I liked that this story involved a female scientist, and academia - and the female friendships developed throughout the novel, though mostly toward the end. The Bechdel test didn't get passed until well into the book. The last parts of the books were more enjoyable for me, and I felt that the story became more than just the heroine's struggle with the hero.
Sadly, there was a lot I didn't like - I felt there was more telling and narration about the relationships between characters rather than showing through dialogue. The hero was pretty unlikable at first, and the heroine was pretty flat. There wasn't much about her other than work and her relationship with the hero. Then in the last third of the book, there was suddenly a lot of other conflict all at once. The extra conflict, however, all related back to the hero and heroine's relationship troubles and I wished there had been more complexity to those story lines.

The fallback was okay. It didn’t hit for me like I thought it was going to. The main characters were fine but nothing stood out about them that I liked. The premise of the story was cute which is why I wanted to read it. However the execution of it just wasn’t as great as it could have been. I wanted to fall in love with Mitch like Rosie had and that didn’t happen at all. His plan seemed to be ill thought out and the logic behind it was stupid. Mitch didn’t read as being charming or nice to me at all. I thought he was pushy and really arrogant not really coming across as loving. On the other hand I thought Rosie had no backbone and was written to be too timid and had no backbone. Her whole going off of others advice instead of doing what she thought was best was one of the many reasons I felt this way. She also didn’t put in as much effort with dating like I thought she would which I think could have made the plot lines be stronger than what we got. I loved there was a HEA but it was one of the only good things I got from this story.

3 stars - The Fallback is a cute, easy romance read, great for people who enjoy friends-to-lovers books and exploring the idea of being someone's 'fallback'.

I enjoyed the reversal of the usual tropes, with Rosie being the one who is unsure about settling down and having children. Most of the characters were likeable and I particularly enjoyed reading about Nadia and Jasmine, who are both dealing with their own issues while trying to help Rosie with her situation. I also liked the insight into Rosie's career as a scientist, and the descriptions of London throughout the book really helped to set the scene.

I liked most of the characters, but unfortunately not Rosie, which made it difficult to keep reading as the book is from her point of view. I appreciate that the flashback scenes were added for insight into her history with Mitch, but they were often accompanied by Rosie describing the event in the present timeline too, and this felt repetitive and unnecessary. There was a lot of miscommunication which I found frustrating to read, and a lot of the events in the second half of the book were very predictable.

Thank you to NetGalley & One More Chapter/HarperCollins UK for an ARC in exchange for honest feedback.

Thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter for the ARC of The Fallback by Eleanor Goymer.

This story is about best friends Mitch and Rosie who makes a plan to be each other’s fallback if they can’t find “the one” before the annual Christmas party at Rosie’s work. This was a good debut novel and I enjoyed that the FMC was in the STEM field, but I think the execution of the story could have been improved. I didn’t see much character development from our FMC and would have wished for her to be more mature considering she is supposed to be in her thirties. But I could feel the chemistry between Mitch and Rosie and I’m glad about how the story ended.

I would recommend this if you want a sweet friends to lovers story🤩

I have a hard time with books with now and then timeline. I really tried to get in to this book but I lost interest when all of a sudden a new time line was introduced. I am however still curious about who Rosie ends up with if it’s not Mitch. So maybe I will give this another chance later on when I’m not in a reading slump.

The Fallback by Eleanor Goymenr
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Tropes: Friends to lovers, miscommunication, fallback, slow burn, secret love.

Best friends, Rosie and Mitch, have decided that if they can’t find their person then they would be each other’s fallbacks. As a debut novel it really did have the making of great story, however the execution of the story needed a bit more tweaking in my honest opinion (and this is just my opinion). The characters fell felt and often times were a bit basic. I just wish that there was a bit more to be fair.

