I was given this ARC by the publisher in exchange for an Honest Review.

That was a fun (if not super surprising) novel.

It's the story of Jordan and Emma. Jordan is a Surgeon who's also quite the player when it comes to women. Not wanting to settle down.

Then Emma moves in next door in the same duplex where Jordan lives. Emma is a 'VA' (Virtual Assistant) as well as being a Mom to five-year-old Molly. She's very gun shy as well, after getting out of a ten-year marriage with Chloe because she caught Chloe cheating.

There was also Simone, Jordan's best friend with sometimes benefits, and there were Hope and Laleh from a previous one of Jae's novels (it was cool to see them again).

But the majority of the novel very specifically focused on the two women and Molly. And I thought that was refreshing.

It made the slow burn of the story seem very realistic and it just worked all the way around.

I really liked this book. Not just in the 'I enjoyed this read' sort of way, but, for some odd reason on a slightly higher than that level too. Perhaps it was the story, or how well I thought Jae wrote the five-year-old Molly. But, for whatever reason, I really, really liked it (and heartily recommend it too). ( )

Jordan is a player, honest, straightforward and caring about it, but a one-night-stand or friends with benefits type of woman, nothing else. She puts her energy into her job as a surgeon and her fun time is strictly that. Her mother’s decision to give up a career for a family has left a deep felt conviction that for Jordan her decision will always to put her career and life first.

>When an attractive woman moves into the duplex next door Jordan instantly turns on the charm, only to be flat-out shut down in seconds. Emma is recently divorced and hurting badly from finding her plastic surgeon wife wasn’t as committed to the marriage vows as she believed. She is determined to stay single, look after her daughter and build her business, keeping her heart securely locked away – especially from attractive but dangerous women like Jordan.

As always Jae’s books are well done, with clever construction, strong storylines and excellent delivery. In ‘Falling Hard’, we also have a strong element of personal development. Emma needs to let go of her ugly past, never an easy option, and be prepared to open up to take a chance with her heart, for her and her daughter. Jordan has a bigger hill to climb, changing the conviction of a lifetime that she will never fall in love, never want to settle down.

Jae’s characters are strong women, complex and interesting. In this we have the addition of a charming 5 year old who almost steals the show. Jordan and Molly’s blossoming friendship creates a subplot of amusing adult learning opportunities. Molly’s instinctive take down of a nasty racist belittling Jordan is a classic way to make a point in the most understated way, just as Jae has pointedly underplayed the inter-racial relationship aspect of the story.

I love Jane’s writing style, and always enjoy her books – this was no exception. However, despite all the good – solid plot, classic storyline, interesting characters and the normal “will she wont she” tension – it wont be top of my favourite books by this author. It was good but not as good as others and left me a little flat, perhaps the whole was just too classic and underplayed. I guess when you are as good as Jae we readers come to expect the best every time and judge more harshly – hard price to pay for being such an excellent storyteller ( )