Eva and Angela must learn to live again. One step at a time. It has been fifteen months since Eva and Angela lost their thrill-seeking husbands in a scuba diving accident. Both women are trying to navigate their way through the grief, but neither one is making much progress. Angela is barely making ends meet, angry at her husband for leaving her to raise three children on her own. Meanwhile, Eva … Meanwhile, Eva is stuck, unable to move forward after losing the love of her life and her source of inspiration.
But then Eva gets a life-changing phone call. Before Brent and Wes died, they had signed up for a race of a lifetime–an ultra-marathon in beautiful New Zealand. Eva begs Angela to run the race with her in their husbands’ place, and Angela finally agrees, hoping to finally understand her husband’s choices.
Training is exhausting, and the race is even more demanding. Their journey grows more complicated by the presence of two men–Marc is Brent’s best friend who is running the race with Eva and Angela, and Simon King is a writer who is covering their inspiring story. With every step, Eva and Angela must ask themselves questions that they haven’t had the courage to ask before. As the women literally put one foot in front of the other, they wonder: Is it possible to find their way forward in hope?
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I read and absolutely adored Lindsay Harrel’s last novel The Secrets of Paper and Ink so I was really excited to dig into this one. Initially I was sucked in and was easily able to get a feel for the characters and what their main hurdles were. As much as I liked the characters though, the storyline just didn’t quite hold my attention like her last book. I do believe it was due more to personal preference than a flaw in the writing style. I liked how the two sisters-in-law were so opposite of each other and how they had to learn how to process their grief in different ways. I liked how despite their conflict they were eventually able to be more supportive of each other. There were aspects I really liked but others that just weren’t my cup of tea. I would definitely recommend checking out other reviews before forming an opinion. This one didn’t hinder my desire to read more from the author at all either. I still fully intend on reading what she comes out with next 🙂
*I received a copy of this book through CelebrateLit & NetGalley. Thoughts and opinions expressed are mine alone
The Joy of Falling is an amazing story of grief and healing, joy and triumph, and the importance of relationships in every aspect of life (family, friendships, romance). Oh, and a little armchair adventure in New Zealand happens along with ALL THE FEELS.
I believe anyone who has experienced grief can relate to this story. While these characters lose their husbands, their journey of grief shows how it manifests uniquely to each person and is simultaneously universal. I appreciate how Harrel clearly communicates that with this story – giving these characters permission to grieve differently, showing its stages and waves in a relatable way.
While the weightier aspects of grief and fear are a part of this story, its bright JOY and honesty are the best parts. Eva and Angela each grow and benefit from their relationships in this story, both as sisters, daughters, and, in Angela’s case, as a parent. The importance of friendship is spotlighted, as are a couple tentative friendship-and-romance relationships. These are developed carefully and with a refreshing honesty in the face of the emotional trials both Angela and Eva are experiencing.
This emotional and enlightening journey plays out for the characters in a most vivid setting: New Zealand. Harrel has captured the place wonderfully, in a setting-as-a-character manner. Its varied terrain is a catalyst and metaphor for the perseverance Eva, Angela, and Marc must prove in their marathon and in their season of change.
It was a blessing to read this story at this moment in my life: its message of joy as an overarching theme and anchor, as opposed to fleeting happiness, becomes a constant for the characters and a reminder we all need in this world.
I’ll end my thoughts with one of my favorite quotes from the novel:
“How was it possible to feel so much love and hope in the midst of tragedy?”
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy. This is my honest review.
The grief journey isn’t the same for everyone…
Wow! What an emotional roller-coaster ride! Trust me, The Joy Of Falling is a perfect title match for this story. Lindsay Harrel took her characters through the proverbial wringer and I felt like I took the trip, and I ain’t just talking the one to New Zealand, with them.
I will be the first to admit that as a single girl I really didn’t ‘get’ all of the story. And I didn’t always agree with the idea that truly living means risk-taking behaviors. But. I really did understand the parts about grief being different for everyone. That you can’t map it out and expect to be at a certain point at a certain time. And that just when you think you are doing pretty good at handling it some little thing will come up, reminding you, and leave you feeling like you’ve gone backwards. Boy, do I get it.
