Gripping, heart-stopping, and an incredibly epic journey with a twist you’ll never see coming. Best selling author, Meghan Quinn, brings you a modern take on an old fashion romance that will leave you breathless and wanting more. Tucked away at the base of the Rocky Mountains lived a little boy with one singular dream: leave this broken and battered home and become someone.Be somebody’s hero.That … someone.
Be somebody’s hero.
That boy was me—Colby Brooks. Except I’m not that same little boy anymore.
My dreams might still be the same, but my reality isn’t.
I’m smarter. Stronger. A man.
And I learned a long damn time ago, the only way to achieve my dreams was to avoid distractions—at any cost.
Focus. Resolve. Determination.
But all it took was one single night. One night and my entire life…changed.
One night had me colliding head first with the biggest distraction of my life; Rory Oaks.
Smart. Charming. Beautiful.
Rory changed everything.
Quickly, my one-track mind started to bend.
Each kiss faded decade-long dreams.
And with one single incident, I fly off course.
more
Colby and Rory personify the old adage of us mere mortals making plans and God laughing! When you have one dream one idea that keeps you going through thick thin and everything in between it becomes your world. Colby knows just what it’s like to want something beyond everything. His desire to become a fighter pilot is indomitable or at least he thought it was until Rory Oaks blows in and changes everything. All it took was one night with Rory and suddenly everything he thought he knew shifted. Major feels enclosed and know that this is only half one of the duet, but Meghan Quinn makes this a journey you won’t want to miss.
I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book.
Meghan Quinn knows how to create a fun, sexy and memorable characters that hello cannot wait to see how this will end. The attraction between them might seem typical but Meghan Quinn has a way of pulling you more into their lives wanting more. The chemistry is strong between them and no matter how much Colby denies it Rory is one strong woman that knows what she wants. Loved it cannot wait for the second half to see more of these beautiful characters.
“I received an eBook copy from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own.”
Determination is Colby Brooks middle name, he has always wanted to be a fighter pilot, and there is no way that anything is going to keep him from achieving it. He has been the model student, absorbing every tiny detail in his classes, and letting no distractions stray him from his goals, he is so close to graduation, and one step closer to making his dream come true. But then his friends pester him relentlessly to loosen up just a bit and attend a party, and finally he gives in, it’s one night, everything will be fine, he can handle it. But nothing could have prepared him for the gorgeous woman who comes crashing into his world and captures his attention, she is the shining example of the distraction that he has been trying to avoid. This instant connection they share is completely unexpected, and for the first time in his life he finds himself thinking of something other than flying, but it’s a risk letting his mind stray from his goals, so he has to shut it down. Falling for her could be so easy, so he tries to walk away, but Rory is persistent and she isn’t about to let him go so easily.
They have something truly special, something that could last a lifetime, but is it worth sacrificing his dream to have?
From the moment I started this one I knew I had discovered a story that was going to take me on the emotional roller coaster ride of my life, I went from moments of having my heart in my throat and blinking back tears, to times where I found myself blushing and smiling from ear to ear. I knew from the title alone that this one was going to put a squeeze on my heart, and boy did it ever, and then it left me hanging in limbo, with a sense of urgency to find out how life for Colby and Rory will all play out. I cannot wait to see what Ms. Quinn has in store for these two, I imagine that the roller coaster ride is just getting started, and I am excited to see where it takes me! Highly recommend this one, it’s sure to grip you from the first page, and hold you hostage until the last!!
I requested an advanced copy, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion
This book is amazing! It’s a drop everything and read book. I devoured this one in one sitting.
Colby is a great guy. He is focused and determined and wants no distractions. He didn’t have the best of childhoods but always stayed focused on his dream. He wants nothing more than to make flight school. I absolutely loved Rory. Rory had dreams but family kept her from going for those dreams. My heart went out to Rory. She has made amazing sacrifices for her family without even batting an eye because that’s what you do for family. This actually made me look at my life a bit because I have two special needs children and one child keeps telling don’t worry about when you get old I take care of them, reading Rory’s story is making me take a hard look at that.
