Wow!! I am in love with Glory Falls!! This is not your typical contemporary romance, which was so refreshing to me, because I am getting tired of that same, old 'everything is perfect when you fall in love' troupe. I've been ready for some real and Glory Falls brings the real.
Glory Falls takes you into the dark, the deep, the messy and dirty, which we all can agree is true to life, especially right now. Blue Walker is a dreamer that has lived her life like it's a movie, dreaming of one day being a screenwriter like her father. I loved this so much because when I was growing up I too imagined that my life was a movie playing, and there was always someone watching, but my dream was more to be the star in the movie and not necessarily write the narrative.
From the onset, you can feel the heart emanating from this book. You can tell the author poured a bit of her soul into this novel, and it is truly breathtaking. I was awe-struck by the heartbreak that Blue has had to endure in her short life. I cannot even begin to imagine going through what she's been through, but thank goodness she has her lifelong best friend, Thomas Beck to help balance her, and help her through this difficult time. Sadly, Thomas is going through his own issues as well, that are also very dark and deep.
The inner dialogue of both Blue and Thomas has so much depth, leaving no room for interpretation. It is clear what they both are struggling with, and it's this rawness and vulnerability that made me fall in love with both of these characters.
Thomas is the hero that never wants to be in the spotlight, yet he agrees to let Blue write a screenplay about his life. What she doesn't know is that he is burdened with a secret that he can't let go of, no matter how many lives he saves and good deeds he does. I wanted to reach through the pages, grab Thomas, squeeze him as hard as I could, and let him know it's ok to forgive himself, and tell him to let it go. He beat himself raw through this whole novel and it was truly heartbreaking to witness, especially since this man has one of the biggest and selfless hearts I have ever seen.
There are moments in Glory Falls when I felt tears threatening to surface, and moments when my heart was beating wildly as I quickly read what was going to happen next, the suspense of the moment so very real. I devoured this novel, hating every moment I had to put it down. This is the first book that I've read in the Madison River series, but you better believe I'm going to go back and read the first two books. If they are anything like Glory Falls I know I am in for a treat!
It's been awhile since a book has hit me this hard, and I cannot recommend it highly enough! It is a book that truly touched my soul, and is my first MUST READ of 2021.
*I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher through JustRead Tours. All views and opinions are completely honest, and my own.