I think one of the funniest, not haha, things about this book is that the character I disliked the most is probably the one I would tend to identify with a little more. Her tendencies toward snarkiness, anger, tightly controlling her emotions, and her impatience are all things that rang a bell. But hey, I think that shows Lindsay Harrel’s talent for realistic characters with realistic reactions.
While women’s fiction is not one of my go-to genres by any means I did enjoy the book. And if you are one of the many needing some encouragement as you deal with grief of any kind, I would recommend The Joy Of Falling To You. And, if like Eva you tend to cry with emotional books, you’ll want a tissue or two with this one because it will tug at your heartstrings.
(I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)
My Thoughts on The Joy of Falling:
What an interesting book. It’s definitely one that is going to keep you reading. I love how the author brought you grief and healing, and finally new love and growth. This book covers hard topics and does them with ease and grace.
I really enjoyed this book. When starting it I wasn’t so sure whether I would or not. Grief is such a hard thing to read about. And in this book, we have two different women grieving the loss of their husbands plus children and a mother-in-law. I think I felt the most compassion for the mother-in-law even though she wasn’t the main character and she was a Christian with a great grip on life, but losing two sons at the same time. I can’t even imagine. It would probably turn me into a crazy woman.
When you’re married, at least for me, you do think about what might happen if your spouse were to die. With having 11 kids here in our house I think I could definitely relate to being angry at being left to raise them all alone while also being sad and in denial.
This is a well-written book that will keep you reading. The characters are well developed and engaging. Even the supporting characters are wonderful and feel like a perfect extension of the main characters.
There were a few spots that made me raise my eyebrows. A fundraiser that’s at a casino and involves gambling. This isn’t normally something you’d find in a Christian fiction book. There is also another hot topic in that of premarital sex and pregnancy. Another thing keeping me from letting my teenage daughter read the book are some crude sexual language.
Overall this is a great book and I would recommend it for adults who enjoy a good engaging read.
I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.
This is a faith-based journey of two sisters-in-law through their grief and re-discovery of joy following the loss of their husbands (who were brothers).
Eva and Angela embark on a 155-mile charity race in New Zealand which their husbands had planned to compete in. Along the way they each work through their own memories, emotions and self-examinations as they begin their healing journeys.
While I think the story could have been tightened up (i.e. shortened) and that Eva and Angela seemed to be rehashing issues that I thought had been resolved (frustrating/annoying at turns), overall I liked seeing how each one, coming at grief from different perspectives, were able to ultimately move forward in their own ways through their faith.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #ThomasNelson for providing me the ARC. The opinions are strictly my own.
I adored Lindsay Harrel’s newest release, The Joy of Falling. It is by far my favorite I have read by her to date. It is so very good. The characters, Eva and Angela, are realistic that made me feel as though I was part of the story. It was great watching how they grew throughout the book. They went through so much and they deserved to learn so much about themselves and the life lessons we should all learn out. I loved the story of overcoming grief, having faith and continuing hope.
I am giving The Joy of Falling a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy a clean and inspiring read. It is most definitely not one to miss. I can not wait to find out what the next release by Lindsay Harrel will be about in the future. I look forward to it.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
The Joy of Falling
The Joy of Falling is a very encouraging book. I loved the story of Eva and Angela. Both their husbands were killed in an accident. They are both struggling to recover from their husband death.
Eva and Angela find out their husbands had plan to run a race in New Zealand. The decide to do the run in place of their husbands. They are not runners. They are determined to finish the race. I loved how determined they were and no matter what they were going to finish.
The Joy of Falling is a fast reading book. The story shows us there is life after death of a love one.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. This book review is my own opinion.
