Release Launch/Review Tour/Giveaway: The Fall Up: Aly Martinez
Maybe there’s only one direction to go when two people fall
in love at rock bottom—up.
in love at rock bottom—up.
I wanted to jump.
He made me fall.
As a celebrity, I lived in the public eye, but somewhere along the way, I’d lost myself in the spotlight.
Until he found me.
Sam Rivers was a gorgeous, tattooed stranger who saved my life with nothing more than a simple conversation.
But we were both standing on that bridge for a reason the night we met. The secrets of our pasts brought us together—and then tore us apart.
Could we find a reason to hold on as life constantly pulled us down?
Or maybe there’s only one direction to go when two people fall in love at rock bottom—up.
As a celebrity, I lived in the public eye, but somewhere along the way, I’d lost myself in the spotlight.
Until he found me.
Sam Rivers was a gorgeous, tattooed stranger who saved my life with nothing more than a simple conversation.
But we were both standing on that bridge for a reason the night we met. The secrets of our pasts brought us together—and then tore us apart.
Could we find a reason to hold on as life constantly pulled us down?
Or maybe there’s only one direction to go when two people fall in love at rock bottom—up.
“Thank fuck!” Sam said, swinging the door open before Devon even had the car in park.
“Oh, this isn’t my place. We’re just dropping Devon off. I’m about twenty minutes across town?” I tossed him a sugary smile then boldly shifted my hand into his lap, purposely brushing the bulge under his denim.
Grabbing my wrist, he narrowed his eyes and called out, “Devon, I’m gonna need to borrow a bedroom.”
I burst out laughing as Devon cursed loudly.
“Fine. This is my place. No smoking inside though,” I snipped as I climbed from the SUV.
“You better have some seriously exciting extracurricular activities to keep me distracted, then.”
“I have Ping-Pong!”
“Not exactly what I was thinking.” He mischievously cocked his head. “But I guess paddles and balls are as good a start as any.” Dipping down, he hoisted me over his shoulder. “Point me to the Ping-Pong table, my lady.”
I didn’t. I laughed hysterically as he carried me inside. Then I directed him to my bedroom instead.
I heard Devon locking up the house as Sam deposited me on the bed.
“Jesus. This view.” He pushed the curtains back. “Why the hell would you ever go up to the bridge when you have this here?”
“I don’t know,” I answered, pulling my earrings off and placing them on my nightstand.
Oh, but I knew. It might not have been what had originally sent me up that bridge, but it was why my feet carried me back every night. And that very reason was currently standing in front of me with entirely too much clothing on.
“You want a beer?” I asked, sliding my shoes off.
“Nah, I’m good.” He faced me, and I could tell something was off with his demeanor. He didn’t inch any closer. Instead, his lips were tight and his eyes uncomfortably flashed around the room.
It suddenly didn’t feel like Sam standing in front of me at all.
He felt like a stranger who had just come face-to-face with Levee Williams.
Damn it.
“Why are you looking at me like that? Are you about to freak out?” I whispered, nervously moistening my lips.
He shoved his hands into his pockets. “I’m not really sure yet. But I’m gonna need you to stop licking your lips long enough for me to figure it out.” His mouth cracked into a wide grin, and my shoulders relaxed.
Now that was a flash of my Sam.
“Want to tell me what’s going on?” I asked.
“It’s just… I think this is the first time I’ve realized that you’re some big-time celebrity. I might be in over my head here, Designer Shoes.”
“I just make music, Sam.” I returned his smile and very slowly prowled in his direction. “Imagine how I feel though. You’re Samuel Nathan Rivers. A tough, tattooed furniture designer who makes six figures a year but is too afraid to tell his mommy he votes democratic.” I giggled as he frowned humorously. Stopping in front of him, I dragged a fingernail down his chest then teased the waistband of his jeans. “Have you considered that maybe I’m the one who’s in over her head here?” I leaned forward to nip at his lips, but he spun us around.
“Excellent point. I’m going to need you to try really hard to keep it together, Levee. You haven’t even seen my six-pack and huge cock, yet.” He smirked and attempted to return my nip, but I stepped out of his reach.
“You brought beer and chicken?” I feigned excitement.
That one corny joke was all it took to bring my Sam back completely.
With a sexy smile and a coy shrug, he seductively backed me toward the bed. “What can I say? I like to be prepared.”
“Clearly,” I breathed.
He moved in close so his lips were only a centimeter away, but for as much as I wanted him, it was agonizing. “Clearly,” he repeated, his smoky yet sweet breath breezing across my mouth.
