After She Falls by Carmen Schober, 368 pages. Bethany House Publishers, 2021. $16.
Language: PG (7 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW
Twenty-five-year-old Adri wants to leave her mistakes behind when she moves back in with her uncle, but Sparta is too small a town to avoid those she knew before and the rumors running rampant now. As she starts boxing again and opens up about the last six years she’s been away, Adri makes a couple steps forward. However, the fear and mistakes that haunt her aren’t going away easily. Not without making Adri face her toughest fight yet.
On the one hand, Adri’s story is inspiring in that she chooses to go after her abandoned dreams even though they’re harder to reach now. On the other hand, I quickly got tired of the constant wishy-washiness of the main characters. They rehashed the same issue every other chapter, and I found it annoying. Setting the slow, repetitiveness of that issue aside, I liked how Adri’s story is as much about faith as it is about fighting. The mature content rating is for alcohol use, mentions of sex, and innuendo. The violence rating is for domestic violence and frequent MMA fighting.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

After She Falls was a challenging story to read as it dealt with some hard topics. Adri was an upcoming mixed-martial arts fighter before she fell in love with Owen. Their relationship was physically abusive and there wasn't any room for her dreams so she gave it up.

When she walked away from him, she had to face all the people she had left behind and that had a lot of angst. There were some persons who were welcoming but in a lot of cases she had disappointed people or broken their hearts.

I liked watching Adri grow in her faith and in her confidence as she trained to become a fighter again. Yet there were times when she annoyed me because she didn't seem to know her own mind. She wanted both Max and Owen and sent Max a lot of mixed signals. I also did not like that there was an element of cheating since her relationship with Max progressed beyond the borders of friendship while she was still married to Owen.

Max also grew in his faith and his character matured over the course of this book. He went from "God doesn't exist" to "Jesus is my Savior" and it was done in a way that was realistic. He explored the idea of God, took the time to read the Bible and ask questions.

The fights were described in gruesome detail which may be not be to everyone's taste, but gave the book a realistic feel. After She Falls was well-written and compelling. Readers will be reminded that God is real. He exists and we can trust Him even when bad things happen.

I received an advanced reader's copy from the publisher through NetGalley; a positive review was not required.

This is a great book. Adri is running from her abusive husband and goes back to the small town where she grew up. She gave up fighting (MMA) for her abusive husband. She had trained for a lifetime to be a professional MMA Fighter and gave it all up because he career imploded. Can she make a new life with her daughter and regain herself worth and find a new/old love?

When Adri finds herself back in the hometown town she left behind the pursue her dreams of becoming a professional mixed marital artist after fleeing from a relationship she couldn't be in any more she comes face to face with someone from her past that had meant a lot to her. Her former best friend and training partner, Max. Who is the exact person who gives her a spark of hope when he offers her a job at a local gym.

In this the mountain town of Pennsylvania Adri is forced to face the people she left behind and put her broken life back together as a single mother. Second chances don't always come around, but if they do it's always important to grab ahold of them.

I loved the romance between former friends that meet again and have a second chance to have something special, and throughout the story Adri grows and heals from the things she has endured when she had been with her ex.

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this novel.

An engaging novel full of real characters, an endearing story line and redemptive qualities. Savor this novel. I look forward to reading more of Carmen Schober's work. Five stars.

This is the story of a young mother who escapes her abusive husband and tries again to reestablish herself as a fighter.

Title: After She Falls
Author: Carmen Schober
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:
"After She Falls" by Carmen Schober

My Opinion:

"After She Falls" was a heartfelt and emotional story that keeps one turning the pages. Adri Rivera had been a martial artist, but her life changed after several incidents in her life. Being married to an abusive ex-fighter, Adri decides to return to her hometown of Sparta with her daughter, Eva, and their dog Rocky. Will Adri be able to pick up the life that she had left? Well, as the story continues, we find that MMA Fighting is still in Adri's blood, and so it seems like she is set for fighting again but will it be an easy road for her? Especially now that it looks like her life with her ex appears to rear its head back into her life. Yes, we know she was a Christian and all, but sometimes common sense wasn't used...like when she dealt with some of the issues with her friend Max Lyons and her reason for breaking up with him six years ago in the first place was rather strange. Yes, maybe Adri thought her ex-husband [Owen Anders] had changed for his daughter stake, but really, with everyone telling her differently and for her to be careful. Oh, well, sometimes people have to learn the hard way! The characters, especially Uncle Roman, Aunt Yvonne, Eva, Max, Boom, and others, added so much to this good story.

