Never Fall Again by Lynn H. Blackburn is an interesting work of romantic suspense. I enjoyed the book and the characters quite a bit. The ending was a bit surprising, so the book was definitely not predictable. Readers of this genre will find all that they love in this book. The pace of the book was a bit slow and it made it hard for me to get absorbed by the story.

This started slowly and I wondered where the suspense element of the story was. It felt more like a contemporary fiction piece with a romantic twist. I usually expect a suspense story to have good pace from the get-go, but this didn’t have it.

In saying that, it’s a good story as Landry Hutton and Callum Shaw grapple with their relational demons from the past. Further, the small-town nature of the story adds a layer of intrigue, and I enjoyed the strong familial themes especially centred around Callum’s family.

Landry has run away from her past. Now widowed with a delightfully precocious 5-year-old daughter, Eliza, she has found a new home in the small town of Gossamer Falls. Landry is a potter and art teacher who is fearful of her deceased husband’s parents finding her and snatching Eliza. These fears are only exacerbated when the place she works is burnt down and then kit long after her rebuilt studio is destroyed.

Throughout all this drama, Cal Shaw is close at hand and he and Landry grow a tight bond which ultimately turns into romance. Their relationship is delightful to read.

The suspense aspect always appears to be in the background and in the end, I found the antagonist to be a bit far-fetched based on what we read in the first part of the book.

This is my first Blackburn book and even though this one didn’t grab me as far as the suspense aspect of the story, it won’t stop me reading the second in the series. I just hope the pace is faster and the suspense ratcheted up to the main storyline.

A 3.5 for me because I was expecting a stronger suspense story.

I received an early ebook copy of this story from Revell via Net Galley but this has had no bearing on my review.

Lynn H. Blackburn is a long time favorite author.

Never Fall Again by Blackburn is no different in my love for her writing, the characters, and amazing plotlines.

The issue?

Me, well, not me, but at this time Never Fall Again is not something that I can finish reading due to my emotional and mental well-being.

I'm around halfway-ish through and I truly love the characters, however, it just isn't good for me at this moment.

I hope that I may one day come back to it and finish the wonderful story and I am ever so glad that Blackburn has shared this story with the world.

Rating & Recommendation | Given the subject matters and my not finishing the full book, I do recommend 16/18 up.

I voluntarily received and reviewed a complimentary e-book or physical copy of this book which I received from the author and/or publisher or blog tour coordinator All views expressed are only my honest opinion and are in no way influenced by others' views or wishes.

While Blackburn generally writes suspense, there wasn't really much suspense in this particular work. I would call it more women's fiction. However, I did really enjoy the novel and the set up of this new world for future books and look forward to the rest of the series!

One of my favorite romantic suspense authors. I was excited to start Lynn Blackburn's newest series and look forward to seeing the characters throughout this series. Well done.

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

Never Fall Again is a delightful romance with a few dashes of suspense. Landry and Cal quickly feel a connection, but they are both skittish regarding a romantic relationship. Yet, the pull persists and they eventually quit denying what they feel. Of course, Cal's entire extended family is cheering the relationship on from the sidelines.

The suspense component is that someone is destroying the place when Landry works. Eventually, you realize it is targeting her. The question then becomes who.

If you want a book steeped in mystery and suspense, this isn't it. But, if you enjoy your romances clean and that hint of suspense, then Never Fall Again is a great option.

Overall, it was a fun read and I'd gladly spend some time with the characters in the next book. The final pages set the stage for another book featuring the Shaw and Pierce families.

This is the first book in the Gossamer Falls series so what a great place to start. I was hoping this was going to be a series, because I loved so many of the characters and can not wait to learn more about them. I love when authors keep lots of characters in their novels and lets us continue to connect with them all still while following an amazing storyline. Landry Hutton and Call Shaw both have things in their past that may keep them from ever finding happiness again. But when they continue to run into each other and must work together things may change. I love the Shaw family and the many other characters we meet in this book, I can not wait to see what happens in the next book.
I was given a copy of this novel for my honest opinion.

I have enjoyed many of Lynn Blackburn's stories, so I was thrilled to pick this one up. While I love the setting of the small town and a large family that is close, I was a bit disappointed that there wasn't much suspense to the story. This one is more of a romance with a little mystery thrown in.

My thoughts: never fail again written by Lyn n h Blackburn is a romantic  suspense.  I found this one a little bit too creepy for my taste but it was still an engaging read I just couldn't read it at night. It is also a sweet romance in addition to being a creepy suspense and the romance part was great.  I was kept guessing what was going on and who done it.  If you like scary romantic suspense stories this is a book to pick up. I was given a copy free and all opinions are my own.

