I really wanted to like this book, but the characters were hard for me to love. The MMC seemed selfish and unyielding. There was a lot of plot that did not move the story along and seemed drawn out.

This story follows the friendship between Rosie and Mitch who if they haven't found there significant other soon they decide they will have a child together.
The book was very well written and kept my interest majority of the time. My main gripe was Mitch who seemed too 2 dimensional and selfish.

Would definitely read other books from the author in the future, just don't think the story got me invested in the characters which is why I've marked down the book.

This was my honest review for receiving a free copy from netgalley.

I'm so sorry, but this book wasn't for me. I really did try, but when I dislike the characters, I just can't rate this very high, and it felt like a struggle to get through.

The premise of 2 best friends making a pact to have a child if they don't find the love of their lives in a few months would have been better off if this took place over past and present where they make a pact to have a child in x amount of years as even if you meet someone to claim love of your life in such a short time seems un relastic.

Mitch was someone who I felt was unbelievably selfish and didn't leave any room for Rosie to discuss with him and basically steamrolls the situation, and because she has been in love with him for so long she seemed to have zero backbone to call him out.

I felt like there was alot of filler pages which made it hard to get through to be honest.

I do have some other Eleanor Goymer books to read so Il see how I get on with those.

cuteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee let's read more stuff like this pleaseeee ! thanks so much for the arc and this one was more than worth it

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

My favourite tropes, such likeable characters and my most favourite part - the reversal of the typical gender roles, where Mitch was more keen for family life! A great read!

I think the premise of THE FALLBACK is a good one. It seems a bit whacky, but I could see this happening in real life. Having your best friend as your fallback for a life together, with a baby.

However, THE FALLBACK fell very flat for me. Part of it is my own trepidations about the friends-to-lovers trope. In books they are often times boring.

But, mostly I just didn't like either character.

There was a lot of filler and I didn't think the side characters had a lot to offer, because their stories overshadowed the main romance.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for an e-copy of THE FALLBACK to review.

I rate THE FALLBACK three out of five stars.

First of all thank you for approving my request!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The authors writing style had me hooked throughout this book.

I didn't want it to end, a book I really couldn't put down.

"The Fallback" by Eleanor Goymer is a refreshing and heartfelt novel that expertly captures the complexities of love, loss, and second chances. Goymer’s characters are richly drawn, making their journeys both relatable and deeply engaging. The novel explores what happens when life doesn’t go according to plan, and the resilience it takes to find new paths forward. With a perfect blend of humor and emotion, Goymer crafts a story that is both uplifting and thought-provoking. "The Fallback" is a beautifully written tale of rediscovery and the unexpected turns that lead us to where we truly belong.

Thank you to HarperCollins UK – One More Chapter and Eleanor for gifting me a Netgalley copy of The Fallback.

The Fallback is a cute, slow-burn rom-com featuring a friend-to-lovers story about two best friends who discuss a pact to be each other's backup option to marry and have kids with if they can't find their soulmate within six months after years of disastrous dating and bad relationships.
The story is well-crafted and has plenty of twists and turns. Some plot points are a little predictable, but I loved the STEM vibes and the stereotypical role reversal of having the man want kids and worrying about his biological clock ticking. Eleanor Goymar writes to life a bustle and vibrant summer London – which reminded me of times I worked in the city and got to go out with friends and colleagues during my stays. At times, in my imagination, I felt I could hope on a train and walk into the locations where Rosie and Mitch meet and socialize throughout the book.

Many flashback scenes threaded through the plot give us insights into the friendship between Mitch and Rosie. Tumultuous behaviour throughout the story could have all been easily avoided with some common sense and communication. People are allergic to having conversations about their feelings across the globe. It feels like in the romance genre. I wanted to tell Mitch and Rosie to grow up and pull themselves up by their bootstraps.

I liked Rosie - she was an intelligent, strong career woman with uncertainty about having babies and grappling with the pressure to have them in your mid-30s. It's a very relatable issue in women's lives today for anyone over 30 who is breaking the mold of what society deems a successful life should be and how a particular stage of life should settle us. I actually couldn't like the main male character, Mitch. Throughout the story, I thought he was manipulative, selfish, and a jerk, especially in his interactions with Rosie. He behaved so childish, like that boy who likes the girl in the schoolyard and decides to be mean to her and pull her hair. A different love interest would have gotten another star from me.

Some parts of the plot are far-fetched for The Fallback; however, it was an entertaining, quick read with good chemistry between the love interests. However, I think more development and better traits could have been poured into the characters to make them likable.

I really wanted to love this book as the start of it had me hooked but as the story continued it sort of just got lost, it was longer than it needed to be, the characters and story could have lead to so much more

This book is long, much longer than it needs to me. To begin with I was really invested but then I the plot took what I thought was a slightly ridiculous turn and the characters became extremely annoying. Not the beautiful friends to lovers romance I was expecting. Not for me I’m afraid.

OMG, friends to lovers sign me up. Mitch and Rosie met in a pub one day Mitch had a spare room and Rosie desperately needed somewhere to stay. from there they were flatmates, coworkers, and best friends. Fast forward 10 years they are both in their thirties, Mitch looking to settle down and enter the fallback plan.
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I could not get enough of this book, I adored Rosie and Mitches friendship. I'm not always a big fan of the slow burn or miscommunication tropes but I did not mind them at all in this one I felt they just added depth to their relationship. I loved how close Rosie was with her family members, especially her sister-in-law Jasmine, I love how well they both rallied around each other through the trials they both went through. Overall I really enjoyed this one and am looking forward to what Goymer will write in the future.

Thank you Harper Collins UK for the ARC. Love this premise; a marriage pact is a classic, 5 stars for DNF as I cannot comment on the overall quality of this book.

The Fallback by Eleanor Goymer

I just finished this sweet friends to lovers romance and I liked it a lot!

Rosie and Mitch have been friends for a long time. They have even lived together as friends. Both are still single and they make a pact. If they haven’t found someone by the next Christmas party, they will be together as a couple and have a child.

They both agree to make an effort to find someone. But it’s not easy when you secretly have feelings for your best friend.

This was a perfect slow burn romance, exactly what I wanted.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the opportunity to read this eARC.

The blurb for this had me hopeful, but it fell flat real quick. The story starts off well with an interesting setup, but it quickly becomes predictable and lacked some depth - particuarly the characters. The dialogue was witty and relatable at times, but there were moments when it ended up feeling forced.

I really, really wanted to love this more than I did!

This was a really unique story with an intriguing premise - I'm sure we've all had the back up plan thoughts whirling around, I know I have! I really enjoyed the characters and their chemistry.

This is a friends to lovers romance which I do enjoy..

Rosie and Mitch agree that if they haven’t found partners by Christmas they will become partners themselves.

Easy to read a good holiday book
Fun and quite lighthearted

An interesting friends to lovers tale with promise. The premise is engaging, and the author’s storytelling shows promise. The push and pull between Rosie and Mitch keeps the reader engaged. However some character decisions feel forced and the pacing occasionally stumbles. Overall it was an enjoyable read.
Many thanks to HarperCollinsUK and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really wanted to like this book but the main characters were so disappointing. He acted like he couldn’t care less, and she makes it sound like she’ll have a kid just to stay close to a guy. I felt sorry for any kid who was going to have these two as parents.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.