First of all
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollin UK, One more chapter for giving me the opportunity to read this book, I am very grateful.
I had seen the concept of 'fallback' in a series or movie (even in my real life from my best friend, but no, I wasn't in love with him) but of all the books I've read so far I hadn't come across any with this concept, and that was something that really caught my attention in this story.
"The Fallback" is a charming and funny romance novel that follows Rosie, a woman who secretly falls in love with her best friend, Mitch.
I love these types of stories, I think they are realistic feelings and situations, that happen in real life and that makes it easy to empathise with the characters, something I value very much in my reading,
Goymer's writing is light and enjoyable, and the characters are realistic and charming. "The Fallback is a perfect read for lovers of romance, comedy and stories of unrequited love. I've fallen in love with it, I hope to read more from this author. ^^

This book was cute. There was a lot of sweet parts but also a lot of slower parts where I found myself skimming through. It was fun but it also didn’t blow me away. I really liked both Rosie and Mitch! The gender reversal was very interesting and I liked it!

After seeing many movies follow the idea of a fallback/backup plan, I was very interested in this book!! And it’s safe to say that I really enjoyed it.
Rosie & Mitch I think are one of the cutest friends to lovers stories I’ve seen, just because of the slow burn and how much they both obviously love each other.
I did feel like the character ‘flaws’ were very frustrating - it sometimes felt like they were a bit selfish and only really considered their own feelings - however it didn’t pull too much away from the book and my feelings toward it.
Overall, I have this book a 3.75⭐️ so have rounded this up to a 4!!

Thank you Net Galley & OMC for an ARC in exchanged for honest feedback.

There was so much that grabbed my attention with this read, and made it overall good and a quick read. (Also very fade to black at the end so extremely appropriate)

Rosie and Mitch have been best friends for years, ever since being roommates and working through uni together. And they've been just friends the entire time until one night and a kiss that had Rosie falling head over heels for Mitch. Never believing for a second he could feel the same she agrees to go along with his plan to be each others fallback if neither of them finds love by Christmas. But it quickly becomes apparent their friendship may not survive the countdown.

Overall, again this was a good read but I didn't love either of the mc's. Mitch was like an over eager puppy with a bone with each new love interest and Rosie was so determined it could never be any different that it was her detriment.

I'd still recommend to anyone looking for a quick romance read with an interesting plot though!

Add this to the list of my favorites! LOVED this. It made me laugh so much, and I fell in love with these characters!

—Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the chance to review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

If you love friends to lovers romances that have witty dialogues and feel like great romcom movies then you’ll love this one.
3.5/5

thank you netgalley for a chance to read and review this book!
this is a very nice debut. falling in love with your best friend is usually kind of boring but i love me a backup plan to lovers trope. anyway rosie was very bleh not going to lie. very little personality. i liked mitch a bit. overall the experience was nice , wouldn’t really reread but it was enjoyable.

Thanks for letting me review an ARC copy of The Fallback! Eleanor Goymer did not disappoint with this book! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this, in some places I wanted to cry and scream at the main characters, but it made it all the more better, I love a little angst. A couple of times the book was a bit slow paced and dragged but only a LITTLE! Over all I really loved it, it was just the kind of emotional rollercoaster I needed! 🥰

(P.S i REALLY wish it had an epilogue 😢 I would have like a pinch more closure)

Mitch seems like a cool guy. Really liked him as a character. Rosie? Not so much. She was being kinda crazy the whole time. Very often it felt like she was doing things for seemingly no apparent reason. She needed to use her brain more often.

This whole book was just the miscommunication trope which was not fun. I would prefer books to retire the trope altogether. I feel like we went through so much frustrating plot just to get the meekest resolution ever.

This book definitely had potential and had a great premise I just don’t think it was executed as well as it could have been.