I'm so glad I did not miss this book! This author always writes such enjoyable romantic suspense, and this one is no different! Landry and her young daughter were living in Gossamer Falls, NC, where she was an artist in residence. Cal was a former Marine who works in his family construction business. Neither were looking for love and had settled on friendship. They grew closer, especially as danger threatened Landry's workplace, etc. I especially enjoyed where the couple prayed. For example, Landry prayed for the people who would be buying her pottery while she was making it. They prayed when afraid, asking for direction, safety and peace. This was a wonderful book, with a wonderful ending!

A heartwarming story with suspense and family drama/antics mixed throughout. Cal and Landry are complex characters that you root for from the beginning, and Eliza will absolutely steal your heart. Oh, and the couch scene when both Landry and Eliza have strep throat … swoon!

A well written sorry if a mom with her child trying to start a new life. Along the way trouble comes and they are in need of help. It is a good story with suspense and love. It is nice to read Christian writing. Looking forward to the second book in this series.
Thanks for the advanced copy to net galley and the publisher.

Never Fall Again
by Lynn H. Blackburn
Pub DateMar 12 2024
Revell
Christian| Mystery & Thrillers| Romance



Revell and Netgalley have provided me with a copy of Never Fall Again for review:



In the outskirts of Gossamer Falls, North Carolina, Landry Hutton has spent three years rebuilding her life behind the secure gates of The Haven. Landry is finally ready to settle permanently to give her daughter, Eliza, a safe place to grow up after serving as an artist-in-residence.



Former Marine Callum Shaw has always dreamed of joining his family's construction business one day. Though he longs for a family of his own, he has almost given up on the possibility of having one. He promises to keep his distance from the beautiful artist who has hired him to build her new house. It is not the first time he has loved--and lost--someone like her.


Landry and Eliza are in grave danger when Landry's pottery is destroyed in a suspicious fire. But from whom? If he wants to protect them, he will have to risk his heart again.


I give Never Fall Again five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

Thank you to Netgalley and (Revell) Baker Publishing for providing me the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this novel. All the thoughts and the opinions expressed are my own.

Landry Hutton has escaped her past and has landed in her safe place, The Haven Resort in Gossamer Falls, North Carolina. She is an art teacher for the resort and she makes and successfully sells beautiful pottery. She decides to build a house. While visiting with a construction company about building a house, she meets Cal Shaw, the owner. During this visit she gets a call that the store on the resort where she sells her pottery is burning. This begins a series of events that target Landry and her daughter. Has Landry’s past found her or has she been hit with a new threat.

This book is a suspense story but a light version. It focuses more on the romance rather than the mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a very sweet story. It sets up this new series by introducing us to a wonderful cast of characters. It has faith, but it is not preachy.

I would recommend this book to people looking for clean, light suspense stories where romance is the star and suspense is on the side. I would not recommend this book for anyone who likes faith elements to be of a heavier variety.

I loved Never Fall Again by Lynn H. Blackburn. I enjoyed getting to meet Landry and Cal, and Landry’s daughter Eliza was so sweet! I loved every minute of this book, and I can’t wait for the next one.

I was provided a copy of the book from the author/publisher. I was not required to post a positive review, and all views and opinions are my own.

Why I chose this book:

What is not to love in Lynn Blackburn’s books? She is great at weaving together good romance and mystery. I have previously read her Dive Team Investigations and Defend and Protect series and thoroughly enjoyed the characters.

Type of book: suspense, romance, Christian fiction, crime fiction

Overall: This was one of the few books where I preferred the development of the side characters more than the main characters. While I truly enjoyed this book, it was very predictable what would happen and how Landry and Cal would act throughout the story. However, while the development of the plot didn’t intrigue me, I did enjoy the read.

Favorite character/quotes: My favorite characters were Bronwyn and Mo. We get to read their interactions at various points in the story, and the tension Blackburn creates between the two of them is off the charts. I can’t wait to read their story.

Bookshelf worthy: Never Fall Again is bookshelf worthy.

Teenability: Yes; cautions: discussion of an abusive marriage; woman and daughter get kidnapped

Cal and Landry are perfect for each other. Cal is a former Marine and his instincts are telling him that Landry and her daughter are hiding from someone. When Landry's pottery studio is destroyed he and his family surround them with love and friendship as they try to figure out who is behind it and what exactly they want. The story has a great plot, wonderful characters including Mo, Meredith, and Bronwyn (their stories are coming), suspense, action, romance, spiritual content and humor. I love the family aspect of the story, everyone in Cal's family sets out to protect and care for Landry and Eliza from his parents, to grandparents, to in-laws and cousins. i can't want for the next book in the Gossamer Falls series.

