The Fall Back Plan

By: Melanie Jacobson

Narrated by: Lorana Hoopes

The bad boy and the golden girl have traded places….I’m back in Harvest Hollow after ten years to prove a point and to even a few scores. I’ve opened a new bar, and anyone expecting the old sweet and shy Jolie McGraw to be running it is in for a shock.

I’m not the only one who’s changed: when the sheriff comes to tell me I’m the prime suspect in the most ridiculous crime in town history, it’s none other than Lucas Cole, the former star of my teenage stress dreams, wearing the badge. Seriously? The smack-talking punk I was forced to tutor in math is now one of the town’s most upstanding citizens? This isn’t what I had in mind for turning the tables on my former tormentors.

I blow him off…until I meet the niece he’s raising. I see so much of my younger self in her. But when I agree to help when she needs a woman in her life, Lucas uses it as a chance to build a case that he’s the man I need in mine.

That’s a hard no. No to love. No to Lucas.

But when Harvest Hollow’s nosiest forces combine to push us together, I’m not sure my heart stands a chance.

The Fall Back Plan is a small town, closed door enemies-to-lovers single dad romcom. You'll get swoony kisses and characters to root for but no spice. Perfect for fans of the Emily Henry/Abbie Jimenez vibe who prefer less heat.

Tropes:

Enemies to lovers

Single dad

Return to hometown

Chosen family

Slow burn

Hot sheriff

Sworn off love

Closed door/kissing only

©2023 Melanie Jacobson (P)2023 Melanie Jacobson

Love it!

Loved the story. Loved the characters. Only thing I did not like - I wish the narrator had been a female and male. NOTHING wrong with the female narrator at all. She is great. But I would have loved for the male character to have a male voice. Sometimes it was a little confusing when the male was talking and it was a female voice.

Good story but the narrator was just ok

She wasn't bad or annoyed sounding like other reviews said. She definitely is a weird narrator but it was totally fine and didn't detract from the story. I think there should have been a male narrator. It would have been perfect. Also I like to let people know this book isn't spicy at all but it was adorable and I really enjoyed it.

Cute

Really cute, small town story. While the narrator’s voice was nice, she didn’t distinguish which character was talking. They all sounded the same.

Cute and sweet

I am not going to start by copying and pasting the synopsis from the description of the book. If you found my review you probably have it memorized by now. I will tell you what I liked: I liked the enemies to lovers trope here because it wasn’t contrite or contrived or prolonged simply to make the story long enough. Wasn’t based on forced premises that make you want to roll your eyes. There is No miscommunication trope. No monotonous or repetitive or prolonged inner dialogues.
No swearing. No bedroom scenes. (There is some good kisses).
I Loved both of the main characters and most of the side characters (a couple are obviously not like able on purpose. There IS a teaser at the end about one of the “bad guys” that I am going to pursue right after I post this).
This book deals with an adult returning home and facing all the bullies that made her small, feel alone and scared while growing up. And the adults who ignored her or made her life worse for reasons. And the adults who didn’t.
There is a line where the FMC says that the day she realized how much worse her life could have been took her six months to work through emotionally hit home for me. Sometimes we never realize how protected we are/have been.
I like the reality of the adult versions of her childhood tormentors. I like how she works her way through things being true to character and in a realistic self discovery arc. I love how she discovers herself and the family she had all along. And the people who join her “found family”.
I like the “He falls first” and love that he respects her boundaries. I love his arc too (although his has mostly happened before the story started).
I love how she is careful to be a safe person for a child/children.
It’s worth a listen (or two!)
Just a great feel good (clean!!) love story.

Annoyed sounding Narrator

Narrator made it hard to listen- sounded annoyed the entire time. Hard to get into the story when the annoyed tone was so distracting.

Narration ruined it

I can't even finish the book because of the narrator. Hated to waste a credit on that.

It was pretty good, but performance was not up to the story

I started this audiobook first but shortly into the book , to my ear the reading was too similar a sound of the voices of Lucas and Jolie and the thoughts of the characters and narration of the book were to similar, and Jolie and the narrator were the same voice. I found it distracting. I then read the book first which I really enjoyed and rate highly. I then went back to the audiobook and I could do better with differentiating, but still found it irritating. I would recommend reading the book and passing on the audiobook.

Narrators are important

I think the story was pretty good, but a better narrator could make all the difference! I gave the story 4 stars to help give the author a better review. It was hard to distinguish which of the main characters the narrator was speaking for most of the time. My personal prefernce is to have a male narrator for a mala character and female for female. If not possible, at the very least, they should have strong distinguishing tones. My negative feelings toward the narrator are intended for this story only. I'm sure she would be great with the dialog more suited for the way she reads, her tone and demeanor.

Cozy

So adorable!!! I love there story. Jolie is such a fun character. I hope there is a sequel!