Free Falling by Lyla Sage: My Honest Book Review

My Review of Free Falling

I’ve been in such a fall reading mood, so Free Falling felt like the perfect book to sink into over a weekend. I’ll admit I was a little nervous because Soul Searching, the first book in Lyla Sage’s Sweetwater Peak series, wasn’t a favorite of mine. But that book did leave me curious about Clarke, and thankfully her story didn’t disappoint.

The overall vibe really worked for me. This is a small-town romance with paranormal elements, but it never feels like a heavy paranormal read. Instead, it feels cozy and slightly eerie, like a book best read in a dark room under a blanket while it’s cold outside.

Clarke was also the character who pulled me in most. She’s the rule follower who seems fairly put together, but underneath that, she’s lonelier than she wants to admit. Her twin sister is off traveling, her best friend has moved away, and she’s spending a lot of time on her own. I really appreciated her vulnerability and how honest she eventually becomes with herself about what she wants and what she’s missing.

And Leith was such a good match for her. He’s the boy Clarke crushed on when they were younger while pretending to be annoyed by him, and I loved watching this goofy, endearing guy finally worm his way back into her orbit. Their connection felt easy from the start, and the history between them made the fake dating even more fun because there was always that question of how much of the pretending was actually fake.

That was really the heart of the book for me. Clarke has spent so much time being the responsible one and keeping herself contained, while Leith brings out a softer, more playful side of her. I bought into these two together, and I ate up all the moments when they had to convince the small town that they were a couple.

I also loved Leith’s younger cousin, Lainey, and the role she played in the story. And while the discussion of depression that emerges later isn’t a huge part of the book, I thought it added something meaningful without taking over the story, especially after reading Lyla Sage’s author’s note.

Where I struggled a little was with some of Clarke’s family storyline, but for two different reasons. First, I never really understood the issue between Clarke and her mother or felt like that conflict added much to the story. Separately, I don’t think this works quite as well as a true standalone as it could. You’re dropped into Clarke’s life already knowing about the family antique shop and the differences between her and her twin sister, Collins, and I think some of that context would be lost if you hadn’t read Soul Searching first.

I also expected more from the ghosts. Since Clarke can see and hear them, I thought they would become a bigger part of the story, especially when it came to Leith’s dad. Instead, the paranormal elements remain more atmospheric than central. That didn’t bother me too much because Clarke and Leith’s romance was what I cared about most, but readers picking this up primarily for the ghosts may be left wanting more.

*I received an advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.