The author did not disappoint with this book. The romance is clean and the action is not difficult to read. In other words, it's a pleasant book to read. My only problem was keeping all the characters straight. But that sometimes happens when a book is about big families. I was somewhat disappointed that it ended rather abruptly. Everything is explained, but in a brief manner. The suspense was intense in places, but it resolved itself in good time.

About this book:

“Landry Hutton has spent three years rebuilding her life behind the secure gates of The Haven, an exclusive resort on the outskirts of Gossamer Falls, North Carolina. As the artist-in-residence, and with her pottery prized by The Haven's guests, Landry is finally ready to settle in permanently. She wants to give her daughter, Eliza, a safe home to grow up in and hires former Marine Callum Shaw to handle the construction.
Cal grew up in Gossamer Falls and always knew he would someday join his family's business. He longs for a family of his own but has almost given up on that ever happening. Landry is funny, gifted, and everything Cal could ever want in a partner, but he vows to keep his distance. Landry has a daughter and a past. Cal has been down that road before and barely survived when the woman he loved left, taking her two sons with her. He can't bear to lose like that again.
Before construction on the house can begin, Landry's pottery is destroyed in a suspicious fire. It soon becomes clear that Landry and Eliza are in grave danger--but because of whom? But, after losing one relationship, he is hesitant to try again.”


Series: Book #1 in the “Gossamer Falls” series.


Spiritual Content- Prayers (including Callum praying for/with Landry); Talks about God, praying, church, & Christians; 'H's are not capital when referring to God; Church going; Landry says she loves Jesus and has a faith in God; Landry’s in-laws were Christians (including the father-in-law being a pastor) but were “sheep in wolves clothing” and the “mean church people” are the “worst kind of mean people” (in her experience); *Spoiler* Landry says she has a fear of “so-called ‘good Christian’ men.” and adds “The more often they go to church, the scarier they are. And this is coming from a woman who loves Jesus”; Her marriage was not being a happy one and when she tried to tell others, she wasn’t believed and told that she was “blessed” to have snagged him; It’s implied that she was told that she was a “’poor testimony’ to the unbelievers in the world” when taking about it; She was told that she needed to pray for forgiveness and that because he husband was a godly man, she needed to strive to be a godly wife; She knows she couldn’t lump all church-going followers of Christ as hypocrites, but still is nervous about being at a church *End of Spoiler*; Landry thinks that when praying in a certain dangerous situation, she knows that “God didn’t always choose to help. He didn’t always fix things, at least not the way Landry wanted them fixed. But [H]e could help. She knew that. He might not, but it wouldn’t hurt to ask.”; Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of churches, church going, services, pastors, & sermons; Mentions of Christians & ones who are “the worst kind of Christians” (Landry’s in-laws are the latter type and *Spoiler* due to their actions and the lack of other people believing her about them, she hasn’t been into a church in years *End of Spoiler*); A couple mentions of being Blessed; A couple mentions of miracles; A mention of divine guidance; A mention of Bible reading; A mention of a Sunday school class; A mention of thanking Heaven;
*Note: Callum says he has demons due to a past event; The phrase “speak of the devil” is said once; A couple mentions of lucky & being lucky; A mention of someone being as mean as the devil; A mention of strep throat being evil and from the devil (according to Callum); A mention of a demanding guest being called “the demon…I mean, the delicate flower”; A mention of ghost costumes; A mention of a “Mother Earth” woman that takes care of others; A mention of a woman calling herself a “harpy”; A mention of a younger brother idolizing his older brothers; A mention of someone thinking his mom walks on water.


