This book reads like a Netflix Rom Com and I loved every minute! Brooke's life changes in a moment when her father's health takes a turn for the worse, causing her to end her relationship and uproot her life. She ends up in the Little Italy neighborhood of San Diego where she rents a one bedroom unit from Luca's mother. Luca is wary of having Brooke there as his family lives in the same building as well as owns and works the restaurant on the ground floor. Particularly, Luca is protective of his young daughter and having strangers come in and out of their building doesn't make him happy.

This had the perfect blend of family drama, romance, and the warm and cozy atmosphere of the Italian food and culture. Luca's family is amazing. I loved the way they loved one another and all worked together as a family unit. Brooke herself is strong and resourceful. The way that she cared for her ailing father, despite the difficulties with their relationship, was admirable. Luca and Brooke had definite chemistry. The romance was perfection.

This is a nice, light, easy read, that is perfect for an afternoon escape. There are references to the pandemic, and while it wasn't overwhelming in the book, I cannot decide if I particularly enjoyed that aspect. While Luca had a young child, she wasn't overly precocious or annoying as can sometimes happen with kids in romances. I really enjoyed the start to this new series from Bybee and look forward to reading more in the future. 3.5 stars

When It Falls Apart is Catherine Bybee’s latest stand-alone romance. Brooke Turner is a 36-year-old marketing professional living in Seattle with her boyfriend of three years, Marshall. Marshall is a 33-ytear-old travel v-logger, and neither he nor Brooke are interested in marriage. When Brooke is awakened during the middle of the night by an ER doctor requesting permission to perform emergency surgery on Brooke’s father, Marshall is upset that this will disrupt their plans to go to Florida the following week. Marshall is still upset that Brooke spent six months in California helping her father recover from a stroke.

Brooke makes immediate arrangements to travel to southern California to be at her father’s bedside. Joe has been divorced four times, and his assets have been divided so much that Brooke bought him a condo when she found out that he was living in his machine shop. Brooke’s best friend, Carmen, is very supportive and offers to go to California with her. After a week of staying in her California condo and cleaning up the horrendous mess that Joe made, Brooke accepts the doctor’s recommendation that Joe will need to move into assisted living. Brooke compares Carmen’s response to Marshall’s and decides to dump Marshall.

Carmen comes to visit and takes Brooke to San Diego for a few days. When they are eating in an Italian restaurant, she meets an adorable 8-year-old girl and her handsome chef father. Brooke decides to re-locate herself and her father to San Diego and she begins a relationship with Chef Luca D’Angelo and Francesca. Luca’s ex-wife, Antonia, appears and causes lots of drama and angst. Brooke has to find the fine line between enabling her father and being supportive.

When It Falls Apart is a well-written story with likeable characters. Many readers, including myself, will relate to Brooke in some ways as she struggles with her responsibilities to others. The story has more drama and angst than I personally like, but the author mentions that this story is partially based on her own life. If you are looking for a light read, this book is not for you. This is a very realistic story with a happy ending.

I received an advance review copy (ARC) from NetGalley for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

It's no secret I'm a huge Bybee fan and I was so excited to know there was a new series for us to enjoy! This first book in The D'Angelos series was a fantastic start!

Brooke Turner is at a turning point in her life. She's in a relationship she knows she needs to leave and her father, who lives in a different state, is in declining health and she has no choice but to go help him. What she finds when she arrives in San Diego's Little Italy is anything but what she was expecting. With an already tumultuous relationship with her father, the current situation puts even more strain on it.

The D'Angelo family owns and runs a restaurant in Little Italy. Luca, the eldest of the three children is a driving force both in the business and the family since his father has passed. He's a single father to an adorable little girl named Franny and he's a protector of everyone and everything in his life.

Brooke ends up renting a room from the D'Angelo's and begins to spend more and more time with the family. Not only does Franny take to her, but Luca begins to as well and the feeling is definitely mutual. They are both going through their own struggles and having someone that understands benefits them both.

This story hit so many chords with me. Caring for loved ones is difficult and this book did a wonderful job of showcasing that and showing the different aspects. There were the elements of unconditional love, forgiveness, abandonment and so much more that made this such a real and relatable read. Definitely one of my favorites of the year so far!

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

This was a fast, heart-warming, slow burn, contemporary romance that was well paced and I really enjoyed it! You meet Brooke, whose father’s health is failing, and together they decide to have a fresh start in San Diego. Brooke meets the D'Angelo's, a big Italian family, and she learns a lot about herself and letting go. I loved all the little details about San Diego and all the Italian food! Definitely looking forward to the next book in the series!

