Erryn reviews ‘Destined to Fall’ by Louisa Mae. The ebook was published January 20, 2017 and is 204 pages. The audiobook was narrated by Dan Calley. It was released April 30, 2020 and is 6 hrs and 10 mins long. A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.
Why I read this book: I love narrator Dan Calley and am always up to trying a new author.
There are parts of our lives which are predestined, and no matter how hard we try, we can’t change what will happen – what must happen. Andrew Manners understood that better than most, but it didn’t change how he felt about his past or his desire to change it.
Even angels have regrets, and after living two mortal lifetimes in his angelic form, and with countless other years ahead, he would give it all up to be with the man he’d loved and lost for just one short lifetime together.
“Everything has a price. Every journey has an end.”
The price Andrew paid when his journey ended was immortality. A gift, some would say. A curse, others would whisper.
He’s walked the earth for almost 100 years, putting aside all selfish needs while caring and offering comfort to others. When he finds a dying man on the streets of London, he’s unprepared for how it will change his life.
“I never knew how my life could change in such a short space of time, or how one decision would affect the outcome in such a monumental way.”
Josh is inconsolable after losing his partner, and as Andrew guides the grief stricken man through his pain, he’s forced to recall his own mortal life and the lover he left behind. Looking back allows him to see what he could find with Josh, but such a strong bond shouldn’t exist between a mortal and an angel, and Andrew struggles with the demands of his angelic duties and what his heart needs.
“I found out it was possible to love, and be loved in return, only to face losing it all.”
Knowing a relationship can only bring them both heartache, and unable to explain his angelic form, Andrew believes he will spend an eternity mourning what could have been.
“The true measure of love is what you’re willing to give up for it.”
With the terrifying prospect of living forever without the man he loves weighing heavily on his soul, Andrew seeks out a different path, one which could lead him into the hands of the demonic creatures which now hide in the shadows around him, or lead him into the arms of his soulmate. The risks are great. Andrew’s very soul is in danger. But what good is a soul without its mate? Falling in love was easy. Falling for love would be the hard part.
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My Review:
I wasn’t expecting this book. I don’t read synopses – I like to go in blind. If I had read it, I might have been able to anticipate the pain.
That being said – you have to read this book. You may not cry. You may not be moved the way I was. You may be stoic and yet still able to appreciate the emotion. Whomever you are and however you deal with grief, this is a book you can enjoy.
Andrew is an angel. He ‘died’ years ago and has walked the earth since, helping others deal with their grief. He comes upon a man who’s been stabbed. A man whose dying wish is that Andrew take care of his boyfriend. Andrew has scruples, and tries to evade making the promise but, in the end, relents. Then he meets Joshua and as the man deals with unfathomable grief, Andrew is there.
In some ways this is a very simple romance and in others it’s not. See Andrew wasn’t supposed to make that promise. He shouldn’t be taking care of Joshua. He certainly shouldn’t be falling in love. When he’s called away to another ‘job’, he leaves a confused Joshua in his wake. Joshua who is only beginning to reconcile the death of his lover with the attraction he has for this new man.
(on a side note there is a small niggling issue with dates – Andrew died about 100 years ago around age twenty yet he meets someone he used to know – making them 120…just a small thing and maybe I’m wrong but it did niggle)
Andrew isn’t prepared for the emotional toll the ‘job’ will take of him, but he dutifully executes his responsibilities. When he’s done, he challenges the higher ups that he wants to go back to Joshua and make a life. Apparently that’s not an option. He’s presented with two rather unpalatable ones, yet he still returns to Joshua, knowing their time together might be limited. He vows to make the most of it, but, in the end, Andrew is forced to reveal his true self. Needless to say, Joshua is flummoxed. I think I would be as well. I mean an angel on earth? With wings?
I wanted the men to get their happy ending, but I sure wasn’t convinced it was going to happen. Spoiler alert: they do. The story reminded me greatly of the 1990’s movie City of Angels with Nicholas Cage and Meg Ryan. That had a decidedly unhappy ending that I didn’t see coming. Rest assured, although there are similarities, the ending is not one of them.
I cannot say enough good things about this book. Yes, I sobbed. I’m a sap after all. Yes, I was moved. It was easy to remember people I’ve loved and lost. Yes, I’m tearing up now, even a week later. Because the book was just that powerful.
Narrated by Dan Calley, the book is perfect. Mr. Calley’s voice is resonant and he differentiates the voices well. I also like his interpretations of Sage and Lucian. So please add this book to your listening list. I promise it’s worth it.
My Rating:
10/10 Pots of Gold (100% Recommended) – Compares to 5/5 Stars
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I live in Leeds a vibrant city in the North of the UK. I’ve always loved reading, and one of my fondest memories from childhood was the weekly visits to the library with my dad. It always seemed such a magical place to escape into through the books I read on a weekly basis.
I’d not really thought about writing in my adult life until I was introduced to the world of Fanfiction and after reading so many I found myself making friends through this new media. My friend, Lori, told me to have a go at writing one, and I did. That work took on a life of its own and opened my eyes to the possibilities. This allowed me to get used to plotting a story and while making the characters my own. I also started to beta/pre read for others and discovered, that much to my surprise, they valued my opinion and input.
Making the move to write M/M or slash as it’s known, took me a little longer. After becoming good friends with a wonderful lady from Illinois called Angela, who told me (repeatedly), “You should write slash, I think you’d be good at it.” I shied away from the idea for so long, but the seed was firmly sown in my mind and soon took root and a life of its own. I decided to write a short piece as a surprise gift for Angela’s birthday that year. Emailing it to her, given the time difference between the UK and US this meant I was desperately waiting for her to see it and I think I heard her delighted scream.
Thanks to this, and working on writing group competition, I soon found that I preferred writing M/M to M/F.
In 2013 fate intervened and I lost my job. Through my new one, I met Nicole Colville, and the rest is history. This marked the start of a beautiful friendship. She encouraged me to make the switch to writing original fiction, and I signed up to Nano Wri Mo 2013, but due to changing jobs I couldn’t do it. In 2014 I signed up again, and smashed the 50K word goal in 30 days, with a story I love and am proud of.
I’ve been beta/pre reading for Nicole over 17 books now (including the 10 shorts in Knights) and the confidence she inspires in me has been invaluable in me joining this anthology, even though I think the word ‘no’ doesn’t feature in her vocabulary.
Rainbow Gold Reviews 