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘duh’, an ‘ever-loving’, a ‘give a flip’, an ‘oh my word’, a ‘sucker’, a form of ‘ticked off’, two forms of ‘mercy/sweet mercy’, six ‘dumb’s, six ‘shut up’s, six forms of ‘stupid’, and ten ‘idiot’s; The phrase “cold day in a hot place” is said thrice (to avoid cursing at Granny’s house); A couple mentions of someone’s rear is mentioned (in the way of “pain in the rear” and hauling someone’s rear to jail); Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Being hit/attacked, Being buried alive, Being drugged, Being abducted, & Pain (up to semi-detailed); A fire & vandalism (up to semi-detailed); Pain, being sick (strep), throwing up (up to semi-detailed); Landry’s husband was not a great guy (*Spoiler* He died in a car accident due to his own drunk driving and because of it, she’s had a hard time with seeing fire trucks ever since because they can cause her to have panic attacks and anxiety; He was the only person involved in the crash; He would use Eliza as a weapon against Landry and to be able to control her *End of Spoiler*); Landry is concerned that her in-laws would fight her for her daughter’s custody or even stoop to kidnapping her; *Spoiler* Landry shares that while her parents weren’t abusive in the way most would think, they were neglectful; Landry wonders if her husband recognized her emotional vulnerability or if he was just a gaslighting narcissist who was “a master at emotional bullying”; She shares about the times that he was physically abusive to her, locked her in a room for hours, and she made plans to leave him with Eliza (barely-above-not-detailed) *End of Spoiler*; Mentions of missing people, abductions/kidnappings, & someone being buried alive (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of someone waving a gun around children, them being frightened, & screams (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of explosions; Mentions of the possibility of a woman being a victim and/or running away from a man (Callum wonders if this is the case with Landry); Mentions of drunk driving, a car accident, & death (of the drunk driver, barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of a bar, drinks, & drinking; Mentions of drugs, drugging someone, being drugged, & meth labs; Mentions of rehab & addictions; Mentions of illnesses, pain, & throwing up (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of grieving (including over the loss of not being in a young child’s life); Mentions of crimes, criminals, crime scenes, fires, arson, & the damages (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of gossip & rumors; A few mentions of a missing hiker & it been too late to find him; A few mentions of a potential violent death; A few mentions of pranks (including ones in high school) & a group of children being like a gang; A few mentions of bullies & bullying; A few mentions of hatred; A couple mentions of (military-related) deaths; A couple mentions of violence; A couple mentions of ways to torture terrorists (with a child’s high-pitched squeal); A couple mentions of fighting & fights (between siblings); A couple mentions of jail; A couple mentions of jealousy; A mention of someone looking like they were being burned at the stake; A mention of beating someone up; A mention of gunshot wounds; A mention of blood; A mention of a forest fire; A mention of a psychopath; A mention of a wife leaving her husband; A mention of divorce;
*Note: Someone tells his family that he isn’t suicidal even though they think he is (he says he need time, but the others don’t buy it); Landry overhears a comment that makes her wonder if there’s someone who doesn’t approve of her daughter because of her race (despite being a part of a “racially diverse” family; She confronts someone about this and is told it’s not due to race at all; A few more mentions of race after this conversation); *Spoiler* Landry’s husband is said to have been a narcissist who would gaslight her and was a “master at emotional bullying” *End of Spoiler*; *Spoiler* Landry and Eliza are kidnapped towards the very end by a man who is obsessed with Landry and it’s said that his “mind broke” from his job and devolved into this form of “madness” & his erratic mental state and “sick mind” are also mentioned; They are able to get away from him by Landry drugged his smoothie *End of Spoiler*; Landry & Callum both have seen therapists for past events and both believed it helped them; Going to a harvest festival (instead of Halloween trick-or-treating); Mentions of therapy & therapists; Mentions of a family member being born during a time where the parents were advised to forget that she even been born (due to a possible stroke during delivery; The family did not follow that advise and she’s a precious miracle for the family who loves her); Mentions of someone fighting cancer, her treatments, & her children’s reactions (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Mentions of panic attacks, anxiety, & depression (the first two for Landry and the last for Callum); Mentions of brand names & products (ChapStick, Coke, M&M’s, Snickers, Milky Way, Oreos, Tylenol, U-Haul, Mac, iPad, & Kindle); A few mentions of Halloween; A few mentions of car brands; A couple mentions of asthma attacks; A couple mentions of FaceTime & Siri; A mention of someone being an expert in “big emotions” (with children); A mention of National Geographic; A mention of a painter (Jackson Pollock); A mention of a werewolf; A mention of someone being concerned for the environment (teasing); A mention of someone being accused of misogyny.


