Falling by Julie Cohen

Honor’s secret threatens to rob her of the independence she’s guarded ferociously for eighty years. Jo’s secret could smash apart the ‘normal’ family life she’s fought so hard to build.
Lydia’s could bring her love - or the loss of everything that matters to her.

Grandmother, mother and daughter – three women whose lives are falling apart. But one summer’s day, a single dramatic moment will force their secrets into the open.
Can they save each other from falling?

I have been eagerly awaiting the release of Falling by Julie Cohen since the cover was release and I read the synopsis I knew this was going to be a heartfelt and current read and having now just finished reading this book I can say it is well worth the wait.

The story is told from three generations of characters teenage daughter Lydia her mum Jo and Jo’s mother in-law Honor. Each chapter alternates between each of our characters which allows us to get to know each of our characters on a more personal level as we uncover their hidden secrets. There is a prickly relationship between the three characters partly as a result from their hidden secrets, lack of communication and a long felt grief. When Honor has a terrible fall she has to move in temporarily with Jo and her children much to her disappointment.

I first found Honor quite a stuck up old moo but as the book progressed I slowly began to see cracks in her hard shell to a loving and caring woman hidden away. Jo I warmed to straight away and Lydia was also a likeable character who I also found at times that I wanted to give her a clip around the ear but we soon see from a teenagers point of view how hard life seems at school and especially whilst keeping her secret which meant that she could lose everything but at the same time meant she could never be herself.

The author tackles a number of difficult issues in this book and she delivers each and every one with such sensitivity. Although the book was based around secrets, heartbreak, grief, relationship issues and health issues it also had an uplifting feel to it thanks to Jo’s positive and cheerful nature and the little touches of humour from her younger two children.

Dear Thing is my favourite book by Julie Cohen but this book came incredibly close to knocking it off the top spot so make sure to add this one to your tbr piles.

Kindle                    Paperback

Where Love Lies by Julie Cohen

Lately, Felicity just can't shake a shadow of uncertainty. Her husband Quinn is the kindest person she knows and loves her peculiarities more than Felicity feels she deserves. But suddenly it's as if she doesn't quite belong. Then Felicity experiences something extraordinary: a scent of perfume in the air which evokes memories that have been settled within her for a long time, untouched and undisturbed. As it happens again and again, the memories of a man Felicity hasn't seen for ten years also flutter to the surface. And so do the feelings of being deeply, exquisitely in love . . . Overwhelmed and bewildered by her emotions, Felicity tries to resist sinking blissfully into the past. But what if something truly isn't as it should be? What if her mind has been playing tricks on her heart?


I have just finished reading Where Love Lies by Julie Cohen and I couldn't wait to start my review because this book has really intrigued me.

Felicity has always felt different but her husband loves her all the same but she is increasingly feeling like she just doesn't fit in and even her husband has started to notice she seems to keep getting lost in her own world.

But Felicity experiences something strange, a beautiful smell of flowers but no one else can smell it and often no one else is around. As these episodes began to occur more often she soon finds her thoughts being transported back through the years. Are all these emotions and feelings that come with the episodes real or is her mind playing tricks on her.

I can honestly say I have never read a fiction book and then sat afterwards feeling shocked because I have learned something that I never even knew existed but this is how I feel at the moment after reading this truly fascinating and poignant book. 

I did find that I had mixed feelings about our main character Felicity one minute I loved and sympathised with her the next minute I was really disappointed in her and actually didn't like her but in the next instance I had total respect for her, is there any more conflicting thoughts you can possibly have about one character! Her husband Quinn was a little gem and I loved his character.

This really was a page turner for me especially in the second half of the book I found it impossible to put down as this was where I became completely absorbed into the storyline and I couldn't get enough information about what was going on ( sorry I can't say more than this without it being a spoiler alert)

The book was even finished of beautifully not leaving us on a cliff hanger which after the emotional turmoil in the last part of the book I don't think we would have coped with not knowing the outcome. This book is about a very serious topic and I am so fascinated by this topic now and especially after reading the authors comments at the end of the book.

This is definitely one I will be recommending and it is one of those books that will stay on my mind for a long time yet. Julie Cohen has brought us another fascinating, poignant and truly fantastic read yet again.

Kindle                       Hardback

Dear Thing by Julie Cohen

Claire and Ben are the perfect couple. But behind the glossy façade, they've been desperately trying - and failing - to have a baby for years. Now, the stress and feelings of loss are taking their toll on their marriage. Claire's ready to give up hope and get on with her life, but Ben is not. And then Ben's best friend, Romily, offers to conceive via artificial insemination and carry the baby for them. Romily acts in good faith, believing it will be easy to be a surrogate. She's already a single mother, and has no desire for any more children. Except that being pregnant with Ben's child stirs up all sorts of emotions in her, including one she's kept hidden for a very long time: Ben's the only man she's ever loved. Two mothers-and one baby who belongs to both of them, and which only one of them can keep.

I have just finished reading Dear Thing by Julie Cohen and all I can say is wow!

Desperate for a child Claire and Ben are devastated when they fail at each and every way to conceive. Feeling beaten Claire decides she cannot put herself through the heart break any more. Ben’s best friend Romily offers them a very generous alternative, a way to have their longed for baby without Claire having to go through any more trauma. Ben is over the moon but will things be as straight forward to Claire and Romily?

This was an absolutely beautiful and delicate read that had me intrigued from the first chapter. The synopsis to this book had me hooked before I even started this book, I was excited to start this book as it sounded unlike anything I had read before. Surrogacy has always been something that I have always had a few questions about as it is a wonderful gift to be able to give but I often wonder how the surrogate feels whilst carrying a child you know you are going to give up and this book touches on everyone’s point of view from the surrogate and the new parents side. The author has clearly done a hell of a lot of research for this book not only on surrogacy but also on fertility problems and at times reading this book it I needed to remind myself that this is fiction because it all felt very real.

All of the characters in this book are unbelievably well written the characters could easily be the neighbours down the road they felt so real. Posie who is Romily’s daughter was a lovable little character who seemed to have an old head on her shoulders although I did find it very odd that she calls her mum Romily. The author manages to portray the emotions of Ben, Claire and Romily very well and equally there didn’t feel like a main character as they all were an important part to the story. 

I particularly liked the Dear Thing letters that Romily wrote as these letters real showed her emotions deep down. This is the first book that I have read about this subject matter which meant the book had a wonderful fresh feel to it. You will find the book brings out so many emotions, Posie helps to bring a smile to our faces which is needed after the emotional feel to this book. The book had a couple of little twists and I for one couldn’t predict the outcome which helped to add to the enjoyment of this compelling read. 

I cannot recommend this book enough it definitely has a unique feel to it so if you are looking for something fresh, exciting and compelling this has to be your next read.

Hardback                Kindle