The False Flat by Melissa Collings is a compelling story of self-discovery and new beginnings. Pen Auberge, fed up with her controlling mother, unfulfilling relationship, and unrecognized achievements, moves to Nashville to carve out her own path. As she starts a new business and forms tentative connections with siblings Deanna and Grant, Pen confronts her social anxiety, romantic feelings, and the ghosts of her past. Collings beautifully explores themes of independence, growth, and the courage to embrace change, with a relatable protagonist whose journey is both inspiring and heartfelt. This is a heartfelt, character-driven novel about finding your true self.

This book explores themes of family, friendship, grief, and personal growth. Ultimately, it didn't explore these in a way that I personally resonated with. It's certainly a well-written book, but I personally found the main character too unlikable to fully cheer for, even by the end of the novel, and the side characters didn't feel like fully developed people of their own so much as tools for the main character to learn from, particularly the love interest. This is why, for me, the grief didn't hit home fully - while the character herself suffers loss, it's framed so thoroughly as a (perhaps necessary) step in her own personal journey that I, the reader, don't feel like I have participated in the loss. This is the same issue I have with Jojo Moyes books, so I feel like it likely wouldn't bother a reader who enjoyed those or similar novels!

What a delightful surprise this book turned out to be! I went in thinking it was going to be a light, happy romance, but it ended up being so much more. The story is packed with depth and character development. The friend group and side characters were fantastic, and I found myself wanting to spend more time with them. They had real, meaningful interactions and showed each other so much love and support.

The book touches on some heavy themes, like moving on from internalized issues, breaking free from the pressure of being what her mom wants, grieving the loss of a brother, dealing with a relationship tainted by infidelity, and navigating life as a mixed woman. The main character makes the bold decision to completely change her life and start living for herself.

I really enjoyed this book and the characters that we got to know. The ending completely took me by surprise, but in the best possible way—I loved it.

What I really appreciated was seeing Penelope explore herself and her life. Her growth felt authentic, and it wasn’t the typical predictable or cheesy storyline you often get. The writing was engaging and kept my attention the whole time, making her journey of self-discovery feel truly special.

#ARC #netgalley

A bit slow to start, but once it got going, it was a pretty good read. I found the characters interesting and the story compelling enough to enjoy it overall. 3/5 stars

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.

This took me a little to get into but once I did it was a smooth reading. There were parts where I thought that I was going to DNF but I’m glad that I kept reading because this was a beautiful emotional story. Penelope has a hard time letting people into her life after her brother had passed. She ends up moving to a new city where she meets Grant where he maybe able to change her mind for this special guy that she has met.

Once I got into the story, I was wanting to just keep reading this book!! To say I absolutely enjoyed this book is an understatement. It made me laugh & cry. Thabk you netgalley and publishers!!! This is a winner

"The False Flat" by Melissa Collings is a gripping and atmospheric novel that draws readers into a world of suspense and mystery. Collings’ writing is sharp and evocative, creating a sense of unease that lingers throughout the story. The plot is intricately woven, with twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end. Her characters are well-developed, each with their own secrets that add depth to the narrative. "The False Flat" is a compelling read for anyone who enjoys a well-crafted thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Collings has crafted a truly memorable tale.

Heart warming and moving story of friendship and new beginnings. Relatable characters. An engaging read but had some slow pacing at times.

Thank you to the author, Montlake and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. My apologies for the delay in posting this review, I am well behind and trying to catch up!

The blurb on this one is a bit off - to my mind this book is primarily about death, the outworkings of grief and how that can impact a life. The "false flat" of the title refers to a bike trail that looks flat, but has a deceptive uphill grade - just like life itself. Our female protagonist is struggling on various fronts, carrying a lot of grief from losing her brother at a young age, dealing with highly dysfunctional parents - and copes with her social anxiety by biking long distances and keeping her distance from other people. She is a talented financial planner, and the final straw comes when she is passed over for a well-deserved promotion in favor of a younger, less-experienced male colleague. Oh, and on her way out the door she finds out her boyfriend is married. Fed up, she impulsively decamps from Minneapolis and buys a house in Nashville, deciding to open her own financial planning company. Although she has her defenses up, she makes a friend and in time builds up a found family in her new life, but the path is not always smooth. I found the mental health representation in this book well done, the pacing is realistic and side characters are well-developed. There are plenty of heartbreaking, yet beautiful moments, and I particularly loved seeing Penelope's growth throughout the book.

