laughter, family, thoughtfullness and colossal Faith. enjoy the refined read. I received a copy of this book from the Publisher and Netgalley; all of the opinions expressed in this review are all my own.
if you would like to read more of my Christian book reviews go to christianlybookreviewers.blogspot.com
I have been chewing on this review for over a week now and still am not sure how to go about doing the book justice. The struggles that Willow and Corbin have are incredibly plausible. Falling for You is full of deep hurt, passion, real life struggle with temptation, sin, forgiveness, and love. I enjoyed the insight into Willow’s personality as the oldest sibling. The relationship between the three sisters is extremely lifelike. At times open and honest, others not so much but through it all they can depend on one another to be there.
Corbin’s new faith in Christ, trying to understand the tenets of it and live by them, strikes a chord of familiarity within me. It is not easy in the beginning when you to come to faith as an adult. Change in attitude takes time. Learning to rely on the Holy Spirit to teach can be challenging but the rewards are great, which Corbin will sort of discover. I wish he had more page time but it is about the Bradford sisters, after all.
Searching for the missing aunt was truly one of the most enjoyable parts of the story for me! My first love is mystery/suspense and Wade wrote these elements superbly.
Fans of contemporary romance will enjoy this second full length book in The Bradford Sisters series. I was provided a copy from the publisher through NetGalley. A review was not required. No compensation has been received.
Loved it! That sums it up. This romance has it all — Good characters, a flowing, page turning story, and most of all, a tingle-all-over romance. Added to that was a faith thread woven so neatly throughout that I felt like I was witnessing God’s acceptance of a personal friend. How does this author do that? at my website. I received this book complimentary as a participant of the Prism Book Tour. I was not required to give a positive review. All of the opinions I have expressed here are my own.
The cover on this book has drawn me in from the very first time I saw it. It’s one of my very favorites and clearly brought out as a part in the book. Some covers are random and don’t really follow the story but I was pleased to find the reference to Willow’s appearance in the actual plot.
No matter how perfect someone’s life seems, how rich they are, how wonderful their careers seem, life gets in the way and things can become very messy. This Bradford Sister’s Romance #2, hones in on Willow, the oldest sister and a famous model. Her past romance with NFL football star Corbin ended badly. What happened to end their relationship? That’s a question I wanted the answer to right at the beginning, but alas, I had to be patient.
The first line in the book started it off with a bang. “I discovered a secret”, spoken by twelve year old Charlotte Dixon. She was a tenacious character and very likable. She pulled the reluctant Willow and Corbin in on a mystery in which she wanted the answers. Their past kept getting in the way but they tried their best to work together for Charlotte’s sake. Different scenarios kept forming in my mind but the author really kept the guessing going for me and it was quite a surprise!
Corbin was also dealing with his dad’s illness while they were working together to renovate a house Corbin had bought after a football injury ended his career. Corbin and Willow both had a hard time with forgiveness, both for each other and that God could also love and forgive them.
Romance was a big part of this novel but the added mystery and the faith references added so much more to bring about an excellent, entertaining time well spent for a voracious reader like I am.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher but was not required to write a review.
Ah, to have another Becky Wade novel in my hands – such happiness, followed by a bittersweet feeling when the story is over. Falling for You had me turning the last page with a deep sense of satisfaction of a tale well-told.
Willow Bradford is the oldest sister, and perhaps the one I feared I may connect to the least, but that was not the case. She is a character that I truly connected with, especially as a person that felt she still had unmet dreams (despite being a very successful model), as well as someone with regrets that still weigh them down. I admit that Corbin also took a while to grow on me. As the story progressed, and I got to know him better, he became more real and more likable. His cavalier athlete persona grated on my nerves a bit, and I was happy when the real Corbin started shining through.
