I was really excited to read this, as I've heard good things about Rebecca Hodge's debut novel. Unfortunately, this one wasn't for me. Not bad per-se but not to my personal tastes.

I widely recommended Rebecca Hodge's first book so I was excited for Over The Falls and it did not disappoint. The family relationships and conflict were very authentic and I really enjoyed the kayak & whitewater storyline.

I've just finished "Over The Falls" by Rebecca Hodge, a Netgalley advance digital copy, this is my honest review. I had not read this author before.
I really enjoyed this mystery. The farm setting was either written by someone with personal knowledge, or who did lots of research, because it was very authentic & a pleasure to read. I grew up with cows, cotton & chickens, so I know.
One of the main characters, Bryn, is estranged from her family, with good reason. She is well described in thought & actions as she navigates her simple life being upended. Josh, the nephew she's never seen, is dumped at her driveway. Del, her troubled & traitorous sister is missing. Sawyer, the X-fiance is dead.
The fast paced action to find her sister doesn't stop. There are so many twists, lies, secrets & surprises that you will hold hold your breath, forget to eat, and miss sleep. Start this one early in the day, because you won't want to put it down.

I read Wildlands and loved it. Now Over the Falls is another one to love. This book is so good. It's a bit mystery. A bit of a thriller. A lot of family. A lot of love. Some loss and some closure. This book truly has all the feels.

Bryn was engaged to Sawyer but her younger sister, Del, got pregnant by Sawyer and that was the end of that engagement. Sawyer was killed in an airplane accident two years later. From there things really take you on a wild ride. It really does. Bryn has made a home for herself in a cabin with animals and a garden. She works from home and does not want or need any distractions in her life. But... Josh, Del's son, comes to see her and tells her about his missing mother. He needs help. He's desperate and alone. Bryn's world will never be the same.

Josh was told by his mother to find her sister is he got scared or if anything happened to her. He is a fourteen year old kid who wants some answers. Why would his mother just up and leave him. She has a lot of problems but she's never just abandoned him before. He reaches out to Bryn for help. The two have never met but they do have a few things in common.

This story takes off and will not let you go. You will go on an adventure that you won't soon forget. From the hills of Tennessee to the mountains of Colorado. Bryn and Josh are looking for Del and are leaving no stones unturned. They are also having to fight with Carl. A big bad man from Bryn and Del's past. He's not a good man. He gives Bryn and Josh one week to find Del and get back something she stole from him.

There is a lot going on in this book. I wept about a chicken in this story. I loved Josh and oh the dog, Tellico. Bryn's dog. He's a great one for sure. Then there is Landon. You will love him. He's the neighbor to Bryn and he wants a relationship. After fourteen plus years is Bryn ready for that yet? Will things work out for them? There is opioid addiction, overdose addressed in this book also. It's a terrible thing and is out there. In the real world so many die each year. It's hit my family and most likely yours too. What happens when a person overdoses from drugs is horrible. Nothing is ever the same whether they live or die. It halts your world in ways you never knew possible. I've lost family to drug addition/overdose. It hurts. You don't forget it. What it does to your family.

This book is told by Bryn and Josh. Alternating between the two. Josh is a very smart young man. One who should have had the chance to be a real child but instead basically always took care of his mother. Who didn't get to know his dad before he died. Many things will come out in his life during this search. He will meet a few people and find some closure in his young life. Him and Bryn are a pair to be reckoned with. Together they are basically unstoppable. Bryn faces her biggest fear. Josh faces his future.

I disliked both Carl and Sawyer. I didn't think Sawyer was a good man at all and not just because he cheated on Bryn with her sister. That was horrible from both of them. An unforgivable act of selfishness. I hated Carl for what he was. A bully. A thug. A sorry excuse for a human being. He was just not good.

This book is well written. The only thing I didn't like was a couple of things at the very end that I thought should have been addressed. But that is just my thoughts and in no way took away from this wonderful book.

Thank you to #netgalley, #rebeccahodge, #crookedlanebooks for this ARC. This is my own true feelings about this book.

5/5 stars and a big huge recommendation. Read it. Devour it. Enjoy it. Have tissues handy though.

Fourteen years ago, Bryn Collins had moved to a quiet place far away from the city in Tennessee to escape and to heal her wounds after learning that her fiance, Sawyer, had left her for her younger sister, Del. Surrounded by nature and living like a farmer, Bryn thought she's finally found peace and has gradually let go of the past until one day, 14-year-old Josh comes knocking at her door, claiming that he is her nephew and that his mother is missing. Sawyer had passed during a plane crash accident and Josh has no one to turn to, but he recalled his mother has left him a note about his aunt in case anything happens and so here he is.

Bryn would be lying if she admit that she isn't bothered by Sawyer's and Del's betrayal. To this day, she still didn't understand why Sawyer would do such a thing to her. She has no qualms about Del's reckless behaviours though; after all she's always been living a wild and carefree life. As Bryn wonders about her whereabouts, she is confronted by Carl and learns that Bryn has owed him money. Carl has always been a hoodlum since they were teenagers; and he threatens Bryn that he wouldn't let things off easily if she couldn't bring Del to him within a week. Bryn and Josh travel across the states till they stop at Colorado, where they finally find the shocking truth amid the annual Mountain Games competition.