His strong arm looped around my waist, tugging me against his chest, while I stared into his hooded eyes, eagerly waiting for him to make a move.
Any move.
Every move.
Two lost souls find themselves meeting on a bridge at night. But why are they really there?Levee Williams seems to have it all. She is hugely popular, wealthy, and has a great career and friends. But she is wearing a facade to hide hurt and running herself into the ground.
Sam Rivers is tired of being "just fine." He is looking for something great--a distraction, inspiration, anything to fill the void and bring him happiness.
They find comfort and companionship with a stranger. They both have secrets and mysteries surrounding them. They both have pain and are trying to cope, but find themselves in need of an anchor. They are not perfect, they have issues, but they find passion, interest, attraction, compassion, and understanding. It is both exhilarating and terrifying, but it makes them feel alive.
Levee usually hides her head in the sand and then sinks under pressure. She has a hard time saying no and has little control over her own life. Sam is a nurturer and tends to take care of others, but is also not afraid to push boundaries. They come from different worlds, but find a connection. They discover how different it can feel to have someone by their side sharing the load. And it is a journey of self awareness and empowerment especially for Levee. It is about trust, taking risks, and a leap of faith.
They didn't even know what they were looking for until they found it, and then were not even sure what to do about it. But when you are free falling or hitting bottom, you can only hope that you can hang on to something and find a way to head back up.
I adored Sam. He was intuitive, sweet, caring, and real. He was rough around the edges with his tats, piercings and nicotine habit, but had his own stable life and career. He was not enamored of her life or celebrity, but was more concerned with her needs as a person. He was a swoony hero.
I liked Levee. She was sassy, sweet, devoted, and at times a martyr. She gave so much that it was often at a detriment to herself. But at times I had a hard time really getting a handle on her because I was not sure how serious her issues really were. Sometimes the humor overshadowed it and I was not sure what I was supposed to think.
I liked them together. I felt their chemistry and tension and loved their humor, fun banter, and jokes. I liked how they wanted to help each other. I enjoyed the dual points of view. I had a few issues with some of the ways the serious subject matter was at times made light of or glossed over. There were some plot points that I did not really feel worked fully. But I liked the characters, the story, the message, and positiveness.
I liked the crazy cast of side characters especially her unfiltered friend Henry, his best friend Ryan and a spunky girl named Morgan. I would like to see more with Henry and Ryan in future stories because I got really attached to them. This was humorous, sweet, sexy, and romantic. There was a bit of mystery and build up in the beginning that added intrigue. This is a complete stand alone and was an easy flowing read with likable characters and an interesting story line.
ARC Provided by author and tour host in exchange for an honest review.
Levee Williams and Sam Rivers meet one night at the top of a bridge. Neither know why the other is on that lonely bridge, but they strike an unlikely friendship out of concern for the other’s reasons for being alone on a bridge. Each is feeling guilt and pressure, causing them to question so much about their lives.
There were parts of this book that I loved. Absolutely loved. I loved Sam’s way with Photoshop and the things he did with it to brighten Levee’s days. I loved how he went out of his way to make her laugh and smile. I loved Levee’s altruism. She was so giving of herself to make other people smile. And I loved the way each wanted to save the other. Though they didn’t know what they were facing at the beginning, a connection built between these two that kept them grounded and pulled them from their anxiety and fears. And the last 10-15% was a thing of absolute beauty. Everything about the places they reached for in those final chapters was exactly what I would hope for them.
But there were other parts of the book that I struggled with. There were times it felt like both Sam and Levee were ignoring what *they* needed in order to give the other what he or she needed. For where each of their mental states were at the beginning of the story, that was a trait that had me feeling uncomfortable with the relationship they were building. It felt like they were relying more on the other person rather than working to fix what was bothering the individual. I won’t argue that they were good together, because they were, but mental health is a topic that I have a hard time glossing over and this felt like a shiny version of suicide prevention and mental health issues.
For as heavy as mental illness can be, this was a lighter view of the effects and how the right person can help someone pull themselves out of the darkest moments.
ARC Provided by author and tour host in exchange for an honest review.
Born and raised in Savannah, Georgia, Aly Martinez is a stay-at-home mom to four crazy kids under the age of five, including a set of twins. Currently living in South Carolina, she passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a glass of wine at her side.
After some encouragement from her friends, Aly decided to add “Author” to her ever-growing list of job titles. Five books later, she shows no signs of slowing. So grab a glass of Chardonnay, or a bottle if you’re hanging out with Aly, and join her aboard the crazy train she calls life.
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