I was a bit unsettled to read this book. I knew it dealt with loss and I wasn’t sure I could read another book like that. Well I take all that back. This book is so much more than losing someone. It’s finding yourself, letting go, allowing yourself to grieve and then moving on. I liked how the author showed Eva and Angela in different states of grieving. No one grieves the same and it was nice to see how these women made mistakes, got angry and comforted each other.
I loved reading about New Zealand and how beautiful it is there. I’m not sure I would be able to take on the task that Eva and Angela did. It’s something they needed to do not just for their husbands, but for themselves. I learned a lot while reading this book. God is there for us and wants to fill us with joy. Even in our darkest moments God is there . It gives us hope knowing that we aren’t alone. This book has been a healing for me. I’m grieving for the loss of my brother and the author has helped me through with this story to guide me back to God and find joy and peace in His arms.
The race that the women are determined to finish has so many emotional moments I cried most of the time while reading . Along the trials they each face their past in different ways. I loved reading their adventure in New Zealand and finding strength as they drew closer to the finish line. The book is a wonderful journey of faith as Eva and Angela find joy in the midst of grief. I loved how faith played a part in the story. It was nice to see how Angela and her children found a way to grow closer and lean on each other. Through it all is a strong message of finding yourself, allowing God to help you and to never give up.
“When a negative thought or feeling comes, put it in a box in your mind. Tell yourself that box is sealed, that opening it will destroy everything you’re working toward.”
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
“What I really needed was to learn to experience the grief and realize it was okay to mourn, for life not to be perfect, for life to surprise me sometimes.”
This is the story of two women dealing with the deaths of their husbands and how they maneuver through their individual journeys of grief. Journeys that would appear to be the same but in reality, so very different. As Eva and her sister-in-law Angela struggle to live life without their husbands, they discover that their identities are more than just being the widows of Brent and Wes Jamison.
Author Lindsay Harrel writes in her author’s notes that she suffered the loss of her grandmother while writing this book and it’s apparent that her own emotions flavored this story. She allows her characters to question God’s Plan and she shows them in different stages of grief but she also offers them the assurance that it’s okay to be happy again! The final result is a wonderful story of love, hope, and healing. The Joy of Falling isn’t just about letting go of what you had; it is also about grabbing hold of what you can have again!
I highly recommend The Joy of Falling to anyone who enjoys contemporary fiction.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and Celebrate Lit. A favorable review was not required and these are my own thoughts.
3.5 stars
” . . .if grief has taught me anything, it’s that we don’t know what’s around the corner. It could be a dream come true. It could be heartache. And that’s a scary place to be.” . . . . .
Fear. It has gripped the hearts of two young women who lost their husbands in a tragic diving accident. Eva and Angela are sister-in-laws, but even though they were married to brothers, their journey through grief has been anything but similar. Or, perhaps a trip to the wilds of New Zealand in order to run an ultra marathon, will make them realize that their paths to wholeness are really not all that different after all.
This beautifully written story is all about steps; steps in the right direction, and steps in the wrong direction, ( and there are pages full of both )but ultimately it is about moving forward. Grief takes on many faces, does it not? And sometimes one must be willing to freefall in order to feel the joy.
. . . . “But when you’re worried about the future, just take the next step. Just do the next thing. And trust that God has something wonderful planned . . . “
Grief is a different story for every person.
The Joy of Falling is not an easy book to read, take the warning to heart when it says: “Both women are trying to navigate their way through the grief,”.
This story doesn’t sugarcoat the characters’ feelings, as a reader, it is hard not to feel for both, Eva, and Angela. They are two very different women who we get to see go through life after becoming widows by the same accident. I liked the way that the author showed different ways of grieving for lost loved ones.
The cover is not the usual cover you’d find on romance, even one that starts with grief, and I do love it.
The side plots or romance, mother/daughter conflict, healing from loss, growing, raising children, adventure, and the references to being like Ruth. It was a Ruth like story though not in the normal way.
I enjoyed reading about Eva and Mark. Angela and Simon, I enjoyed reading about them as well! Angela’s kids were a cute part of the book … I just wish that they had been in the book more, they were there at times but they sometimes became an afterthought but not too much so. I can’t say that Simon’s kids were memorable since they weren’t on screen.
