After She Falls by Carmen Schober

Adri Rivera is on the run from an abusive marriage with her young daughter, Eva, from Miami, Florida. She goes back to her home town in Pennsylvania to live with her Uncle. But being back in your hometown means facing a lot of people that you left behind. Including an old boyfriend named Max and the fighting circuit she once was involved in. After She Falls by Carmen Schober is her debut novel.

I thought After She Falls was well-written for a first novel. The characters are real and gritty in many ways. I would caution that there are triggers if you have been in an abusive situation and/or don't like violence. I knew there would be some violence with the MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) fighting. I like to learn new things and I like to try new authors so I thought I would give it a try. However, I can honestly say, even though this book was well-written, it really wasn't for me. I struggled to get through the abusive situation in the beginning. . .and I think if he were that abusive, he might have done a few things differently than the way the book was written so I am not sure how realistic I think his character was.

There is a solid story of redemption through the book and it is well-woven in. If you are into this kind of thing, then, After She Falls may be a good read for you. It just wasn't my cup of tea. The characters were strong for the most part. The plot was strong. I just don't understand the whole fighting thing and how to reconcile that with my Christianity.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions within this review are my own.