Title: Catch Me When I Fall
Author: John Wiltshire
Genre: Paranormal
Length: Novella (110 pages)
ISBN: B00ODF2U2E
Publisher: MLR Press (October 9th, 2014)
Heat Level: Medium
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts
Reviewer: Zane
Blurb: Being an ex-soldier, Jake doesn’t know much about angels, but shouldn’t they be…angelic?
What would you do if your guardian angel fell into your backyard? When an angel, Gabriel, falls from heaven, Jake takes him in.
Unfortunately, the presence of this beautiful creature stirs passions in Jake that should have remained buried in the mountains of Afghanistan. Why has Gabriel come to earth? Is he being entirely truthful about his mission? Gabriel’s presence forces Jake to make the hardest decision of his life: rekindle a relationship left bruised by the Taliban, or take a leap of faith on the promise of a creature made of sunlight and love.
Purchase Link: http://www.mlrbooks.com/Bookstore.php?bookid=JW_CMWIF
Review: From the start, I was drawn to John Wiltshire’s beautifully crafted characters, who are teeming with vulnerability and sweet innocence. Gabriel the fallen angel is beautiful, he’s sexy, and he’s in love with a human. Jake (said human), is hiding from himself and his sexuality. A retired soldier, (now a park ranger), he’s the hottest one in the room (well, he used to be) and quite the womanizer – until Gabriel literally falls into Jake’s life.
Cue giggles and laughter (such well-written humor) as Jake deals with the intrusion of this angel into his life, as Gabriel deals with everyday life as a human, and as they both deal with Jake’s doubts and self-realizations.
The smooth, easygoing nature of the book does abruptly shift, and complications come into play. Jake and Gabriel are weighed down by harrowing uncertainty – Can an angel and a human find a happily ever? Will the forces beyond them allow such a thing? Will Jake’s fears and issues from his past intrude upon their present because of this uncertainty?
With this story, John Wiltshire delivers a literary Rom-Com complete with good feels and the requisite bit of angst. True to the genre, you do have the breakout supporting character that steals the proverbial show. In this case, it is Bob the wolfhound/dog, which is able to fully communicate with Gabriel (of course), and helps to forge a bond between the three that is both amusing and touching.
The path to true love is never smooth (especially when one-half of the couple is otherworldly) but in this case. It is at least vastly entertaining. I laughed at Gabriel, Jake and Bob and the hijinks that took place from the beginning and as they grew together. My gut clenched as I experienced their sadness (yes, Bob too) and I became fearful that their love wasn’t going to prevail. When I did finally put the book down, I’ll be damned if I didn’t have a huge grin on my face, because, yes, I was happy with the ending.
If you want to take a delightful and heart-warming journey with a fallen angel, an ex-soldier in denial of his sexuality to everyone including himself, and a wolfhound/dog named Bob, grab this one up. You’ll be glad you did.
. ** I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through www.mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com **