ARC from NetGalley, Harper Collins, and One More Chapter

The Fallback by Eleanor Goymer is an adorable novel and a great beach read!! Best friends Mitch and Rosie agree that if they haven't met someone special by Christmas they would be each other's fallback. But what will happen if one of them falls for the other? Or if they really do find someone special? Will this be the end of a wonderful friendship? A great novel for a cozy evening by the fire, a fun day at the beach or just anytime you want a fun read! Thank you to the author publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Mitch and Rosie are easy to like characters and it is lovely to read something other than the ‘typical’ gender roles, with Rosie being the one less keen to have children.
I really enjoyed this book, it was easy to read, really enjoyable and I would recommend to anyone!

3 Stars !
When reading the description of this book I was really intrigued with the idea of a fallback, I was excited to see how it was played out.
This book was not exactly what i was expecting. It was a slow start and took me a while to get into the story and I sometimes felt my self zoning out at parts.

I enjoyed the dual timelines as we got to see how they both met and became friends. I enjoyed the friends to Lovers trope and how it was portrayed in this book, I felt like the characters were sweet together but they had lots of miscommunication. I felt like I did not connect with any of the characters. I also felt like we didn't see much of the chemistry between Rosie and Mitch until the end of the book, but I loved the slow burn and the build up of waiting to see what happens to Rosie and Mitch.

If you love the friends to lovers trope then I recommend The Fallback.

*Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for providing me this Arc in return for an honest review*

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK-One More Chapter for the ARC of this book. All opinions in my review are my own.

Rosie is a scientist at a university who has always secretly loved her best friend and former flat mate, Mitch. He suggests that they become each others "fall back" and be with each other if they can't find anybody else. This book is essentially just the story of them finding their way to each other. It was just okay for me. I found myself skimming through some parts and it didn't keep my attention all that well. There were sweet parts of the story and I felt that the two main characters were fairly likely but it just wasn't a memorable read.

"The Fallback" by Eleanor Goymer is a delightful debut that combines a slow-burn romance with a thoughtful exploration of societal expectations around relationships and family. The story revolves around scientist Rosie and her best friend Mitch, who propose to become each other's fallback for having a child if they don't find serious partners by Christmas.

The characters of Rosie and Mitch are endearing, making them relatable and easy to root for. Rosie, a dedicated virologist, is a lover of data, while Mitch is a carefree science journalist who owes his PhD success to Rosie. The dynamics of their friendship add depth to the narrative, especially as Rosie grapples with her hidden feelings for Mitch.

What sets this book apart is its gender reversal, with Mitch desiring a family while Rosie remains ambivalent about having children. The author skillfully weaves the complexities of their relationship, keeping readers engaged with the push and pull of emotions. The stakes are raised when Rosie finally voices her thoughts on the proposed plan, adding tension and depth to the story.

The London setting adds charm to the narrative, making readers nostalgic for the city. The writing captures the essence of the characters' haunts, creating a vivid backdrop for their story.

While the book has strong foundations, there are some quibbles. It could have benefited from Rosie dating a real contender, adding more stakes to the story. Additionally, Rosie's initial reluctance to voice her thoughts might frustrate some readers, but her eventual expression of feelings is a satisfying turn.

Despite these minor issues, the book is engaging and well-crafted. Eleanor Goymer's portrayal of a STEM field protagonist and the friends-to-lovers trope is commendable. The miscommunication and secret pining elements resonate realistically, especially when emotions evolve between friends. The risk of jeopardizing a long-standing friendship is a genuine concern that adds depth to the narrative.

However, there are some character flaws that could be addressed. Rosie's emotional stuntedness and use of the silent treatment may make her less likable. Mitch's demanding and manipulative behavior, especially in the creation of the fallback plan, requires more redemption in the end. The resolution seems to brush off their issues rather than providing a more substantial resolution, hinting at potential challenges in their future.

In conclusion, "The Fallback" is an engaging read with good bones, and Eleanor Goymer's storytelling shows promise. The push and pull of the story, combined with the friends-to-lovers trope, keep readers intrigued. With a focus on character growth, especially in handling emotions and communication, future works by the author could further enhance the storytelling experience.