Though the romantic thread is a key component of the story, there is still a compelling and unexpected mystery. Corbin’s niece, Charlotte, a particularly determined twelve-year-old, is determined to figure out what happened to her great-aunt Josephine, who disappeared many years ago. Her character adds such a wonderful dynamic to the story. Because she knows Corbin had a past acquaintance with Willow, she’s determined that Willow (and Corbin) are the ones to help her. Thus, the mystery component re-introduces Willow and Corbin back into each other’s lives, and chaos ensues. Okay – not chaos, but delightful tension, melting of hearts, and many sweet moments. It also brings about soul-searching and the untangling of Willow’s guilt, which is tied up in knots with how she feels about Corbin.
Ultimately, Willow realizes that the root of her guilt is something that she has dealt with her entire life, and watching her come to terms with this is so encouraging. Wade never fails to impress me with the hopeful realism that she infuses in her stories. She doesn’t sugarcoat the characters’ struggles and addresses things head-on without giving unnecessary details or making things uncomfortable. It’s very refreshing and uplifting. Life is messy and yucky and just plain sad, but there is still hope.
While Falling for You could still be enjoyed on its own, I do recommend reading Then Came You (prequel novella) and True to You (book one) as well, so that you can get the full backstory for the Bradford family. After getting another peek at youngest sister Britt in this story, I’m eager to see what happens to her in book three!
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher, which I chose to review. This review is my honest opinion.
I love love love what Becky Wade is doing with this series! The Bradford sisters are an authentic and endearing trio with all the usual hiccups and blessings of sisterhood.
Willow Bradford might be a celebrity but she’s still a regular gal with hopes and dreams that don’t consist of jetting all over the world and making a pile of money. Corbin Stewart, his charismatic charm, and his earnest fledgling faith captured my reader heart as his frustrated goading evolved into persistent wooing and a relentless endeavor to love.
Faith and family form the solid foundation of this second-chance romance and intriguing mystery. Wade gives us characters that set up permanent residence in our reader hearts. I am already looking forward to reading these stories again and again. There is no doubt in my mind that the third installment will be just as delightful as the first two have been.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review. The opinions expressed are my own.
Great Scott! This was an amazing book! Becky Wade has been a longtime favorite author of mine, and her latest release was a pure joy to read. Willow and Corbin’s relationship was complex, yet fun, and oh-so-heart wrenching. Once I started reading, this book was impossible to put down. The faith element was truly endearing as well, and really touched my heart. Becky Wade is a master at weaving all the feels into every story she pens. I’m so excited for Britt and Zander’s story.
“She’d been snared like a fish in a net.”
Caught in the web of a twelve year old fan’s persistence, super-model Willow Bradford has just agreed to be on a team of three, comprising a homespun justice league of sorts; tasked with solving the mystery of Josephine Howard Blake’s disappearance over forty years ago. Joining her is Charlotte Dixon (the twelve year old sleuth), and the overpowering-elephant-in-the-room; former NFL player, and once the love of her life, Corbin Stewart. “She’d had no idea . . . that the quarterback with the irresistible smile would become her downfall”.
“The one trait Corbin had never been able to resist in a woman? Calm confidence. . . . . . . And Willow Bradford had it in spades.” Of course, at the moment her tight body language was screaming “I don’t care one thing about you”, but Corbin knew better. Her eyes were telling him quite a different story, a story overflowing with pain and distrust, for their relationship had ended terribly for both of them. What would it be like, to be around her again? At the least, it could prove entertaining to break a few of those ridiculous ground rules she had insisted upon; besides, “he had missed the sound of her laugh”.
Enjoy every page of this elegant story by an author who understands that unconditional love accepts a miracle from within.
I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.
True to You by Becky Wade was one of my favourite reads of 2017. It was a contemporary Christian romance about a librarian who dabbled in family history research, so how could I not love it? The heroine of True to You was Nora, one of the three Bradford sisters—a librarian, a pastry chef, and a famous model. It was pretty obvious the series was going to give us stories for each sister.
After reading True to You, I was keen to read the other two stories. Falling for You is the second novel in the series, and it’s the story of the internationally famous model and the retired football star.
