This book is a gem. It's written with such skill and imagination that I found myself completely immersed. A delightful and rewarding experience.

Pen is not the most likable character but she's trying. Her brother died, her mother is awful to her, and she's been in a relationship with a married man. An impulsive move to Tennessee changes some things but she has to change herself. Bicycle riding and her own business help and then there's Grant. Will they have an HEA? No spoilers from me. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's a good read.

This book might not be for everyone, but it was definitely for me.

Pen is as real as they come, as far as characters go. She's moody, overly sensitive, brash, and full of life. I love her so much!! Grant, is different in many ways, but ultimately right for Pen.

I think the author did a great job telling us the love story of Pen & Grant. It wasn't always pretty but they had a happy ending.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I wanted to love this book but had a number of issues with it. First was that it felt too long and I could've been okay with just the first half of the book being the complete thing.

Second is that I barely connected to any of the characters. Penelope was problematic. She had trauma from her past to overcome but made up for it in other ways like the toxic relationship with Chad. There was also the emotional cheating when Grant came into the picture but I appreciate that it didn't go on for long.

There were also so many emotional moments in the book. It should've been a tearjerker but I was indifferent to all of it. I do love that the key thing was to embrace life and all it brings, live in the moment and make amends while you still can.

The audio was great and definitely helped with finishing the book. Thank you to Netgalley and Publisher for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

I have a high hope while I start reading this book, because I'm all for a 'found family' troupe and healing type of story. But this one is such a mess. I have a hard time to like Pen, especially with her decision to stay with her ex (while he's technically still married).

Her and Grant could have a cute moment that I want to like except he also in a relationship with someone else.

But I like the character development and her friendship with Deanna.

A bitter and sweet love story with real emotional depth. Excellent voice, I laughed and found myself talking out loud to the characters. Will definitely be looking for more from this author.

This book was great. The characters were enjoyable. The plot holds your attention. I would read another book by this author.

Not gonna lie, I had a very hard time connecting to Pen. I think that’s why she had her nickname Prickly Pen. She was a tough egg to crack and to connect with. The fact that she stayed with her ex for the first half of the book (who WAS MARRIED) and her mother was on board with this relationship going full throttle was just a sour after feeling that no one wants for their taste buds. Her relationship with her mother was difficult to read and sit with as well. I still don’t know about that ending seeing where the relationship is with her mother.
I did enjoy the friendship with Grant even if he was an into the moment type of guy. I didn’t like that Pen still purposely pursued Grant when he was in a relationship. This whole ‘I can’t have you but I still want you’ theme that finds its way into stories is just not my thing.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC - all opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The False Flat refers to a bike trail that looks flat, but has a deceptive uphill grade. Life can have many false flats. Penelope(Pen) Auberge is fed up with her life in Minneapolis, her boss gives clients she has brought in to their financial planning company to younger, male staff to manage, her mother is overbearing to the point of telling her how to dress, and it turns out her love life is not what she thought it was. Impulsively, she buys a house in Nashville to escape her life. Having lost her brother at a young age, she copes with her social anxiety by riding her bike long distances and imagining people as numbers that she feels fits them. Will Pen be able to start her own financial advising company, overcome her inability to move on from her brother's death, and build a new life in Nashville? I loved Pen's story, and it is told with humor and love. Thank you to Montlake Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to review an advance reader's ebook copy. #TheFalseFlat#NetGalley

This book was a struggle for me to read. I didn't really connect with any of the characters and the romance was lacklustre for me.

While I could see Penelope's character grow throughout the story, I wasn't invested in it.

I think this is a matter of personal taste.

I received an ARC of this book - all opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC of this book. I really wanted to like it but I could not get into the story. The main character didn't feel likeable to me and thus, I just wasn't rooting for her. I would think some people may like that one hence the 3 stars. I appreciate the opportunity.

This book had so many heartwarming moments. Penelope’s journey underscores the power of vulnerability, the beauty of friendships, and the strength in community. I really enjoyed this read.

