Review – The Upside of Falling by Meghan Quinn

”It’s the little things that matter the most.”

When Meghan Quinn Author told me she was writing a story she thought I’d enjoy, a military romance, I was over-the-top excited! I knew from the beginning that this story would be different—less humor, some heat, and more heart. Full of so much SWOON and SOUL, The Upside of Falling made me fall hard in love from the very first page and never stopped. The Upside of Falling HITS DEEP. I was ENAMORED with this full of depth and breadth love story! The Upside of Falling has ALL THE HEART in a story that strikes straight to the soul.

”I hope you give me a chance, give this a chance, because I think it could be something great.”

Colby and Rory!!! Whoa!!! I was seriously hooked on these characters who melted me so much! The broody and broken hero and fierce and full-of-life heroine stole my heart. Their connection was fierce from first sight like a magnet drawing them together. The Upside of Falling’s plot of many layers pulled me in like a pilot to his plane. Polarizing. Paralyzing. Passionate. Perfection. All the angst-burning PERFECTION!!!

”I like you, Rory, and that terrifies me.”

The Upside of Falling is a military romance but so much MORE: The Upside of Falling is a love story of two black and white lives suddenly splashed with color. The Upside of Falling is a hard-fought journey of strength and sacrifice, one of overcoming adversity, and learning to love and trust. The Upside of Falling is a paralyzing and passionate story of rising after falling, of taking that leap of love. The The Upside of Falling is EVERYTHING!!!

”Dream of me.”

My heart has been caught—captured by The Upside of Falling—as it glides through the air like a fighter jet, straight to Cloud Nine. An old school military romance, The Upside of Falling reminds me a bit of my own soldier love story, one that hit every part of my heart. This is one of the sweetest and most soulful slow burns you’ll ever read. I was BREATHLESS! The Upside of Falling is so BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN, such a stunning and soulful story.

”I know it deep in my bones that I was meant to meet you, and you were meant to be mine.”

SWEET SIGH. Meghan Quinn was right: I LOVED The Upside of Falling! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!! Meghan ‘Master Storyteller’ Quinn has poured her heart into this story, and I can feel that passion and love through the words. In one HEART-SOARING STORY FULL OF FEELS, Meghan Quinn has aced the military romance trope. The military wife in me salutes this love story. I WAS BLOWN AWAY by a book that broke me in the best way!

Act in spite of your fear.

The Upside of Falling is, hands-down, a TOP 2018 ROMANCE!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 ’but worth all’ the heart-soaring stars

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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 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.

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40193273-the-upside-of-falling

Head turned down, pushing the sleeves of his white Henley up his arms, he swaggers toward me. His jeans hang low on his hips, held up by the same brown belt he wore the other night. His narrow waist directs my eyes to the center of his jeans, and I can’t help wonder what might be behind the crotch of his pants.

And then there is his chest. Barrel like, broad and prominent. His thick biceps showcase his strength, and the fabric of his shirt stretches over his shoulders and forearms. Having spent a lot of time at the gym, I’ve seen every body type, but Colby’s is different. He’s strong, built, but not like a body builder. His body seems to suggest the only kind of weight he’s been lifting is his own body, pushup after pushup. I can’t imagine there being barbells in his workouts, but I can imagine logs, cadets, and heavy machinery. He has working muscles, the kind you earn from hard, dedicated work on the field. In a word? Impressive.

Walking up to Stryder, he grips his friend’s shoulder and says something into his ear. A smirk crosses Stryder’s face before he moves over to our side of the bowling alley and takes Colby’s place.

Is he leaving? Already?

Might as well at this point. It’s not like he’s going to talk to me, not after my pathetic attempt at a bet. I should have known I was going to hang out in the gutter all night. It’s where I usually am when I’m bowling. I blame the ball. The thing has a vendetta against me.

Sighing, I prop my chin in my hand and watch Stryder expertly toss his ball down the lane, getting a strike . . . once again. And just like every other strike, he pumps his arm up in the air and celebrates. We get it, you’re good, no need to—

“Hey.”

That voice . . .

Stunned, eyes wide, not able to move, not wanting to scare him away, I keep my eyes trained forward, soaking in that beautifully deep voice of his for a brief moment before saying, “Hey.”

“Can I sit here?”

Still keeping my eyes trained forward, I say, “Sure.”

My body tingles with awareness of how close he is to me, that fresh laundry scent invading my senses, prickling the little hairs on my arm. My body leans toward his, wanting a little more, searching for anything else he might give me. I don’t know why he’s choosing to engage me in conversation, but I’m sure as hell not moving while he does.

“Sorry about tonight,” he says and he actually sounds sincere.

“Why are you sorry?” I mumble.

Reaching around, he takes my cheek in his hand. The callouses on his palm rubbing against my skin is a welcome sensation. As I’m turned toward him, I steady my breathing. I’m having a hard time slowing my heart rate because of his close proximity, and the unexpected touch shooting a wave of heat through my veins.

“I’m sorry you didn’t get to ask me any questions. I didn’t think you were going to suck that bad.” A playful smile tugs at his lips, and my heart sinks to the floor. Oh God, he’s so gorgeous, especially when he smiles.

Matching his smirk, I say, “I didn’t think I was going to suck that bad either.”

“I feel bad.”

“You should.” That garners a laugh, deep and throaty, the sound cloaking me like a shield, protecting me from the outside world, bringing me into a little bubble where we are the only two that exist.

“Ask me a question.”

Shocked, I swallow hard and say, “Really?”

He nods and holds up his fingers. “You get three.”

“Oh, three? Wow, I feel like you just gave me the key to your soul.”

Rolling his eyes, he adjusts his stance on the barstool and leans back, giving us some space, our knees still knocking into each other. “Easy killer; it’s just three questions.”

“Yeah, three questions I didn’t have before.” Tapping my chin, I try to think of good questions, but now that I have him willing and waiting, nothing comes to mind. I wasn’t prepared for this, he caught me off-guard, and now I feel I can’t be strategic about my probing. “Hmm . . . what do you like to do on the weekends?”

“Jump,” he answers.

Searching his eyes, lips quirked, I say, “Uh, you’re going to have to be more specific than that. What kind of jumping are we talking here? Like jump roping? Because that seems kind of weird to do on the weekends, and if you tell me you’re in some kind of jump-roping club at the academy, I’m not going to believe you.”

His lips curve up as he scratches the side of his jaw. “Jump out of airplanes.”

Oh.

Oh.

That’s . . .

Uh, that’s really hot.

“So you just casually jump out of airplanes?”

“I’m part of the Wings of Blue, the academy’s parachute team. We jump every day, at least two to three times a day after class and before dinner, depending on wind and ceiling limits. On the weekends, some of the guys, including Stryder and me, go to Springs East Airport and do civilian jumps. The more jumps we get in, the higher the chance we’ll be considered for big demonstrations, like parachuting into football games and major sporting events for the Rockies and Broncos.” Ummmm. Did anyone else just hear how many words he gifted me? And seriously? Does the man have no clue how incredibly sexy he is when he talks about something he loves? The expression on his face . . .

“Wow, that’s . . . that’s really hot.” I chuckle. “Sorry, I don’t mean to fangirl over your parachuting, but I guess I wasn’t expecting that answer. You just jump out of planes?”

He slowly nods. “Every day.”

“Anything to get you up in the clouds, huh?”

“Yeah,” he answers shyly, rubbing his jaw. “Okay, next question.”