Rory meets Colby at a party while he’s on a break. He’s kind of cold first because Rory has the potential of being a distraction. There is a great connection between them. Rory is persistent and won’t let that connect go. She slowly break down Colby’s walls. I loved reading the letter they were writing each other, it made me like these characters even more.
Ok, now the ending, no spoilers but this book left me devastated. I feel broken after reading it and can’t wait for the next one, I need to be put back together.
Colby has a dream, a dream that has taken up his whole life. To prove that he can do it, show those that told him he couldn’t. He has one goal in mind and keeps it that way. That is until Rory throws herself into the picture. Not giving up to get to know him, she weasels her way into his heart. They have a love that can transcend distance. One that would never fade. But like every good love story, there’s something that happens. That sets them on different paths.
I enjoyed their story, and I loved being able to see them grow together. To see the growth of their characters and how much goodness is in their hearts. Quinn is an excellent storyteller, she has a way of writing gripping stories, as well as downright hilarious ones. As much as I wanted this one to grab me and make me feel this love these two felt. I had a foreboding feeling that something was going to happen. I was able to see their love flourish but it did not grab me emotionally. Of course, this won’t be the same for everyone.
This is a duet, so it will be interesting to see how the full story plays out. In the end, you are left with so many questions. I’m hoping that those questions are answered.
Overall, I give this Four Boundless Stars.
This book! O.M.G. My poor heart. This review is hard to write with no spoilers.
I think this is Meghans best book yet! Just go one click, trust me.
Ooohhh my heart my poor shattered heart, that’s just been put through a roller coaster ride of emotions to have it shattered at the end like that? I can’t take it!!!! Oh the feels in this book were just so amazing, it just reaches down in your gut and pulls them out. And that’s only due to the very beautiful writing that Meghan has done, I mean I can’t even describe it besides so beautiful you will cry!! This book is everything and more, Colby and Rory are perfect. The secondary characters are perfect.
Now I feel like I’m hanging on a ledge by my fingertips just waiting to see what happens and I can’t wait,hopefully Meghan patches my heart back up because I don’t like it in pieces. This is one of the most beautiful tragic love stories I have ever read and it’s not even done!!!!! I highly highly recommend this book!!!! – By Tina
Get ready to have all your feels shaken up. Meghan totally put my heart through the wringer and I loved every kindle punching, angsty word of it.
Gaaaaah, I looooved Colby. He was broody, grumpy and broken. He had his sights set on his furniture and went through such pain to get to where he is. I go crazy in the best possible way when these kinds of heroes fall hard for the girl. And fall he did, we got the sweet and loyal side as the story went on and it was so good.
Oh Rory. She really had to work for that relationship with Colby. Her tenacity was sweet, and I loved that she saw something in him and refused to be pushed away.
This is a duet, so obviously there is a cliffhanger. I’m absolutely dying for the second half of the story and if you’re an angst lover like me you’ll love this. Fair warning though, you will absolutely want to throw that kindle at the end of this one, but I will say that these kinds of stories always end up being my favorite.
There’s so much I want to say!!!! Good Lord! First, this cover, THESE covers are amazing. They are colorful and sexy. Now the real meat of this book goes solely to Ms. Meghan Quinn! The creative ability this author shows is nothing short of amazing. She’s able to write romantic comedies that could make me pee myself laughing so hard! She can write a contemporary romance that will expand my mind and open my eyes to questions never considered. She can write new adult romances that break my heart and opens it to fit more love for the worlds and people she has created.
The characters… oh man, the people that Ms. Quinn just gave us had me falling so fast I didn’t even realize I was on my ass! Now, first and foremost, I didn’t even meet Colby’s mother… should I really call her that? I’ve never wanted to smack a bitch so fast in my life! My heart ached during every single flashback or memory. I need them to get theirs… just in case you are wondering Ms. Quinn… you need to handle that! Don’t make me come over there! Anyway, for the negative that those people had me feeling… Rory and Colby had me feeling all warm and squishy! Colby’s drive and ambition is truly amazing and I can’t help but root for him. You’ll all want him to succeed! I loved Colby from the start. However, when I got to 80% and he said something about a person who had abused and neglected him for half of his life it showed me the true meaning of goodness in a person.