4 stars

When It Falls Apart is the wonderful start to a new series by Catherine Bybee (an author that hasn't et me down yet).

Brooke and Luca's story is a feel good, low angst story of moving on, starting over and finding love again.

Add in a scene stealer of a little girl and you will be left smiling.

It is not all easy going, as our lovelies deal with every day issues that could affect any of us, yet they do it all knowing they have each other's backs.

Then there is the wonderful D'Angelo family who will a) make you want to be part of them and b) make you put on weight just thinking of all the delicious Italian food they prepare.

I am looking forward to more of this series (and we have a bit of set up already for the sister's story me thinks!)

🤗Enjoyed it, first to last lovely page! 📖

Catherine Bybee's story was delightful and, at times, just so totally real and relatable, especially when female lead Brooke is dealing with the minefield of issues with her aging father Joe, who's not ready to cede hopes of independence despite his deteriorating health. Brooke and Joe's adult relationship, built despite Joe's absentee act when Brooke was growing up, was the basis for Brooke's world falling apart. And like the phoenix she rises from the ashes, but this time to a much better future with a loving family at its heart. I can't wait to read more about the D'Angelo's.

I could not get over how quickly the read went; I was so totally involved in the story with the characters that the pages flew by.

Highly recommended for the writing style, characters, and the positive tenure of the plot. Thanks to Montlake and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

What a wonderfully moving book. You know you’re reading a fantastic author when you simply can’t put the book down; I was fully immersed in Little Italy and wishing I was eating the creamy pastas. The D’Angelos family are lovely, so close and loving and I really enjoyed seeing them all interacting, they took Brooke in and accepted her dad too. That scene at the hospital really touched me and I wish I had people like that in my life.
Brooke is a strong woman, and used to relying on herself that she’s forgotten what it’s like to be supported, it’s not weakness; it’s love. Seeing Luca be that person for her was great. Mamas match making skills are on point and I can’t wait to see who’s next.

I quite enjoy books that feature single dads and the way that Luca was so protective of Franny was quite something to behold. I loved the warm vibe of the D'Angelo family and will more than likely read the rest of this series as it comes out.

When It Falls Apart is a captivating, perfectly paced and at times emotional romance, featuring the D'Angelos an Italian family and Brooke a thirty-six-year-old woman who finds herself taken in by them when she makes the move from Seattle to San Diego's Little Italy for the sake of her ailing father.

But life isn't easy and neither is her relationship with her dad who is constantly questioning why he can't live alone or drive a car.

Yet, the eldest D'Angelo Luca is on hand to support Brooke as she deals with her dad and in return Brooke is on hand to support Luca as his ex-wife returns determined to have contact with her daughter she walked out on.

And with extremely believable situations and characters. Not to mention the perfect balance of sweetness and heat. This was a beautiful read. That perfectly encapsulates the power of love.

I would happily recommend.

I've loved every book that I've read by Catherine Bybee. I get sucked into the story so much that I don't want it to end. This new book kicks off a new series and I am in love with the D'Angelo family. Brooke has been disappointed by almost every relationship she has had in her life. Her life is falling apart and when she is almost at the end of her rope, she stumbles into meeting Luca and his family. I loved how their relationship evolves and how they faced the challenges together. I'm anxiously waiting for the next story in this series. I loved all of the characters and can't wait to go back for more. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Characters: Brooke/Luca
Genre: Romance
Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Series: Yes
Length: 364 Pages

Brooke works from home, so when she got the call that her father was sick she didn’t hesitate. She dropped everything to go. Including her jerk of a boyfriend. Does her father deserve her jumping to help like that? Absolutely not. He was the epitome of the phrase Dead beat Dad, but Brooke is a better person than that.

Luca is part of a large family and is the Chef for the family restaurant. He first meets Brooke when her and her friend are there eating and on a trip back from the restroom Brooke prevents his daughter from getting hurt and causing a huge mess.

My Opinion: When Catherine’s team reached out to me asking if I wanted to read and review I jumped on it. I was told that it was different from her other books and it was. I absolutely loved it. The main characters have a lot of obstacles including emotional ones. It shows the love of a daughter for her father, deserving or not. The love of a father for his child. The love that can come when you open yourself up to a second chance. I fell in love with the characters. It’s a powerful emotional rollercoaster of different kinds of love and lessons learned.