Injury has forced Corbin Stewart to retire from football. He’s bought a house in Shore Pine, Washington, to be near his only remaining family. What he didn’t know was that it also put him near ex-girlfriend Willow Bradford, now on a sabbatical from modelling, living in nearby Merryweather and managing her family B&B.
Charlotte Dixon, Corbin’s twelve-year-old niece, has discovered a family secret. She’s convinced Willow Bradford will help her uncover the mystery behind the secret, and convinces Corbin to introduce her to Willow. Willow agrees to help, even though helping will bring her into too much contact with ex-boyfriend Corbin. Who is still devastatingly attractive, despite the way he broke up with her four years ago.
Falling for You follows the same pattern as True to You and the free prequel novella, Then Came You. It intersperses the present-day story with letters, emails, and text messages from the past and present. It’s a novel (!) way to tell a story, and it works as we see the past and present stories of Willow, Corbin, and others.
And it’s a strong story. It’s the romance of two people who messed up years ago, and have to work out if there’s a way through that mess to find happiness. Part of that mess was because while Willow is and always has been a strong Christian, Corbin called himself a Christian but didn’t live the life (football star, remember?). He’s now become a Christian, but finding life hard.
Willow has her own problems with faith, and they are so deep-seated it actually takes her a while to realise they even exist. This, to me, was the depth in the book—Willow coming to terms with her past choices, and what that means for her faith. And there was a fascinating suspense plot around Charlotte’s secret.
I loved True to You because I related to Nora, the librarian. She’s bookish, and that meant I could relate to her in a way I can’t relate to an internationally famous model. But I could still relate to Willow as a woman who has made mistakes, who has to learn what forgiveness really means.
Falling for You is a touching tale of love lost and love found again, underpinned by an intriguing mystery, and the power of God to forgive.
Now I’m looking forward to the third book in the Bradford Sisters series, the story of the pastry chef who doesn’t realise her best friend of forever is in love with her (and has been forever). He knows it. I know it. Her sisters know it. But she doesn’t, and that’s a trope I love.
Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.
Falling for You, the second book in Becky Wade’s Bradford Sisters series, is a fantastic addition to the set! I’m going to be honest and say that I loved John and Nora so much in True to You that I didn’t know if I could possibly fall in love with Willow and Corbin as much as I did John and Nora, but Willow and Corbin did indeed succeed in making their own sweet little place in my heart.
Willow
Willow is wonderful. I love her character, from her good qualities down to her faults, from her rule making and rule following self down to her housewares shopping addiction. Willow doesn’t just follow the rules, she makes the rules for her own peace, sanity, and safety, at least in her mind. It’s how she copes, how she’s dealt with the blows life has landed. Her goodness, her rules are her protection until they aren’t anymore. You can feel the chains of being good that bind Willow. So many of us know that battle of holding yourself to certain standards, of always having a guard up. We can understand trying to be the good girl, trying not to mess up, trying to make sure no one has a reason to be upset with us.
Ms. Wade weaves the theme of forgiveness into Willow’s story, not only forgiving others, but also herself. Because of the standards and rules Willow has set for herself, it’s so very hard for her to truly forgive herself when she realizes just how susceptible she really is to falling. It’s also not easy for her to forgive others, one hunky and maybe a bit cocky man in particular. She is unyielding, at first, in her unforgiveness, using it as a cloak of protection, as a reminder not to trust, not to go there.
I believe Willow’s story has the power to speak to anyone who’s had their own battle with perfectionism, with self-righteousness, with feeling the need to “be good” and prove yourself, or with the struggle to forgive.
Corbin
Corbin, Corbin, Corbin. Sigh. If Willow is the straitlaced heroine of the story, Corbin is the mischievous yet lovable hero! He is the rule breaker to every one of her made up rules and it is simply fantastic watching him push her buttons. But he doesn’t just push her buttons. Over the course of the book, Corbin proves himself to be trustworthy to a skittish Willow, making himself so very swoon worthy during the process. I mean who doesn’t love watching a determined hero like Corbin Stewart work to get his woman back?