By the end of the story, it looks like Adri has finally found her way but will it be with...this is where I say pick up "After She Falls" to see how this author will bring it all out to you, the reader.

Thank you, NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers, with this review being entirely my own opinion.

"After She Falls" is a Christian romance. Though I liked many things about this story, it's written in present tense, which detracted from the story in my opinion. I simply find it easier to read a novel written in the usual past tense. Since the focus of the story was on Adri training as a professional mixed martial artist and fighting in cage fights, there was violence. The author focused mainly on the fighting moves and strategies (at a level that anyone can follow) but didn't shy away from the injuries that can occur. The author also didn't make the characters perfect. It's implied that Max had casual sexual flings, and Adri wasn't married when she got pregnant. However, there were no sex scenes. There wasn't printed out bad language beyond a few uses of cr*p.

The author explored how difficult it is to leave an abusive husband. Max was still attracted to Adri. He was jealous and doubted she'd truly leave her husband since her own mother never left her abusive husband. This created a realistic tension to their relationship where attraction kept getting shattered by this lack of trust. It took advice from people who'd been there before and the influence of God (which happened slowly) to shift their relationship into healthy territory. Though nothing was left hanging, the story ended with the results of a big championship fight rather than the usual romance novel epilogue (which is fine by me). Anyway, realistic, complex characters struggling with real problems. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting novel.

When I saw the cover of "After She Falls" I was intrigued. I love MMA and I adore sports romances, MMA romances even more so. However, I've never read a book with a woman fighter and I was immediately hooked. I requested the book on Netgalley and was super excited when I was approved. I saw that their was a Christian inspiration focus, and that's not usually something I read, but I wondered how it would weave into a a sports romance.

For a debut novel, Carmen Schober's writing is well done. I enjoyed reading this story - her prose and storytelling was strong and decent. I wish I could have gotten a deeper look into the history of our main characters but it didn't detract from the story.

Adri Rivera is a former fighter and mother who has lost her way. She finds herself in an abusive situation and knows that she has to get out. Following her growth and journey was great. You cheer her on and want to see her get stronger, be successful, find a love that empowers her.

Going into this book I was expecting a sports romance with some Christian undertones. However, what I read was Christian fiction with a great sports story and a romance that really did not take centerstage. If that's what you like, then this would be a great story to pick up!

Thank you to Netgalley and Bethany House Publishers for a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Carmen Schober for the copy of this book!!

After she falls had a great storyline and the start of the story was also great.

I absolutely loved the love for religion and commitment to it instead of washing it behind like some stories do!! It is also written in a way that it isn't rubbing it in your face but what the MC feels is right for her.

I do also think that this book was quite slow and did drag abit, I did also hope for a better ending and expected something different. I also felt I didn't really know the real reason of what the girl MC did a certain thing she did.

Regardless, I would recommend if you like sport romance, with abit of religion and some drama!!

3.5 stars

This one hits different (literally and figuratively) for a couple of reasons. One, it's written in third person present tense, which is uncommon in this genre. Also, I don't know that I've ever read a book featuring a female in the MMA realm. It's a clever niche for a debut romance novel, and I'm super impressed by the author's ability to draw us into this particular environment. After She Falls is a raw, emotional story. I loved that the hero and heroine grappled with their passionate attraction toward each other, as well as big questions about faith and their regrets. I applaud the author's willingness to boldly tackle grittier content, especially with a debut novel. This story is well-written and examines what it means to be a Believer in a broken world where choosing forgiveness isn't what our culture celebrates.
For me, the pacing is a bit of a challenge. Large gaps of time are explained away with a quick sentence, which meant scenes I wanted to read weren't included. Also, the hero and heroine are locked in this constant emotional tug-of-war that felt tiresome. There's also a few too many fight scenes for my taste, and the end wrapped too quickly. I would've enjoyed an epilogue.
Sensitive reader alert: domestic violence occurs on the page
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary copy. All opinions shared here are my own.

