Becky Wade's "Falling for You"

Willow Bradford is content to take a break from modeling to watch after her parents' inn, until she runs face to face with NFL quarterback Corbin Stewart--the man who broke her heart. When they end up working together on an ancient missing-persons case, they have to decide if they can risk their hearts working together again.

Becky Wade is talented at writing stories that make me both smile and cry.

In no other realm but the eyes of a child would a model and a football player make an ideal investigative team, but for all their inexperience and lack of authority, Willow and Corbin do a great job (justifying Charlotte's faith in them). The mystery was a fun touch to the story, and I liked that they were able to call on Nora's expertise in research. I really liked Corbin's niece Charlotte; she reminded me of a friend of mine at that age: bright, mature, not afraid to reach for dreams that should be beyond her grasp, and a lover of questionable boy bands. She's an authentic middle schooler (rather than the bratty kind of stereotypical middle schooler).

I really liked how the author dealt with Willow's past. I get Willow's position when it comes to her and Corbin's pre-book break-up, yet I really respect her for eventually owning up to her part in it. It would be so easy to blame it all on Corbin and push her part under the rug, but the truth is she did make mistakes. Turning her back on her beliefs--even so briefly--spiraled quickly into a disaster of her own making, and their relationship suffered because of it. I love how authentic each of the characters are--not just Willow and Corbin, but Charlotte, Corbin's dad, Willow's grandma, even the gardener. They all feel like real people.

And you know a series is good when it keeps winning awards . . . Not only was book 1 True to You the winner of the 2018 Christy Award for both Contemporary Romance and Book of the Year, but Falling for You is the winner of the 2019 Christy Award for Best Contemporary Romance!

Thank you Bethany House for the free book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.

Bradford Sisters Romances
0.5: "Then Came You" (prequel novella)
1. True to You
2. Falling for You
2.5 "Because of You" (published in The Christmas Heirloom Novella Collection)
3. Sweet on You