Fantabulous story!
Great characters and some I really enjoyed in getting to know.
I didnt like Penelope's mother because she reminded me too much of my own mother in law.
This new to me author has done a fantabulous job in bringing these characters to life and making this story realistic.
I was lost from the moment I opened the book. It was so good.
In .any ways I felt that I could relate to Pen ( who is an awesome character by the way). I loved how she just threw caution to the wind. I wish I could do that. It's one of tue many reasons I liked about her and this book.
5 stars for an amazing story. I highly recommend.
My thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is a book about Penelope, who decides she needs a change and heads off to Tennessee. But, you know, life's never that simple. She's got to deal with all her baggage while trying to start fresh. Along the way, she meets some quirky characters who help her out.

The author's writing style is easy to understand, so you'll find yourself flying through the pages. Seriously, it's one of those books that sticks with you...

I LOVED this book! I read it in less than 24 hours. It had me laughing and also tearing up. Beautifully written. I look forward to more from this author!

To me, this book was truly cathartic. I've never felt more seen or acknowledged as I felt reading Penelope's story.
A lot of books feature characters with trauma and/or anxiety, but this is the first time where I felt the author truly understands how both shape a person's character.
For Penelope, her life didn't end with her brother's death in the technical sense; she went on to become a successful financial advisor, had a boyfriend, a cheating one but one nonetheless, and she had a sort of functional relationship with her mother.
From outside, she was okay and living well, which showed when one of her past coworkers admitted how much she looked up to her.
On the inside though, she was just existing. The constant feeling of inadequacy and detachment was expressed so unapologetically and in such a poignant way I couldn't help but relate to.
When Penelope told Grant that she didn't think she was capable of loving someone, it hit hard.
When it came to the writing, it was super beautiful and flowed effortlessly. Just an author who knows what she is doing. No flowery prose or unnecessary fillings.
The book absolutely made it to my list of favorites and I would definitely keep an eye out for the author's future books.
*I received an ARC of this book through netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

Oh this one stunned and moved me more than I was expecting.

Penelope is starting over at a new job in a new city after a series of events sends her running from her ex and her job.

Immediately at the start of this book, I felt a kinship with Pen. The way she (doesn't) deal with emotions and her lack of self worth hit close to home and I absolutely loved seeing her growth throughout the book. I loved Grant. Wonderful delightful Grant. I loved his humor and his views on the world. I loved having a seat to their love story.

I also throughly enjoyed the side characters and the way Deanna and Pen got closer and built the foundation they needed by the end of the book.

I will be thinking about this one for a while!

Thank you Montlake and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher Montlake for approving my request to read the advance read copy of The False Flat in exchange for an honest review. approx 380 pages. Publication date is June 11, 2024.

I loved the biracial narrator and her attempt to tell her story honestly. For where I am in my life, the grief aspects and anxiety aspects were very triggering but they contributed dramatically to this book. There is also a fair deal of cheating in the book. That aside, the story here was provoking and unique. I don’t quite think anyone else could have written this book. Even the way that Pen speaks to her boss in the first chapter and how she explains her “numbering” system for people are unique to her. Grant’s evolution with Pen was so heartwarming as well.

Recommended read for anyone wanting something deeper from their lit fic!

enjoyed this book over all. The title was perfect for this book. Pen has gone through a lot of hardships in her life and while things currently seem like they are smooth sailing, they’re still difficult because of that past. Pen is scared to form attachments and bonds with people because of the losses in her past.

I enjoyed the mental health representation in this book. Pen’s experience with anxiety and panic attacks and how she would flee when things got hard. I also liked how she used biking to help get through it.

There was a lot of cheating in this book which I did not enjoy but I don’t think that’s at fault by the author. That is because of my personal history

There were a lot of elements in The False Flat that I appreciated because I hadn't read a novel with a bi-racial female protagonist. I felt that i could really empathize with her struggle to fit in and some of her anxiety, additionally complicated by the loss of her brother at a young age.

Story locations included Minnesota and Tennessee. Loved the aspect of biking and ties to the local farmers market (in Franklin, TN). I was not familiar with the term False Flat, but it is the perfect title for this book! I loved the support of her friend Deanna and the creativeness of the food she created and that Penelope was starting her own business as a financial planner and some of the challenges she faced.

I found the ending of The False Flat to be especially satisfying.

This is author Melissa Collings debut novel! Nicely done!

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher Montlake for approving my request to read the advance read copy of The False Flat in exchange for an honest review. approx 380 pages. Publication date is June 11, 2024.