2021 has been the year I branch out to new genres. After She Falls is the first Christian Contemporary Fiction I’ve read, and it happens to be the author, Carmen Schober’s debut novel. I’m so glad I got a chance to read it, thanks to the publisher, Bethany House Publishers (on Netgalley). This book has made me realize I need to read more of this genre.

Storyline/My Thoughts: First, I will get this out of the way and mention that this book was a tearjerker for me. I was in tears several times in this book due to the female protagonist, Adri Rivera, and what she endured and overcame in this book. After so many years of dealing with her abusive husband, Adri Rivera decides to leave him and return to where she grew up in Pennsylvania with her daughter. She knows it’s not going to be easy, especially after she left everyone behind that cared for her. Her Uncle welcomes her back and helps her get back on her feet. He’s the one that helped raise her and brought her into something she loved when she was younger. Adri wanted to become a professional mixed martial artist years ago, but she put it on the back-burner when she met her husband, Owen. Now is her chance to make her dreams come true. She knows it will be challenging, but she will prove to herself and everyone she can do it.

When Adri left years ago, she left behind her best friend and training partner, Max, who had feelings for her. Their friendship has never been the same, but there may be a second chance of them together. It will take some time since Max is not over Adri, leaving him for Owen. I could understand his frustration and why he was hesitant to be around Adir. They eventually work together since Max hires Adri as an instructor at his gym and then assists her with her MMA training. I was rooting for these two to realize how much they cared for each other. They were meant to be together.

I love stories that involve second chances at love or even life, and Carmen Schober did a fantastic job with her debut novel. I loved Adri and reading how she not only was conquering her dream of becoming a professional MMA fighter but growing her faith, too. This was my first Christian contemporary book, and it will not be my last. I loved how the author had scripture in the book and how it aligned with Adri’s story. I also loved all the secondary characters, especially Roman (her Uncle) and Boom, who were there to help with Adri’s faith.

The ending almost did me in with the crying. I’m so glad my husband was not around when I finished the book. After completing the book, I had to take a deep breath because of what happened to Adri at the end. Don’t worry; it was happy tears.
Overall, this book has become my favorite of 2021, and I give it five stars. I look forward to reading more books from this author.

Standalone or Part of Series: Standalone.

Trope: Second Chances

Trigger Warnings: Domestic Violence; Violence from Fights; Animal Abuse (in the very beginning of the book)

Would I recommend this book? Yes, most definitely. If you love reading Christian Contemporary Fiction books that include second chances (at love and life), then this book is for you. This book has become my favorite book of 2021, and I plan to buy a physical copy to add to my home library.

When I saw the blurb of After She Falls by Carmen Schober, I decided to read this debut novel because of the interesting sounding storyline. I do not know much about mixed martial arts, but I am always open to learning new things, especially through inspirational fiction.

After She Falls was a well written debut novel. For individuals sensitive to certain content, this novel has raw, gritty moments, instances of violence including one toward a pet dog, and a heroine who was in an abusive relationship. The spiritual thread is woven naturally throughout the book.

Although this book had many positive qualities, unfortunately it just wasn't the book for me. I had trouble connecting with the characters and the writing style made it difficult to maintain my interest while reading.

However, I have seen many wonderful reviews about this book, and I would still recommend anyone interested in this subject to give the book a try!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.

