About the Book
Strong-willed Adri Rivera always dreamed of becoming a professional mixed martial artist, but then she fell in love with a man who smashed everything to pieces. When their tumultuous relationship finally comes to a head, Adri flees with their young daughter to her small hometown in the mountains of Pennsylvania. There, she must face the people she left behind and put her broken life back together as a single mother.
Adri struggles to regain her independence after so many years under the oppressive influence of her ex, but a job opportunity at a local gym gives her hope that she’ll be able to stand on her own two feet. The one problem? The man who offers it to her is the handsome but hardened Max Lyons–her former best friend and training partner, whom she left heartbroken years before.
As Adri dares to pursue her dream again, training for a big tournament, can she confront her weakness and avoid the past defining her future?
About the Author
Carmen Schober is a debut novelist, wife, full-time mother to two daughters, avid boxer, and Rocky enthusiast. A graduate of Kansas State University, where she earned a master’s degree in English literature and creative writing, she currently lives in Manhattan, Kansas. She has published sports fiction in Witness magazine and Hobart Pulp, and she regularly blogs about faith, family, and fighting at www.carmenschober.com
My Thoughts
After She Falls by Carmen Schober is a book that sticks with you. I read it a month ago and have yet to full decide whether I liked it or not (hence the late review).
I love reading new authors and falling in love with their writing styles and Carmen Schober has a wonderfully unique was of writing that kept me engaged and focused on what would happen next. And I LOVED the theme of professional mixed martial arts! It was a total unique and much needed theme in the world of Christian Fiction.
After She Falls does deal with some heavy/sensitive topics in a straightforward manner which I genuinely appreciated. Often Christian Fiction tends to shy away from being blunt where it needs to. Adri and Max were a bit of an odd pairing, yet they worked, and by the end I thought they were good for each other.
A couple of things that bothered me, well mainly one thing, was the third person writing. As I said above each authors writing is unique and different and I love the varied styles, this was good, but if felt like we never truly got to know Adri and Max. More like we were kept at arm length. Well, that encapsulates what my concerns concisely.
4 Stars.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
That third-person, present tense was definitely different! I also gave it 4 stars.
It really was. I hard a hard time deciding about it.