This is one emotional journey! I was hooked from the beginning with the amount of emotional trauma Pen has endured. Her broken family and fractured soul pulled on my heartstrings. Breaking free of old patterns and opening herself up to new experiences, including those of friendship and love, allows her to really feel again for the first time in decades.
This awakening also leaves her vulnerable and open in ways she never thought she was capable of again.
It’s a must read for this who love poignant stories with a ray of sunshine!

I love stories about new beginnings and this one left me with a warm feeling!
Beautiful writing, relatable characters, fun, moving and uplifting. I enjoyed every page of this book.

Thank you Suzy Approved Book Tours for this tour invite.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝗙𝗹𝗮𝘁 by Melissa R Collins released June 11, 2024.

An emotional read, the story of Pen who relocated her whole life after being overlooked by a sexist boss at work and then finding out her boyfriend is married. Will she let in her new friends. Deals with some emotional issues.

If I could give this book all the stars I would. It has all of my favorite elements: a witty socially awkward heroine, a wise charming easygoing hero, found family in new friends, quirky secondary characters, a unique theme, and a scene stealing animal. Beautifully written this romantic story is captivating, engaging, and utterly unputdownable. The audiobook is perfectly narrated by Alaska Jackson and I loved every minute I spent listening to it. One of my favorite books I've ever read. I love you x 10 (IYKYK)

The characters felt so real and relatable! I didn't expect this book to be as emotional as it was. I was really pleasantly surprised with this one because the beginning was a bit slow—I wasn't sure if I should continue reading it. However, about a third of the way through, I was really glad I had pushed through. Lovely!

3.75 ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75 stars! Penelope is going through a transitionary time within her life. She quit her job and found out that her boyfriend is actually married. She decides to move away to Tennessee for a fresh start.

Penelope has always found it hard to let people in her life because her brother died at a young age due to cancer. But while she’s in her new city she meets Deanna who she slowly becomes friends with and also befriends her brother, Grant.

Penelope learns so much about herself through her relationships which helps her grow as a woman, friend and partner. This book is about the ups and downs of life, and how you should step out on faith in order to fulfill your dreams. It is about love, grief, friendship and found family. This story took me through many emotions and it was a very good read!

An incredible story, I enjoyed it a lot, it leaves you feeling a lot of emotions. Penelope and Grant were wonderful

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️! I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It made me feel all the feels - laughing out loud in some moments while crying during others. I loved both Pen and Grant and loved them even more together. I definitely recommend this book, and I hope to read more books by this author in the future!!

Thank you to NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Oh, what a bittersweet tale!
I'm not sure any amount of time would be "enough" to compose oneself after finishing this book. It shattered me and then pieced me back together multiple times. It's not your average romance, yet I adored it just the same.
Let's start with why I adore Penelope, also known as Pen, so much. Penelope seems real to me. Her mannerisms, her coping methods, everything about her. And, not to forget Grant, it's impossible not to fall for him. Grant and his sister Deanna are genuinely wonderful people.
Although this book will infuriate you and cause your heart to ache, I hope you find it as enchanting as I do. Because, in the end, the love story is profoundly beautiful.

I had the privilege of both reading this book and listening to the audiobook. The narrator did an excellent job. I wholeheartedly recommend both!
Thank you Brilliance Publishing for the audiobook, Montlake for the digital ARC, and Netgalley.

I loved this book And watching the main character come to her own and then I saw how the ending was going to happen and I hated it (Don't get me wrong. It was well done and it was a beautiful end, and I loved it But also to see it coming, the reader's grief is real!)
When I requested this book I did not understand the title but it was a very accurate analogy to use the cycling term false flat for life situations. And for all I didn't want it to happen, the end really was perfect.

#arc
#netgalley
#falseflat