After She Falls is a fantastic debut novel by Carmen Schober! It is definitely not your typical sweet Christian fiction romance - not that there is anything wrong with that, but I loved the rawness and grittiness of Adri's story. As an MMA fighter, she is a strong female protagonist in every sense of the word. After fleeing from an abusive husband, she is struggling to get back on her feet in both her professional and personal life. Throughout the book, we see her regain her strength both as a woman standing up for herself and her daughter, and as a fighter with a second chance at her dream of becoming a strawweight champion.

Adri and Max were friends in high school before she broke his heart, and they struggle to find their footing when they first reconnect. As the story progresses, their friendship - and eventually romance - develop in a beautiful, authentic way. Adri’s uncle Roman and coach Boom both provide words of wisdom and give the story richness and depth. The faith elements are authentic and completely natural to the story, tackling real life challenges with grace. Adri is a uniquely compelling heroine - her journey as a fighter is a powerful story of perseverance, discipline, determination, and courage.

I highly recommend After She Falls, and I can’t wait to read whatever Carmen Schober writes next!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

When Adri Rivera flees her abusive husband to return to her hometown, the last thing she expects is to rediscover her dream of becoming a MMA fighter or rekindle an old flame.
Contemporary romance is not my wheelhouse. I requested this ARC because the cover looked good and I thought, "Hmm, MMA fighter chic. I'm down."
I am so surprised by how much I really, really enjoyed After She Falls.
Characters: After Adri left her husband, she was understandably unsure of what she wanted in life. She was a little timid, unconfident, and guilt-ridden about the choices that have endangered herself and her little girl. Her character was very, very real for me and I identified with her so easily. I also loved the natural progression of her character, how we watch her slowly rebuild confidence, grow her faith, and light up that fire again.
The other main character, Max, was swoon worthy at many points, but other times I felt so annoyed by his mood swings. I suspect that this was intentional on the author's part.
I loved the side characters. From Uncle Roman to jerk-face ex-husband Owen, the characters were so believable.
Plot: Overall, the plot was really good and the ups and downs keep you guessing. You're experiencing the confusing feelings of love and hate that stem from an abusive relationship. The nerves that come before a fight...I was completely immersed at many parts of the book.
I loved diving into the world of MMA fighting. I feel like Carmen completely infused her passion and culture into this book. Now, I know nothing about the sport in real life so I'm probably an easy audience, but I thought the fight scenes were exciting yet free of gore.
I lost a little momentum about midway through (roughly 40-60%) but once Adri started fighting things picked up.
And...boy, I don't know how I feel about the ending. On one hand, it was satisfying. On the other, I wish I could've had an epilogue or just something to give me a snapshot on how things turned out.
Writing: Fun fact, this is a third person perspective written in present tense. A very rare find! Honestly, I'm shocked that this is a debut author. Her writing is flawless.
Content: The book is clean, but there are some fighting scenes (obviously) and mentions of getting it on in bathrooms, hotel rooms, and even cars. I guess fighters live interesting lives ;) ! I didn't really have an issue with any of the content but this book probably isn't a great fit for teens.
Would I Recommend:
I loved it and I definitely recommend it if you love edgier Christian contemporary romances. As a mama and a girl from a rough background, I felt all the feels! Adri's journey definitely captures you!

Loved this one! Def a good book and a bit spicy which I love. Def recommend this to all my lovers of spicy booktok friends out there!

Despite contemporary romance not being my thing, and the fact that I don't know much about the MMA—it's never been my cup of tea—this book was well-done, following a former MMA fighter and her journey of rising from the ashes and chasing her dreams.

I thoroughly appreciated how the author wove Christianity into this novel in a way that didn't seem forced, as well as delving into very real issues & sensitive topics in her writing.

The characters were vivid and realistic, and I loved seeing how they all rallied around Adri in her time of need. Truly inspiring. :)

As for the romance ... honestly, I'm a super big critic of romance in fiction in general because in my opinion, it should either be done well or not at all. And honestly, while I know this book is adult, I felt like some of the romance was a bit too ... heavy. It took up more of the plot than I expected, and at times it felt like romance for the sake of drama. I would've loved to see more of the Christianity aspect—which felt a bit vague at times, but maybe that's just me.