‘LSK recommended’

Catherine Bybee’s always make me feel as if her characters were people that I knew or could know. In ‘When it falls apart’, Brooke Turner is trying to be the parent to her father, who in making poor life choices, has ended up on hard times. Brooke moves her father to San Diego, so that she can begin her life afresh from a recent break-up. Then there is Luca D’Angelo, who in being the sole parent to a daughter, Franny, when his wife walked out, feels the responsibilities of the world. So when Brooke and Luca first meet, their impressions of each other are tainted by the experiences. Yet, Brooke leaves a lasting impression on Luca and his family when she rents out the top floor of their family home. Yet as Brooke and Luca spend time together, they find their personal challenges are made lighter with the other there, offering support and love.
There are so many aspects of this book that resonated with me: the large family and interwoven community, with everyone knowing everyone’s business and the challenges with caring for elderly parents. To add to this story, there is the issue of divorce and its impact on children, which gave it such great intensity. This is a story, that brings to light all the difficulties of everyday life, and yet despite the raw honesty of these issues, there is such joy and happiness that shines through. This book was such a lovely read that I can’t wait to read more about the D’Angelo family.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

WHEN IT FALLS APART – Catherine Bybee
A Perfect 10
The D’Angelos, Book 1
Montlake
ISBN: 978-1542034869
June 21, 2022
Contemporary Fiction

San Diego, California – Present Day

Brooke Turner had a good life in Seattle with her boyfriend even though they were not headed toward marriage. One night she receives a phone call from a hospital in Upland, California that her father is there. Brooke has not been especially close to her father, Joe, but he needs her, and she heads to California. Unfortunately, her boyfriend calls her decision a dealbreaker and they decide to end their relationship. Arriving at the hospital, it becomes clear that Joe will be unable to return to the condo she’d bought for him, and it also means that she is likely going to have to remain near him. As the days continue, Brooke’s best friend arrives and a trip to San Diego leaves a good impression. Instead of living in Upland, she will settle down in San Diego and place her father in an assisted living home nearby.

Eating at a restaurant in San Diego’s Italian district, Brooke meets the D’Angelo family. They are friendly and she is soon telling them that she is looking to rent an inexpensive apartment in San Diego. To her surprise, the matriarch of the family offers to rent the top apartment in their building to her. The only drawback is that their family lives in the other apartments. The rent is reasonable, and she soon moves in, much to the chagrin of Luca, the oldest son. He feels like Brooke is invading their space. Yet, there is a spark of attraction between the two. Add in the affection Brooke feels for Luca’s little girl, Francesca, it’s no wonder she is soon a part of their family. Luca begins to see Brooke in a different light, and they start to fall in love. But her life is still complicated. Is there a chance of a future for them?

Soon after I started reading WHEN IT FALLS APART, I fell in love with Brooke and Luca and that is why I am giving it a Perfect 10. Their lives aren’t perfect right now, but they are trying to keep it all together. Luca is the chef at the restaurant and trying to raise his daughter without the mother, Antonia, who suddenly left when their child was two. Of course, this means that he’s protective of Franny, but Brooke is patient and kind toward the little girl. How can he not be attracted to her for that reason alone? Brooke didn’t meet her father until she was a teenager after he abandoned her and her mother. Brooke’s relationship with her father is complicated. They’re not close, yet she is there for him because there are no other relatives who can step in. Joe still thinks he can go home but it’s clear that he will be unable to. As Brooke navigates getting him settled into the assisted living home and her new life in San Diego, it isn’t easy.

I found WHEN IT FALLS APART hard to put down as I rooted for Brooke and Luca to find happiness together. Of course, along the way, there are obstacles to impede the road to a happily-ever-after. The characters—Brooke, Luca, Franny, Mari (Luca’s mother), and the rest of the people in WHEN IT FALLS APART give this tale a real-life feel. This is a feel-good tale that will leave you warm and fuzzy, even if the subject matter is not always pleasant. Don’t miss this joy and happiness by picking up a copy of WHEN IT FALLS APART.

Patti Fischer

4.5 highly recommended stars. However, a little caveat from me, the first half or so of this book may not appeal to a young audience. t deals with a lot of the realities of dealing with the elderly, especially those that have had strokes r major illnesses and may require long term nursing home care. Be warned-I went through it, and it is all exactly how Ms. Bybee describes it.

This is a new author for me, but I do believe I will be in the market for more books by Ms. Bybee.

But along with the despair of taking care of an aging parent is the newness and hopefulness of a new romance. Not only a new romance with the perfect Italian man but his wonderful family, his daughter, and a tight-knit Italian community (another Little Italy on the west coast!) To add even more spice to this dish, we have Luca's ex-wife come strolling into the picture after abandoning her daughter all those years ago.

This was the perfect, fast (1 day for me), steamy, emotional, and happy summer read. This is one that will be going onto my comfort bookshelf.

*ARc supplied by the publisher Montlake, the author, and NetGalley. Many thanks.