Over the Falls was a slow burn despite the theme surrounding whitewater rapids and kayaking but it was still an engaging read given the much focus on the characters developments and the interactions between Bryn and Josh. Del's disappearance is the mystery and also a drive to these two characters in finding a common goal amid their issues and insecurities in general. Although the mystery intrigued me, I was most drawn towards the growing bond between Bryn and Josh as they race against time in finding Del and the real truth behind her disappearance.

#OvertheFalls
The novel has a dark underling social theme of addition and loss of family. It resignates that family is what we create and nuture. The thriller/mystery of the novel twist is good, but not the most believable. I did like the main characters. Bryn is a well written character dealing with family that isn't the most reliable or realistic about life choices. She has been the dependable person for everyone and in the process is burnt out on her family. I liked the mental health aspect of this novel because it is very true to how addiction can tear people apart.

The stunning Tennessee mountains is the setting for this riveting thriller which I zipped through in one sitting in my eagerness to get to the end, yet I didn't want it to be over! As a nature nut myself, the story drew me in immediately and the thrillery writing, interesting characters and outdoorsy details kept me riveted.

Bryn lives alone on a gorgeous farm with her garden and animals, a lifestyle which suits her beautifully. She is able to work from home, she has a great neighbour and enjoys kayaking. But of course life isn't always peaceful and tranquil. A fourteen-year-old Josh shows up out of the blue one day and Bryn is knocked sideways when she discovers who he is. Not only does his appearance bring up all sorts of memories and past secrets but what does one do with a teenager suddenly in the picture? His mom, Del, went missing and he is desperate to find her. Bryn happens to be Del's sister and they hadn't spoken for fourteen years. And there is a connection between them and Bryn's ex who was killed in a plane accident. Compounding this is nasty Carl who is a fierce bully and blackmailer. Bryn's job now is to keep out of his way and find her sister along with her nephew. Whew!

On their quest they encounter rough waters of all kinds, including rough white water which harkens me back to my whitewater rafting days, the thrills, goosebumps and fears. But the emotional rough waters are equally challenging. Bryn and Josh learn about each other and themselves and discover all sorts of tangles.

This thriller is gripping yet not gritty or scary. It would appeal to most Mystery and Thriller readers as well as readers of General Fiction.

My sincere thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this compelling book!

I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

Not what I expected but gripping enough. If you like wilderness action/adventure stories you will enjoy this one. Characters more fleshed out than usual in this type of tail

I really enjoyed this book about a young woman working hard to build a life on a small property, literally by her own hands. Of course there is a helpful neighbor (grin), some lingering fear that effects her decisions that stems from a bad accident Yeats before, and a threat from an unexpected source. I thought this was a well written novel about family, the power of memories and how fighting down fear can open up your life to new options. This book was mostly set in rural Tennessee, which is unusual but nice to see.

This is a wonderful, character driven mystery with a strong focus on relationships. The author is very skilled at combining these two elements. I enjoyed the atmospheric writing and Josh and Brynn’s relationship. I felt for them both, particularly Josh. This also makes a commentary on opioid addiction without beating you over the head with an “issue.” highly recommend!!

A really good murder mystery set beautifully. The setting was my favourite part. Loved tbe story and characters so much. Highly recommended xx

I really liked this book. The author does a great job of world building. I could see the farm, I could visualize the characters - it played as a movie in my head. It was a quick, easy read and it was totally engrossing.

I really liked the story - I thought I knew where it was going, but I was wrong. But the twists were part of the story, not some device to shock you.

I loved the characters and actually want another story to see how things are going with them.

I want to thank the #rebeccahodge , the publisher and #netgalley for the ARC which did not impact my review. In fact, i went immediately to amazon to buy another of the books by this author.

#OverTheFalls

I was so excited when I was approved for this one!
Thanks NetGalley Publisher and Author!

This was such a great thriller! One I thoroughly enjoyed. From start to finish this book had me intrigued.
This fast paced thriller will have you flipping through the pages.

Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Bryn Collins's secluded and calm world is turned upside down by the arrival of her 14-year-old nephew, Josh.  Josh's father is Bryn's former fiance Saywer who cheated on Bryn with her sister Del.  Saywer died 12 years ago, and now Del has gone missing.  Josh has come to Bryn to ask her to help him find his mom.  This leads Bryn and Josh on a desperate cross-country search for Del before some shady characters, who are also after Del, find her first.  

This book was thrilling from start to finish and the ending was completely unexpected.  I loved the relationship between Bryn and Josh and how they slowly developed trust in each other.  Bryn was also living a half-life before Josh came into her life and watching her grow back into a person engaged in the rest of the world was really well done.

Brynn Collins has been living in total seclusion in the mountains of Tennessee for fourteen years following the betrayal of her sister and her then fiance. Brynn’s solitary life is threatened when her sister disappears and her teenage son, Josh, shows up on Brynn’s doorstep, begging for help in finding his mother. While Brynn has no desire to find the sister she’s grown to hate, she’s compelled to help her nephew, and the two embark on a wild and dangerous journey through the mountains and rivers of Colorado. Equal parts family saga and thriller, this is an exciting read

This book was sent to me by Netgalley on Kindle for review. It is a story of family dynamics, loss and love. Character driven... it moves slowly....

I love this multi dimensional thriller. It was extremely fast paced and a fun read. I would highly recommend this book