“There is unseen worth in him, so perhaps it’s there in all of us.”
Rory, oh how I loved Rory. I also need her shit to be handled. I can’t live with what you have done to that ending. I never saw it coming and… yeah, I’ll stop here. Rory is fiercely loyal and I love her for it. Her tenacity and persistence is seriously impressive. Maybe it’s why I’m so disappointed!
Another line that really stuck with me
“…communicating with our hearts.”
I really think it’s a gorgeous way to express love. I’ve never heard that saying or put like that before and it really just hit me.
This is the type of book you read and you know that the author is going to break your heart, like completely shatter it on the ground and you can’t even recognize the pieces. You’re listening and falling for these people and you just know that it’s going to hurt. Bravo Ms. Quinn!! You have my undivided attention anytime you produce another story.
I received an ARC of this book with the hope that I would leave an Unbiased Opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… my opinions.
4 Stars
This book! Wow a fantastic story.
Colby has always dreamt of being a fighter pilot, he has little time for anything else. So, when his best friend drags him to a party it is the last place he wants to be until he sees her, and he knows everything is going to change.
Rory has always wanted her own love story, she has just never found the right guy but when she lays eyes on Colby she instantly knows she needs to get to know him.
These two have a hard road ahead of them, Colby is determined to follow his dreams but dreams change. Rory has her family to think of and will not allow her life to affect Colby’s dreams. Can they work things out or are they destined to be apart?
This ends with a cliffhanger.
Ok, y’all, I just finished The Upside of Falling last night and I have so many feelings I don’t really know what to do with myself. Without getting spoilery, all I feel like I can say is I felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest before it was all over. Starting the second book in the duology didn’t help that much either because I AM SO CONFLICTED. But, I trust Meghan and the story she’s giving us, so I’m going for it. With all the freaking feels — and probably a glass of wine or two before it’s all said and done.
These characters. My word. I was so in love with Rory and Colby throughout the book and I swear I just fell deeper with every new chapter. Sure I had some “OMG WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?!” moments for both of them, but it wasn’t a bad thing. I was just that invested in the characters and their stories. A good amount of Rory and Colby’s story was told through letters they exchanged and, I swear, my heart ached with the rawness and vulnerability in those letters. Particularly from Colby. I just wanted to hug him. I get teary eyed just thinking about his experiences growing up.
The Upside of Falling is a hard book to review. It’s tough to put all the feelings I have into words. I swear, I’ve gone through all the stages of grief since finishing the book and starting the second part of the duology. (AND NO this is NOT me telling you someone dies. This isn’t that type of book. Promise.) My heart is more than a little broken right now and I need Meghan to put it back together. Which, I trust she will.
I’m so accustomed to reading Meghan Quinn’s books when I’m in the mood for all the laughs — with a ton of heart and sexy times — and this book wasn’t that. Don’t get me wrong, it had loads of heart (and feels) and super hot sexy times, with a side of humor. As much as I love her rom coms, I love that she’s branched out like this. This was a gorgeous book. The writing was beautiful, the characters were complex and relatable and the story … the story wrecked me. So much angst. Prepare yourselves for feels. That’s all I’m going to say.
FAVORITE QUOTES
One night. That’s all this will be. Can be. One night of letting go, of indulging, of allowing myself some leniency from the strict plan I’ve held myself accountable to.
When you give in to the calm, you lose track of what matters the most. That’s when you settle. And it’s when your hopes and dreams are put on hold. I can’t give in to the calm. I need the turbulence.
“You’re the only girl who’s ever made my heart skip a beat, that’s for damn sure.”
“You’re the only guy who’s ever made me feel like I’m actually worth something.”
I’ve never felt this close to another person before. I feel like I know every last piece of you, and I wonder if it’s because we’ve given ourselves time to talk. The physical aspect of our relationship doesn’t exist five days out of seven, and we’ve replaced it by communicating with our hearts.
