The Way We Fall

Maybe we shouldn’t have fallen so fast and so willingly.

Maybe we shouldn’t have moved in together before we went on our first date.

Maybe we should have given our wounds time to heal before we tore each other to shreds.

Maybe we should have never been together.

Houston has kept a devastating secret from Rory since the day he took her into his home. But the tragic circumstances that brought them together left wounds too deep to heal.

Five years after the breakup, Houston and Rory are thrust together by forces beyond their control. And all the resentments and passion return with more intensity than ever.

Once again, Houston is left with a choice between the truth and the only girl he’s ever loved.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Cassia Leo writes of dark, twisted love and life in her novel, The Way We Fall. When someone's world crashes, those surrounding will feel the blow and experience the chaos. It's just a matter of time until the ripple reaches them. For Rory and Houston, the suicide of a friend and sister destroyed them. And the only way they could move on was to be together, to keep each other from completely falling apart. 

Aurora, aka Rory, and Houston aren't the most likeable characters. They have real flaws, some that are so deep it's hard to see pass them. Rory has loved Houston since she was a little girl but she tried to ignore her feelings because his sister was her best friend. Rory has grown into a self-sufficient woman. She has a decent job with dreams of more, a dog, and her own apartment. She built a life after she and Houston broke up five years before. A life, in which, she is happy, at times. But when Houston comes back into her world unexpectedly, she stands to crumble once again. Rory seems a bit naive when it comes to trusting others. She still considers herself damaged, yet, she sets herself up for more heartache. 

While I grew to like Rory more and more as the story went on, I did not like Houston at all. To me, he's selfish, slightly rude, presumptuous, disloyal, obsessive, and distraught. Though he does have the right to be happy and leave his marriage if he isn't, he's bad news for Aurora. He's toxic to her. A hurricane that destroys everything she builds. Their relationship is an 'easier said than done' situation, but if Rory wants a chance at a truly happy life, she needs to steer clear of Houston. 

Houston raised a lot of questions for me. I understood parts of his character, but other traits and actions I was unable to wrap my head around. Mainly, they have to do with his wife. Yes, Houston is married and he is still going after Rory. I didn't understand why he ever thought Tessa would be enough for him if he was still in love with Aurora? If he always believed he would find his way back to Rory, then why even marry Tessa? Was he trying to feed her mental instability? Or was she supposed to be Houston's chance to save someone since he feels like he should have saved his sister? Sometimes his line of thought comes into view, but I can't make complete sense of it. 

The plot of the story is two-dimensional: the present and the past. In the present, Houston has his sister's suicide note that he never showed Rory and it's been five years since their break-up. Houston wants to leave his wife, but her mental instability creates issues for him. Meanwhile, Rory has never stopped loving Houston, but she meets sweet Liam and wonders if he's her future. But Houston won't let Rory go without telling her the truth of his sister's death and their relationship. In the past, Houston and Rory are slowly moving towards each other, falling in love, dreaming of a future. But as time moves forward so does Houston's sister's plans in ending her life which throws Houston and Rory together in to swirling chaos of loss, love, pain, and the desire to escape it all. Cassia Leo writes a very entertaining, twisted story of two people life has thrown together, fated to tragedy. The idea of a sequel to this madness intrigues me, but, honestly, I don't know if I want to know how this story ends.

Rating: 2.5/5 Cups

A Fool Among Fools

It's 1986. Ronald Reagan is in the White House, Molly Ringwald is on the cover of Time and 29-year-old Michael Gregoretti is a struggling, underpaid copywriter at a big New York ad agency. He'd rather be writing plays; instead, he's writing awful commercials for a moisturizer formulated to conquer that dire, life-threatening condition: handruff.

Michael reluctantly accepts an assignment on a brand-new (and very secret) product – an aerosol butter – hoping it will lead to the kind of work that will land him a better job at another agency. But there's a catch: Working on this new account will also mean working for the rigid, compulsive and quite possibly insane Gwen Hammond, who thinks that Michael, with his off-the-wall ideas and unconventional campaigns, is just too much of a rebel to work with such a conservative client.

To further complicate life, Michael meets and falls for Craig Connolly, an absolute dreamboat from the South with a voice like FM radio and a face to match. Craig claims he'd like to be in a relationship and Michael wants to believe it. The problem is, Craig is already married – to his job.

Michael survives it all with the help of his two best friends: Irene Lucca, a witty book editor with a flair for vintage clothing and an eye for the art director Michael works with, and Anthony DeLorenzo, Michael's wise (and wisecracking) roommate and staunchest supporter.

*May Contain Spoilers*

John Terracuso gives readers an inside look at the advertising struggle in his novel, A Fool Among Fools. Michael lives in New York City and just wants one thing: to catch a break. Whether it be with work, with love, or with his writing. 

Michael Gregoretti is the main character of this humorous novel. He's complex and displays both admirable qualities and obvious flaws. The novel captures one year of his life, outlining his hatred for the copywriting job he has at an advertising agency and his hope for romantic comedy love. Michael is creative and funny with wit and the ability to complain about everything. He's very open with his feelings and opinions, knowing that the toes he steps on are the ones that will come back to haunt him. Readers will enjoy the bluntness of his character, connecting with his desire to fall in love and fulfill his career goals. Though the bond will be worn down by Michael's consistently pessimistic attitude as it becomes weary after only a short time. 

The story is the depiction of Michael's 29th year, his birthday introduces the novel and turning thirty ends it. During this year, he takes part in a selfish relationship and attempts to fatten his writing portfolio with commercial work. Readers will certainly enjoy the writing style of Terracuso but may have trouble forming a concrete bond with the main character. 

Rating: 3/5 Cups