Okay, and while I'm talking about the romance, I guess I have an unpopular opinion—I didn't like Max. Like, at all. He was so annoying and angry and bitter nearly the whole book, and even in the end when he started to learn more about God and such, he still wasn't close to being likeable or a mature enough Christian for Adri (at least in my opinion). So while I didn't necessarily like how the romance turned out—I did like how it was open-ended, however—I felt that his arc could have been better developed.

Overall, though, I'd recommend this book to mature readers who like Christian contemporary romance or MMA. However, be warned, for sensitive readers or people who've gone through what Adri did in this book, there is a large content warning for abuse, violence, as well as a bunch of sensual references/discussion. I personally didn't find the violence overly descriptive, but I'm sure some readers might. There are also a bunch of scenes that take place during matches.

After She Falls is about Adri Rivera who after leaving her abusive husband returns home to Pennslyvania, to try and pick up the pieces of her life. And one of the things she does is a return to her mixed martial arts background, namely fighting. Adri returns to training for matches when she leaves for Miami and Owen. But her friendship and relationship with Max Lyons were left open-ended. If I met someone like Max in a real-life situation, I would describe him as someone who has a serious chip on his shoulder, but his character has a wonderful depth to it, but he keeps his shield up, so his heart won’t get hurt because it was once before with Adri.

I honestly didn’t know what to expect from After She Falls because I don’t follow MMA at all, it’s just not my thing seeing other people punch others, however, I really liked all of the characters, they were all very likable and really well-drawn and fleshed out. I like being able to get to know the characters. The tension between Adri and Max was palpable, they had issues that they really needed to deal with which kept me reading to find out if they would.

The story of conversion, suffering, and forgiveness is weaved throughout After She Falls. It's not forced but only makes this story stronger and brings the reader more into what is happening because the unfairness of life happens to all of us.

My gratitude to Bethany House and Netgalley. All opinions are honest and my own.

After She Falls by Carmen Schober is not the type of book to which I would normally be drawn. I’m an equestrian, not a fighter. One of my coworkers trains in mixed martial arts, but I know nothing about it, beyond the fact that people punch each other. Tackling opponents to the hard surface of the ring is a very useful tactic when you are seeking victory. But…that’s about it (sorry, coworker Mason). I may have little understanding of MMA, but my parents raised me on sports—football and baseball especially. Maybe the romance aspect of After She Falls tugged at me, but a sports-themed novel? Sign me up.

Carmen Schober’s debut novel is a pleasant and easy read. She blends romance, redemption, and second chances in a way that flows like watercolors. Red, blue, and white to create a lavender. Adri Rivera gave up her dreams when she had her daughter, fathered by an abusive man. She takes her daughter and runs, returning to her hometown of Sparta. Max, an MMA fighter himself, was her best friend, training partner, and first love. When she shows up in Sparta, he struggles to trust her—and to overcome his anger—after Adri shattered their close relationship.

But Adri needs him, as a coach and as a friend. She may be unknown in the world of professional MMA, but no one should underestimate the underdog. Max is hard-hearted and critical of her being a Christian now, because what God could put her—and him—through their lives’ hardship and heartbreak.

In a way, After She Falls by Carmen Schober reminds me of David and Goliath. Adri faces doubt, taunts, and other barriers, both literal and figurative. Max’s soul is as impenetrable as stone. But they face their respective giants and take readers along on their journeys. With that explanation, you can correctly guess where the story goes and how the novel ends. Little in After She Falls is surprising. For me, anyway, it had no shocking moments. I knew its direction from the beginning to the final page.

The predictability, however, did not take away from the novel. After She Falls isn’t about the excitement, though of course the book features fights. Schober’s book centers around perseverance and forgiveness, salvation and victory. Each and every character is developed and believable, and they make me think of people in my own life. I loved After She Falls by Carmen Schober, and I can’t wait to read more of her work in the future.

An exciting journey for this family tht encompassed so many things that we all experience in life. Such a reminder of God's grace and his hand on my life all the time.