The spiritual content was well done; not rushed, not too over the top, rather it was well woven in.
I liked that ultramarathoning was a big part of the story, it was a nice to read about something I know little, or make that nothing about. The characters were so well written that at times I truly worried for them … And wondered if they would accomplish their goal or not.
In a way, this was two stories yet they were one… I look forward to more from Mrs. Harrel!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
A slow burner that is well worth it! I picked up this book because I love Lindsay Harrel and that cover! I mean, come on, a win-win. I was not disappointed. It was slower to pick up than I expected, partly because it just seemed unrealistic that they found themselves in New Zealand under those circumstances, but once it got going, I could not put it down. I loved all of the character development and the degree of growth they each experienced in overcoming their personal obstacles. Death and grief affect us all so differently and this is beautifully portrayed in this book. I thoroughly enjoyed the raw conversations, relished the country-side descriptions and devoured the truths that allowed each character to find a new normalcy in their lives. Well done, Lindsay. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and all opinions expressed are my own, freely given.
I am a huge fan of Lindsay Harrel’s books! I have loved each one. She writes with such depth. When I began reading this one, I wasn’t sure about the story line. I am not a runner and don’t enjoy that sport at all, so I wasn’t sure how I could relate to the characters. But it was an interesting perspective as I have many friends who like to run and I could look at it from their point of view. Also, as much as the story is about an ultramarathon, it is also not. It is about the journey. And about finding joy in that journey.
The joy in the midst of grief. The joy in the happiness. Harrel does an excellent job of weaving this story together. As always, I enjoy how deep and real her stories are. And of course, it is such a fun setting! I now have a new place I want to travel to!
So to end, I want to encourage you to read this story and let it touch your heart! There are so inspiring quotes throughout this book and many I will take with me. I hope you will enjoy this adventure and that you will leave understanding more about what joy really is.
(I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
This is a great book!
I liked both Angela and Eva and was rooting for them from the start. It was really cool that this book is largely set in New Zealand, I loved getting to armchair travel! This book does a great job of tackling the topic of grief in a realistic way without it ever being depressing, and it’s a hopeful inspiring read.
As someone who is very much a non-runner I had no idea there was even such a thing as an ultra-marathon, wow, I’m always so impressed by marathon runners but someone who can traverse more than 150 miles on foot in a week’s time? Double wow!
I didn’t really connect with this book as much as I did with this author’s two previous novels (The Heart Between Us, and The Secrets of Paper and Ink) and I don’t really know why that was, but I did still enjoy it!
The Joy of Falling is a great reminder that joy is found not in our circumstances but in knowing that God loves us and that He is right there with us through it all, both the good and the bad! In these scary and uncertain times I know this is something that I personally need to be reminded of on an almost daily basis. I highly recommend The Joy of Falling, and I’m eagerly anticipating whatever Lindsay Harrel writes next!
(4 Stars!)
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. Which did not influence my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions are one hundred percent my own!
What a wonderful book! It is well written and hooks you on the first page. The author did a wonderful job of showing how each person processes grief in a different way. It is a beautiful story that is full of emotions and learning to live again after the death of a spouse. I highly recommend this book. Thank you Thomas Nelson–FICTION via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Lindsay Harrel takes a difficult and emotional look at grief in The Joy of Falling. As two sisters-in-law take on the challenge of training for an ultra-marathon in beautiful New Zealand, not only are their bodies pushed to the breaking point, their emotions, fears, and doubts are exposed.
Angela and Eva had very different relationships with the brothers they were married to, yet they both lost. And they are both moving on in extremely different ways (which is the way grief works). I loved watching Angela’s strained relationship with her teenage daughter shift to something deeper through this book and the way Eva and Angela draw closer to each other.
As someone who has trained for endurance races in the past, I identified with the complete physical exhaustion and the way that tears down the walls we tend to build around our emotions. When you are depleted physically, those emotions and feelings come pouring out like water from a pitcher.