I’ve read a bunch of Meghan Quinn’s books and I’ll tell you, I laugh just as much as I swoon! But right now, I am in complete awe of Ms. as I sit and write this review. The Upside of Falling is such a breathtaking love story of two people destined to be together. I fell head over heels in love with Colby and Rory and honestly feel that this is my favorite book of 2018.
Their determination, patience and love is something that I feel that everyone should strive to achieve. Although they are fictional characters in a story, there was so much truth to the story that they told, and I was completely swept up in every emotion. I loved the old school romance aspect of it, it’s just not something you see or hear about anymore. Everything about this story of love was perfection.
A whirlwind romance, a once in a lifetime love that changes everything…until change is the part that tears Colby and Rory apart.
And that ending???? I never saw it coming a mile away. What a cliffhanger! I cannot wait for The Downside of Love!!
How is it possible for an author to wreck me and break my heart multiple times????? Ms. Quinn has been able to do this so many times and she did not disappoint with The Upside to Falling.
This book is absolute perfection!! The character development is spot on (which I knew it would be because Meghan Quinn is the author!!)
Now…..I really need The Downside of Love…….STAT…….ASAP…….NOW……immediately!!!!!
Meghan Quinn has honestly written herself a masterpiece with this book. The writing was so amazing and epic and I sit here overwhelmed with emotions after reading this book. Colby and Rory were fantastic. They were passionate and sexy and their back and forth banter (via letters) was charming. I could not get enough and that ending was OMG crazy and intense and just everything!!!
Colby was absolutely divine! He was the sum of everything I love in a military man – broody and stoic and closed off but once he gave love a chance, he was absolutely all in. And when he decided he was all in Rory did not see what was coming! He was just so romantic and glorious and *ALL THE SWOONS*. Without giving away any spoilers, I loved his story and the reason he was so focused on the Air Force and his initial reticence about getting involved with Rory. Likewise, I loved her persistence and the emotions that she evoked in him. But that ending- GOOD LORD! *DEAD* I seriously can’t wait for book two to see how the duet concludes!!
All in all, this was fantastic! I urge EVERYONE to oneclick this today as it is intense, consuming and such an emotional book that will knock you flat out! Bravo! 5 stars! ~Ratula
Author Meghan Quinn is a genius at romantic comedy but she shows time and again, and reminds us with this book that she is just as talented with a serious book. This isn’t a light book, but it will snag you from the very beginning and you will willingly hop on this emotional roller coaster as you get to know Colby, get to know why Colby is the way he is, and you meet Rory and want to be friends with her. And I fell in love with Colby’s grandfather. I wish I had one like him. Then the book takes a turn I didn’t see coming, and I’ll be straight up with you, it leaves you with a cliffhanger where you want to yell, “WTF?!!”
But I trust Meghan Quinn. I trust her to drag me off the ledge when I get the second half of the duet and I trust her to leave me whole once again when I’ve finished reading part II.
This is my second series of books by Meghan Quinn, and I think she’s going to be one of my auto-read/buy authors from now on! Also, warning, this book has a cliffhanger, making me so glad I’m on the tour, and also that she isn’t releasing them very far apart, because I have got to read on! I’m so upset with what happened at the end. Well, in a good way, in a way that made me tear up and I need to find out just what really is happening.
Before this one, I’d only read her Dating By Numbers series, which was a little bit more light-hearted than this one. The Upside of Falling is a little bit more of a drama/serious story. Sure, there still is what I’m guessing is Quinn’s trademark humorous dialog, but the relationship and the background of the main characters is a lot deeper in some ways. Not that the other series didn’t have some emotional parts where teared up, but this one had a lot of those moments. Colby and Rory had a relationship that was hard-fought for, and definitely well-earned. For the most part there weren’t any of those little tropes or issues that I have problems with in romance. They both listened or talked when they needed to tell the other one something. So that misunderstandings didn’t come between them.