That’s not all there is to Corbin’s story though. He’s new at this whole being a Christ follower thing and he has his own battles to face. His story will speak to anyone who’s ever doubted whether God is really there and if He’s really working on them, making them different than they used to be.
Corbin and Willow Together
If Corbin and Willow are charming characters by themselves, then they are captivating fireworks when put together. There’s no question that they have some serious chemistry, making sparks fly when they’re together. The tension between them, the witty banter, Corbin’s hilarious schemes to get Willow’s attention mixed with tender moments and the the heart-rending honesty needed with themselves and each other make for one spellbinding story. The dynamic of Mr. Rule Breaker going after Miss Rule Follower is perfect.
The Rest of the Story
I am not always a fan of second chance romance stories, but this one is very well done. More often than not I just don’t buy the reasons for the break up and it usually feels like so much time was wasted while they were separated when they could have been together. I don’t usually feel very satisfied at the end of stories like those. With Falling for You, for once, I don’t feel like the time apart was wasted. You can truly see God’s hand in the wait, in the in between time. You can see God really being at work, working some things out that needed to be worked out. It was truly a satisfactory story and ending. God didn’t waste a second of the wait, bringing them both to a place where they were really ready to love and forgive and be open with each other.
Extras
A few more things that deserve a mention! Once again, Ms. Wade intersperses letters, emails, texts, journal entries. etc. throughout the book and I love the way those little interchanges add to both the fun and the beauty of the story. I must also mention the relationship and dynamic between the Bradford sisters. I love their humor, their loyalty to each other, and their love for one another. There is, without a doubt, some serious stage setting for Britt and Zander’s story, and I can’t wait to see the rest of it play out in the next book! And last, but not least, I can’t not mention the impish Charlotte and the mystery she introduces to the book. I love Charlotte’s character and the role she plays in throwing Corbin and Willow together.
I loved the witty, and sometimes snarky, back and forth of this story. I loved observing the softening of Willow’s heart. I loved seeing Corbin becoming the hero he is meant to be. And I believe you will, too!
**I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Net Galley and have chosen to review it. All opinions are my own.
I’ve been looking forward to reading this book ever since I finished the first book in the series. Since I don’t have any sisters, I have enjoyed the closeness of sisters vicariously by reading these books! I love the relationship these 3 sisters have and wish I had sisters! This book, however, is about Willow….the international super model. Everyone thinks she’s got it made. She’s gorgeous, she is wealthy, has a great family and WAS dating a famous NFL quarterback….until she wasn’t. At first, I sort of didn’t like Willow! I know, that doesn’t sound very nice but it was solely on the fact that I didn’t like the way she treat Corbin, the NFL Quarterback! She was fine when she was just with her family but whenever she was with Corbin, I didn’t like the way she treated him. I knew they had broken up and I didn’t know the reasons until later but still, I thought, “why can’t she be civil to the man?” She was so nice and gracious to everyone else, why not him? Oh, the reasons come as the story unfolds! Another reason, just like real life, that we shouldn’t judge because we never know what someone has truly been through! I have to give Corbin an A+ for his determination because he never gave up in his quest to win back Willow! I would have quit a long time ago but he never gave up! He was definitely, “long suffering”!!!!
So many takeaways in this book….forgiveness (of oneself and others), true love and what it really means, never giving up on someone (especially a family member) and others that are hard to put into words. As others have mentioned in their reviews, there is also a mystery involved and that was interesting to follow! It didn’t have anything to do with Willow but Corbin’s niece asked her if she would help and she did. Just a fantastic book all the way around. So much heart – you’ll be thinking of the characters long after you finish the book! Pick up a copy and be prepared to enter the world of the Bradford sisters, once again! You’ll be glad you did!