Harrel’s portrayal of Angela and Eva’s healing, their doubts and questions about their second chances at love, their relationships with family and friends, and so much more are real, raw, and make this book one I recommend.
Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
THIS. This is a fantastic book! It’s setting in New Zealand is wonderfully descriptive, the plot is so captivating, and the characters are each lovable in their own ways. This story of working through grief and finding the joy that remains will warm your heart, bring tears to your eyes, and a smile to your lips. I absolutely fell in love with this story…I wish I could read it for the first time again!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
BEAUTY FROM ASHES!
Lindsay Harrel writes stories that captivate readers but they are also stories of hope and inspiration. Her latest release is a heart rendering story of two adventure loving brothers who die too young and each leave a wife that is struggling with their death. One wife, Eva, has her husband almost on an untouchable pedestal as the exciting adventure seeking hero who could do no wrong. The other wife, Angela, is left being a single parent to three children and has a lot of unresolved issues with her husband’s adventure seeking ways. The main one being she felt he abandoned their relationship in search of the next great adventure. One thing is certain, both women are drowning in their grief.
Eva receives a life-changing phone call telling them that before the brothers were killed, they had singed up for a race of a lifetime—an ultra-marathon in beautiful New Zealand. Out of the blue, Eva begs Angela to run the race with her in their husbands’ place. Angela finally agrees, hoping to finally understand her husband’s choices. This commitment means moving Angela’s family & their Mother-in-Law to New Zealand months in advance so they can prepare for the ultra-marathon. If the grueling physical training preparation was not enough, they now have to deal with the overwhelming presence of two men—Marc is Brent’s best friend who is running the race with Eva and Angela, and Simon King is a writer who is covering their inspiring story. The race makes Eva and Angela face things about themselves they have been hiding from and or burying down deep in order to keep up with the demands of daily life. They each come back with deeper personal relationships with God. What I like most about this book is that Harrel does not end this story at the end of the marathon. She allows readers to see these characters as they continue to heal and go back their normal lives. One of my favorite quotes from this book is,
“Trusting God to catch you . . . that’s what life was really about.” I think that sums up what all the characters (as well as the readers) learn from this beautiful story. I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Thomas Nelson Publishers and NetGalley. The opinions expressed here are completely my own and without influence.
This was a book originally starting out about grief between two sisters-in-law. But over journey of the book, Joy was realized. Angela and Eva married brothers. They both lost those men in the same day in a tragic accident. This book chronicles their journey to honor and remember them and their grief process. And it takes place mostly in New Zealand! They’re there to run an Ultra Marathon! It’s another beautifully written book by the author. She truly has a gift in writing Women’s Fiction. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All views stated here are my own.
Angela and Eva are sisters in law connected by tragedy. After losing their husbands in a diving accident, they must learn their new normal. Processing their grief and learning to live without the loves of their life proves harder than they ever thought.
Eva has lost her interest in her florist business, not able to create after dealing with such loss. While money is not an issue, Eva’s arms are empty, as she and Brent never were able to have children. Angela finds herself keeping busy in spite of her grief, but managing the grief of her three children proves to be more difficult, now that she’s the sole provider for her family. She’s working two jobs,
trying to find purpose amidst the pain of losing Wes.
Then they get news they never anticipated–their thrill seeking, fitness junkie husbands entered an ultra marathon in New Zealand prior to their passing. Should they go instead? With their husband’s friend Marc and other supporting characters encouragement, both Eva and Angela choose to take the trip of a lifetime. Beautiful scenery and interesting topics drive this tender story of life after tragedy.
Each person must traverse their own challenges, but these women learn that tough times are easier to face when you have a beloved friend by your side. The character arc is amazing and I love that Harrell chooses to face tough topics, such as her last novel that dealt with domestic violence in a real way. Grief looks different for everyone, but Harrell does a great job of processing the subtle nuances throughout Eva and Angela’s journey. How do you move forward? One moment at a time.
I was an early reader, thanks to Tyndale House publishers. All opinions are my own.