This story brought to mind the movie An Officer and a Gentleman for me. And I do really like that movie. I don’t read a ton of military romances, which is kind of weird when I think about it. I mean, I’m a big fan of military guys, so not sure why I don’t read more of these. But this was a good one.
Remember how I said that it didn’t do any of those things that always irritated me, well I guess I lied a bit. You know that thing where one person breaks up with the other because they know/think the other would be better off not having to deal with them? Well, that happens in this book. And it makes me mad. And it also makes what happens at the very end a surprise to me, because I did NOT see it coming. Especially with a second book! I have no idea what is going to happen in book two. How this romance will play out. However, I am on the edge of my seat waiting to find out!
Every time I see a new book by this author I do a little happy dance and celebrate. It is truly a Festivus miracle. I never know if it will be a one filled with snarky humor that has me laughing out loud or if it will be one that tears out my soul and has me ugly crying since she has been known to do both. In true fashion, this author has done it again and created a whole new style of a book as this is neither of those. Instead, it is one that is slow burning and poignant. The anticipation and build up in the relationship between Colby and Rory are perfect I do not think that it could have worked any other way. It is an old-fashioned romance filled with love letters and old-fashioned wooing set in modern times.
Colby. Good Lord. This man needs and deserves love more than any other hero I think that this author has written. Rory. So persistent and with a such a beautiful soul. Together they are perfect for each other.
This book ends on a WHOPPER of a cliffhanger. I am thankful that this author won’t make me months to release the sequel as I NEED answers.
I love Meghan Quinn’s romantic comedy’s and I really wasn’t sure what to expect from The Upside of Falling i was a bit nervous in fact but I shouldn’t have been worried Meghan Quinn shows us just how talented and diverse she Is with this book and I really hope my review can do her and this story justice, well here goes……
Colby’s dream from a small child is to be a fighter pilot and he is not going to let anyone distract him well that is until he meets Rory what follows isn’t a a distraction it’s a love story where one person turns the others upside down in the best possible way……
I loved this book and it’s characters so much, I was captivated and blown away by The Upside of Falling, this book is a slow burn nothing is rushed, it’s beautifully written and I have the biggest book hangover ever in fact I’m struggling to pick up another book since finishing this one very early this morning but that surely is a sign that this book is a must read so please go and one click. Im so excited for the second part of this amazing duet. Great job Meghan Quinn
I wish I could give The Upside of Falling 10+ stars.
This book will have you biting your nails, crying and laughing. It is a beautiful and emotional story and then you get to “to be continued” Oh no! Fortunately, the wait won’t be long until The Downside of Love comes out!
Colby Brooks has one goal, one dream in life and that is to be a fighter pilot! Once he met Rory Oaks he knew that she would change his life and he wasn’t sure he was ready for that change.
Rory is “Smart. Charming. Beautiful” and she did change his life. She did change everything.
Meghan Quinn you had me at:
“Colby Brooks. That’s a good name. Since you want to be a pilot, do you have a call sign?” “Nah.” I shake my head carefully against the pole. “You get that when you’re in flight school.” “Oh, that makes sense. Do you have a name you want to be called? Maybe something like . . .” She twists her lips to the side, trying to think of a name. Oh fuck, this is going to be good. “Hmm . . . something like . . . Cheese.” “Cheese?” Why the hell did she come up with that? “Yeah, you know, like Colby-Jack Cheese.” A slow, wicked grin spreads across her face. “Cheese is out of the question.” “Oh really, can you choose?” “No, not really.” “So then Cheese is an option . . .” Rolling my eyes, I say, “Technically yes, but it’s not going to be Cheese.”
Quinn, Meghan . The Upside of Falling (The Blue Line Duet Book 1) (Kindle Locations 502-510). Kindle Edition.
Yes, that was really, cheesy! Pun intended.
I now need Meghan Quinn to pick up my emotions and give me my HEA in The Downside of Love. Even though I feel in my heart I am in for a few more tears before I get my HEA.
As always if you haven’t discovered Meghan Quinn then you need to. I love her books and in my opinion I think everyone needs to read her books.