Sexual Content- A fingers-to-lips touch, a cheek kiss, a forehead kiss, two ear/neck kisses, eight barely-above-not-detailed kisses, a border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kiss, and three semi-detailed kisses; Remembering kisses (including a cheek kiss, all up to semi-detailed); Staring at another’s lips (barely-above-not-detailed); Wanting to kiss, touch, & embrace (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, Nearness, & Smelling (up to semi-detailed); Blushes, Winks, & Butterflies; Jealousy; Noticing (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Landry says her husband got her pregnant on their honeymoon to be able to control her, *Spoiler* she add that she didn’t enjoy the honeymoon and now sees that he was because he was “far more experienced then he’d claimed he was” *End of Spoiler*; Callum asks if Landry’s husband forced himself on her and she says no; Landry says that she had to tiptoe around her husband and will not do that ever again for a man; A man offers Landry private lessons (innuendo); *Spoiler* Towards the end, Landry is abducted by a man who is obsessed with her and has a “predatory glint” in his eyes and mistakes her shiver of terror for desire *End of Spoiler*; A ‘bimbo’, a ‘hotties’, and two ‘baby’s; Mentions of kisses, kissing, & PDA (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of girlfriends, boyfriends, break-ups, exes, dates, & dating; Mentions of cheating, cheaters, & fathers leaving the mothers of their children; Mentions of flirting & flirts (including married men); Mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of broken hearts; A few mentions of women watching handsome men working (making comments on their looks and wanting to meet them); A few mentions of crushes; A couple mentions of a married couple kissing; A mention of a possible illegitimate child; A mention of some people being related but not knowing it due to an affair (said that someone’s uncle “fooled around” with someone else’s aunt); A mention of a recently divorced man going on “long bimbo binge”; A mention of a fling; A mention of a couple sneaking around like teenagers so someone doesn’t know that they’re together; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: A mention of Callum’s aunts trying to set him up with a woman who was fourteen-years older than him; A mention of a child streaking through a baseball game.

-Landry Hutton, age 32
-Callum “Cal” Shaw
P.O.V. switches between them
352 pages

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Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star (and a half)
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars

This book took me completely by surprise. I’ve read a few other books by this author and enjoyed parts of different ones, but wasn’t sure about this book. I almost passed on this book because I wasn’t super interested in the plotline, but I’m glad I read it because I ended up really enjoyed it!

The romance was really cute, Cal was the best, and it was overall a really enjoyable read. Definitely way lighter suspense than I was expecting, but that was good too. There were little things here and there that I didn’t care for, but nothing super major.

Cal’s personality won me over the minute he appeared on page. He was fantastic. I don’t think I’ve laughed so much in the suspense book before. He made the book for me.

I think I swooned when he prayed with her. Have I seen that before in Christian fiction suspense books? When the main girl is distraught over something that happened in the suspense plotline and he stops and asks if he can pray with her and then prays for her? How come we haven’t seen that more?! It was so sweet!

I did struggle to keep track of how everyone was related, the family feud in town, and all of those correlating elements, but I continued to read to hope that I could figure everything out. I did get really lost with the family trees and how everyone is related—a diagram of the main families‘ trees at the front of the book would’ve been super helpful! I did feel like I was almost jumping into the middle of a series or at least a very busy very active family life—make that three families!

The suspense element really didn’t kick in till right at the end about 85% into the book. There is a bit here and there, but not really much in that first majority of the entire book.
Don’t go in expecting a Lynette Eason or Lisa Harris suspense novel full of action, shoot outs, and car chases—because that’s definitely not this book.

This suspense book was unlike many other suspense books in many ways, but also because it actually covers a decent amount of time throughout the book. There are several chapters where it’s a few weeks later or several weeks later. Typically, I would get a little frustrated with that because I want to be all in our main characters lives and their interactions, but it worked really well for this book. Such as our main characters had discussions off page but then were told about them later when it’s important. I never felt like I was missing out.

I will say that I wasn’t a fan of the villains from Landry‘s past being Christians in the public eye but then being backstabbers in the private. That’s some thing I’ve seen more and more in Christian fiction is the so-called “Christians” that are actually the villains of the story. And I’m not liking seeing that as frequently as I have been seen it. I will say that it bothered me way less in this book compared to other recent reads because those characters weren’t on page causing mayhem or being terrible? We just hear about it from past events from Landry, so it didn’t bother me as much, shockingly.

Overall? This was a busy book with all the characters and trying to figure out how everyone is connected, but it had its really sweet moments and a bit of suspenseful ones as well. The faith content was a bit lighter than I would have preferred, but Cal praying for Landry and then little Eliza’s prayers made it good to me. It really was romance book with a touch of suspense, which I shockingly still enjoyed. (Shockingly because I typically like my suspense books to be heart-pounding suspenseful.) Because of mentions of Landry’s abusive husband, I would mark this book for ages 15/16+.



*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Revell) for this honest review.

This is the first book of the latest series by Lynn H, Blackburn. I loved the story and look forward to the next installment. Landry and her daughter Eliza have spent the last three years keeping a low profile. Landry is a talented potter and has built her life and career within the gates of the exclusive resort The Haven in the small North Carolina community of Gossamer Falls. With her newly purchased land she plans to build a home and plant roots for her and her daughter. Enter Cal, the handsome caring retired Marine and owner of the local construction company. What starts as a friendship becomes so much more and sparks start to fly. Watching the romance unfold was a great treat.