Catherine Bybee is one of those authors whose books I will automatically put on request at the library or buy immediately without reading the blurb. I've never regretted it since the first book I read, and that trend shows no chance of stopping anytime soon if When It Falls Apart is any indication!

So excited to see a new series evolving. I love the setting of San Diego, Little Italy in particular. I've never visited, but the descriptions are so clear that I can easily imagine being there, smelling the food cooking and the scent of the ocean.

I have to say that I also identified very strongly with Brooke's role as caregiver for her father, and the struggles they both have with his moving to an assisted living facility and getting acclimated there. I lived this with my Dad not too long ago and the feelings are spot-on accurate. Brooke also has trouble trusting Luca due to the way her last relationship let her down, but it was nice to see how their story evolved, especially Brooke's relationship with his family and his daughter, Franny. Highly recommend this book, can't wait for the next one in this new series.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

A family drama and a romance that has a sweet heart. Brooke and her father aren't close but she moves across the country to San Diego to put him in a care facility and to be close. She meets Luca DiAngelo when she has dinner in the family restaurant- and she's renting an apartment from them! Luca's been burned by heartbreak- he's raising his little daughter Fanny alone because her mom left them. Readers know, don't they, that these two will recognize something in each other. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's a nice read with potential for followups featuring other member of the family.

This book was so good. Brooke has a long time boyfriend that offers her no support when her father takes ill and she has to go take care of him. It doesn't take long for her to kick him to the curb. Her father is a struggle who is not able to be independent anymore but is resisting.. She decides to move to both of them to San Diego's Little Italy and falls in love with it. She moves into an apartment above a restaurant and blends in with the family perfectly, especially Luca and his precious daughter, Frannie.
Life is not without it's ups and downs but Catherine Bybee knows how to write about it and just draw you in. The characters in this story were wonderful and the chemistry between Luca and Brooke was very hot. I hightly recommend

So excited about Catherine's new series. When It Falls Apart. The first book reads more like women's fiction than the typical romance you would normally get from her books. If you follow Catherine at all on social media the book will have you guessing how much she actually draws from her personal experience.

In typical Catherine fashion, she draws you into the scenes and wants you to feel these characters. The story is masterfully written and deals with the parent/child relationship when the roles need to switch..

The book will have you laughing and crying, You will fall in love with the family and San Diego. I look forward to the next book in the series.

I received an ARC for my honest review of this book

Until next time
Jodi


.

When I read the first chapter of When It Falls Apart, my first reaction was that the book was going to be depressing. I was so wrong. I kept reading and I was captivated by Brooke and The D'Angelo family, who had to deal with toxic family and rise above the obstacles to find happiness and love. I love Ms. Bybee's novels and was surprised when I read the acknowledgements that much of this novel was based upon the author's personal experience. I can hardly wait to read the next book in the series. If you love an uplifting romance novel, read this book! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

When It Falls Apart has a warm-and-fuzzy, Hallmark-esque idealism to it. The book showcases what a healthy romantic relationship looks like, as well as what irreparably damaged and actively healing relationships consist of.
Brooke's struggle to manage her own life and still keep a solid grasp on her father's well-being is an experience shared by many people around the world. What stands out about Brooke's connection with her father is that he was never there for her in the same way. Though the tendrils of co-dependency start to creep their way into Brooke's mind, it's Luca (the love interest) who helps coax her away from the clutches of that particular condition, as I'd hope any good partner would.
While Brook's relationship with Luca has the everyday misunderstandings that can happen between two people in love, readers looking for an example of a romance to aspire to will find it in the way that Luca and Brooke support, encourage, and defend one another.
Running sprees aside, Franny (Luca's daughter from a previous marriage), is well-behaved, kind, and intelligent. She generally does what she's told and gives Brooke an opportunity to play "Mama." Brooke hasn't been able to carry a pregnancy to term in the past, so Franny is her first real chance to take on a parental role (for someone other than her father). Though, at this point in the series, we still don't know what exactly is going on with Brooke from a reproductive standpoint, the book closes with a "wait and see" hopefulness that leaves the door open for Luca to become a father once again in the near future.
Antonia makes for a deliciously detestable villain. I wouldn't be surprised if every parent who read about this woman was outraged and disgusted by her behavior as a "mother."
Luca is the attractive, talented love interest you'd expect from a romance. He loves his family, is a hard worker, would kill for his daughter, and treats Brooke better (within the first week of knowing her!) than her last boyfriend had in years. He's exactly the kind of man that Brooke deserves after all the strife she's gone through in her life up to this point.
If you're looking for a slow-burning, simple, heart-warming read, this book is a great fit!